Touchscreen and Buttons

[Edward A. Dauer]

Touchscreens versus physical buttons and knobs aren¹t the only choices.
Avionics manufacturers long ago went to so-called soft keys - physical
buttons, and knobs, whose functions change with the screen context and
which are labelled on the adjacent edge of each screen.  The versatility
is remarkable, and the screen never gets greasy from the pilot¹s lunch -
just the buttons do.  I haven¹t flown for a few years, since losing my
medical; but that¹s how the early glass cockpits looked in my last panel.
It wouldn¹t be a novel idea in radios, including Elecraft ‹ the P3, for
example, has a simple version in its row of programmable keys.  As to
upgradability, a change in F/W that assigns a new function to a knob or
key would come with a matching F/W -based change to the legend on the
adjacent part of the affected screen.  Simple.  No stick-on labels
required - just a well-designed non-touch-sensitive LCD screen.

I do agree with the point about ops with impaired vision.  Soft keys might
have an advantage over touchscreens there as well, though it may be that
proximity-triggered annunciators would be superior to both.

Ted, KN1CBR

 

>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 6
>Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2016 15:27:31 -0400
>From: Buddy Brannan <[hidden email]>
>To: "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]>, Elecraft
> Reflector Reflector <[hidden email]>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New products
>Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>Lighten up, you say? I don't know...I sort of like having radios I can
>actually use. Unless said touch screen will also come with some sort of
>spoken interface, (they haven't, so far), I guess eventually I get to
>look for a new hobby if that's where we're all going. And really, with
>the aging ham population and the sight loss that sometimes comes with
>said aging population, guess a lot of those guys are gonna be screwed,
>too. Sounds like a great idea to me.
>
>--
>Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>Phone: [phone]
>Mobile: [phone]
>Email: [hidden email]
>
>
>
>
>> On Jun 5, 2016, at 3:16 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT
>><[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> A radio with only physical knobs and buttons severely limits future
>>upgradability, and leads to crazy button combinations to turn things on
>>and off that weren't even a dream when the radio was originally released.
>>
>> Touch screens may not be always convenient, but they're much more
>>flexible than a silk-screened metal panel.
>>
>> I realize that knobs and buttons are a religion for some, but it's
>>really time to lighten up, folks.
>>
>> Either that or for Elecraft to release a rig with a whole bunch of
>>"empty" buttons and sell stickers to update the front panel when the
>>firmware grows to need them.
>>
>>

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[Bill K9YEQ]

Consider a control program with a Windows 10 touch screen that has excellent
resolution and can be read outdoors, like the Windows surface book or the
pro series.   Excellent, bright displays, decent battery life.

Bill
K9YEQ

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dauer,
Edward
Sent: Sunday, June 5, 2016 6:27 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Touchscreen and Buttons


Touchscreens versus physical buttons and knobs aren¹t the only choices.
Avionics manufacturers long ago went to so-called soft keys - physical
buttons, and knobs, whose functions change with the screen context and which
are labelled on the adjacent edge of each screen.  The versatility is
remarkable, and the screen never gets greasy from the pilot¹s lunch - just
the buttons do.  I haven¹t flown for a few years, since losing my medical;
but that¹s how the early glass cockpits looked in my last panel.
It wouldn¹t be a novel idea in radios, including Elecraft ‹ the P3, for
example, has a simple version in its row of programmable keys.  As to
upgradability, a change in F/W that assigns a new function to a knob or key
would come with a matching F/W -based change to the legend on the adjacent
part of the affected screen.  Simple.  No stick-on labels required - just a
well-designed non-touch-sensitive LCD screen.

I do agree with the point about ops with impaired vision.  Soft keys might
have an advantage over touchscreens there as well, though it may be that
proximity-triggered annunciators would be superior to both.

Ted, KN1CBR

 

>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 6
>Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2016 15:27:31 -0400
>From: Buddy Brannan <[hidden email]>
>To: "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[hidden email]>, Elecraft
> Reflector Reflector <[hidden email]>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New products
>Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>Lighten up, you say? I don't know...I sort of like having radios I can
>actually use. Unless said touch screen will also come with some sort of
>spoken interface, (they haven't, so far), I guess eventually I get to
>look for a new hobby if that's where we're all going. And really, with
>the aging ham population and the sight loss that sometimes comes with
>said aging population, guess a lot of those guys are gonna be screwed,
>too. Sounds like a great idea to me.
>
>--
>Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>Phone: [phone]
>Mobile: [phone]
>Email: [hidden email]
>
>
>
>
>> On Jun 5, 2016, at 3:16 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT
>><[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> A radio with only physical knobs and buttons severely limits future
>>upgradability, and leads to crazy button combinations to turn things
>>on and off that weren't even a dream when the radio was originally

released.

>>
>> Touch screens may not be always convenient, but they're much more
>>flexible than a silk-screened metal panel.
>>
>> I realize that knobs and buttons are a religion for some, but it's
>>really time to lighten up, folks.
>>
>> Either that or for Elecraft to release a rig with a whole bunch of
>>"empty" buttons and sell stickers to update the front panel when the
>>firmware grows to need them.
>>
>>

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[Bill Steffey NY9H]

or just get an Expert  MB-1 get your touchscreen, SDR, WIN 10  etc...
http://eesdr.com/en/products-en/transceivers-en/mb1-en

Tech support will be like working DX.... not quite Elecraft.

bill


At 07:37 PM 6/5/2016, Bill wrote:
>Consider a control program with a Windows 10 touch screen that has excellent
>resolution and can be read outdoors, like the Windows surface book or the
>pro series.   Excellent, bright displays, decent battery life.
>
>Bill

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