The Pendant discussion

Software / Firmware Jackpot Board / FluidNC
62

There are some details around bluetooth and FluidNC that might be helpful to clarify.

FluidNC has separate Wifi and Bluetooth versions of the firmware. For direct connection, you can have Wifi or Bluetooth, not both. If you go with the Bluetooth firmware, the WebUI is gone and you need some separate device to control it. A bluetooth pendant could be created, or a phone app. Direct connection of a bluetooth controller like an Xbox controller would not work.

What you are essentially doing with a bluetooth controller like an Xbox controller is treating it like a keyboard. So, if you can connect it via Bluetooth to a computer or phone/tablet, you could use it to control it. I did this via my phone and WebUI v3. However, for that to work, the WebUI has to be active because that is what is translating the commands from the controller to something FluidNC understands. So, if the screen turns off, that stops working. Something similar should also be possible with a gcode sender. You’re making a bluetooth connection to the PC and the gcode sender translates that to FluidNC commands.

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63

Do you have the Display/Pendant Interface Module for the 6pack already? If so, all you need is the RJ12 Breakout board for the pendant. If you don’t have the module you can use another RJ12 Breakout board for the 6pack.

RJ12-Breakout
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64

This is the one you should use on the jackpot/6pack side so you have ESD protection.

Its the same one that comes in the M5 dial kit, just without the other side since its different for the CYD

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65

@CesarH
This is what I purchased on Amazon:
https://a.co/d/gTKvrZB
https://a.co/d/eh7umqA
https://a.co/d/db3LKjK
https://a.co/d/doGhr1l
https://a.co/d/ejd2vp6
https://a.co/d/eCZE0t2

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66

OHHHH SNAP! I can try!, oh wait, crap, i have a tiny bee though, because I had free amazon money.

Do I need to buy a vicious board? I can, will, and I have xbox controllers!

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67

Forums are terrible at context. Not you!

Yes, Ryan I don’t know how you’d do a Bluetooth anything to FluidNC without either eliminating the WiFi or using an external bridge device of some kind.

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68

I made my maslow run with a wii remote via bluetooth. It can be done. The socket command interface of the fluidnc system has to be available. You have to be able to communicate with the controller. The wired interfaces use a uart serial connection. You could put an hc06 on it and use that for bluetooth and be off to the races.

69

No, im expectting the sixpack to arrive tomorrow to my shipping forwarder

All parts makes around 73usd shipped (usa-amazon) and on tindie you can find a set with printed parts for around 95usd (without the fun of diy)

NVM no us shipping available from Australia.

70

Just this, you would still use a phone, tablet, or pc connected to the jackpot via wifi.

No. You connect as usual, the device you currently use with the control board would get the controller connected via bluetooth. Jason described it above, make sure the screen timeout is disabled.

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71

Hi! I love the discussion. I will throw in my use case and preferred (Current) style for an additional data point.

I have a mesh AP with a hard line run from my shop to the main router in the house. I use the wifi on the board and have never had any issues. My AP is only 8 feet from my LR4.

I use a shop laptop, and old gaming machine I picked up on FB marketplace, for running my cnc, doing research, and prepping jobs in the shop. I connect to the LR4 and send files to it wirelessly and control it via the V3 UI on the board. I have a little bluetooth keyboard I use when jogging and setting the bits at the beginning of jobs. I use the arrow keys and +/- for Z. I bring it over to the cnc table so I don’t have to keep looking back at the laptop and clicking on things

I don’t see a use case for me and my setup of how a pendant would help, but I am starting to get interested in building one just to see what I would do with it. I am an old millennial with a lot of networking experience. I never played console games, only pc games, and am terrible with controllers and joysticks. That might explain my preference for arrow keys.

If I do any large jogs, I usually just type in a G0 move in console to get the router away from my part. Or set it to 100mm and tap the keyboard a set number of times to move it to a general location.

I like that there aren’t any wired devices attached to the machine (aside from water pump, vac, etc)

My biggest desire next would be to learn more about building custom pieces in the V3 interface. I would like to have a set hotkey for .1, 1mm, 10mm, and 100m jogs without having to toggle, as well as hotkey the probe command, and do a better job of sorting the files that are cluttering my sd card.

Love the machine and the continuing discussion!

I have no desire to run/control the machine from my phone or a touch screen interface at this time.

If you @vicious1 end up leaning towards a kit and sell one, I will buy it to try it out and support the project.

72

An android/iphone app would really make a lot of things easier. It could handle AP/STA mode setup stuff, probably even flash the device, connect via joystick (which is the usb standard name for game controllers) or keyboard, have a low bandwidth interface already loaded on the phone…

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73

There is an Android fluidnc app. Will post the link if i find it

Webui without ads is 100times better, just configure your tablet to not dropoff the wifi/dont sleepmode

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74

I think an issue that should be resolved first is “What are the various use cases for these pendants and which use cases the “stock” machine should cover to make 80% of new users happy”.

The crew that are active in the forums are all tinkerers with our own unique bright ideas and visions. We are going to mod the shit out of anything Ryan makes stock anyway. I’d far prefer a simple stock machine with documented mod points than an over featured Swiss Army knife that attempts to be all things to all people but does not work quite the way I want it to.

I’d propose the following:
Build an official FluidNC pendant that supports a BT keyboard / Joystick profile and the core macros for our feature set (Jog, Home, Reset Coordinates, Pause, Stop etc) . Keep it super basic and super polished and leave a bit of room for customization. Design the fluidnc pendant (internal) to support 3 screen profiles (Large, Medium, Small) screens and document how to customize them further. You can sell a small tablet and BT Keyboard in the store that “Just Works” with the Jackpot as shipped.

People can build custom HID devices that can comply with this pretty easily. It will work with just about any tablet/laptop out there. The pro modders can still hack away at the hardware level if they want to. While you are redesigning the Jackpot throw them a bone and add one of Barts expansion module ports from the 6 pack for extra IO.

Keep supporting both AP profiles as doing otherwise may violate the no religion/politics policy on the site.

Just my $.02

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75

Despite my earlier comments above, I tend to agree with the sentiment of this statement.

As one of the proponents of adding extra endstop holes in the LR4 design to allow for swapping from portrait to landscape mode, I personally cringe every time I see a new builder post here asking why there are more holes than switches, and which holes they should use for their build.

Any wired solution option should not distract or confuse new builders from the sacred and holy YBR.

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76

interesting…

It does have a visualizer.

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77

Nah, not another webpage that pretends to be an App. :expressionless:

78

Never used it, it contains ads.

79

wait, what! When did this come out??? i am on discord and here and never saw this before!!!

Dude

80

I tried that app at one point awhile ago. You can pay to remove ads but it’s kind of expensive.

Screenshot_20250729_154018_Fluid Control
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Mobile app development is kind of a pain but I haven’t done much with it. You basically need to support Android and iOS. So, you either make 2 completely separate apps or use something like Flutter. And then you have to deal with app store BS.

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81

Are some people wanting a pendant because they struggle to use WebUI on mobile? Is that the problem (or one problem…) that should be addressed?

I just installed and tried the fluid control app. I didn’t like, the Ad popups and permissions overreach was annoying. But then I wasn’t very patient with the app. Have uninstalled…

Just me, or do others here think UX improvements to WebUI, plus a Bluetooth game controller paired with the mobile would be good enough for most folks? Zero additional hardware cost for Customers with mobiles and a Bluetooth controller/keyboard.

Existing WebUI on mobile is not fun imo, too much finicky scrolling needed. Ideally, would have a more responsive layout, that’s appropriately compact, task focused and intuitive for mobile screens similar to tablet page. I use 10" tablet+ BT keyboard, and even then I often grumble about some of the WebUX quirks.

Similar to what others already suggested… Maybe find/create a Bluetooth based dial pendant with a few buttons for people that really want them.

The above would satisfy the requirement people have of wanting something tactile that they can press/rotate while looking at the end mill.

But, is that enough, or do significant number of folks still require a wired connection because of WiFi/other trust issues?

This is what I see on mobile, not ideal…

Screenshot_20250729-130851_Chrome
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