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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: jinxedx84 on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:12:03

Title: the stinky foot board
Post by: jinxedx84 on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:12:03: http://www.stinkyboard.com/

anybody here tried this yet? looks interesting enough for even simply tasks or key bind..... seeing as i have an ottoman under my desk im thinking i could potentially mount it to the back wall of my desk
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: PointyFox on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:22:53: It's a foot pedal. They should have used an industrial metal switch instead of a Cherry MX since you'll be stomping on it. Still not very practical though. If I wanted foot controls I'd make my own.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: bueller on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:24:20: Quote from: PointyFox on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:22:53
It's a foot pedal. They should have used an industrial metal switch instead of a Cherry MX since you'll be stomping on it. Still not very practical though. If I wanted foot controls I'd make my own.

Yep, there's a million different types of pedals for musical equipment that can be pretty easily adapted for use with a PC.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: jinxedx84 on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:24:58: im not a very crafty person.....
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: jinxedx84 on Fri, 18 October 2013, 13:25:50: multi button pedals tho?
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 18 October 2013, 16:30:13: Ummm..... yea it could work... this is going to be a pretty serious gamer that he'd start mapping 8x buttons to his legs.(http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/91eea40f.gif)
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: PointyFox on Fri, 18 October 2013, 20:21:37: Quote from: tp4tissue on Fri, 18 October 2013, 16:30:13
Ummm..... yea it could work... this is going to be a pretty serious gamer that he'd start mapping 8x buttons to his legs.
Show Image
(http://www.cute-factor.com/images/smilies/onion/91eea40f.gif)

Or one you use by "twerking" on..
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Zeal on Fri, 18 October 2013, 21:05:13: I saw some videos about it on YouTube, but they never covered how many cherry switches it used. Also, if it used more than 4 directional MX Blues, were the switches placed at an angle to allow for a smoother sideways actuation?
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: PointyFox on Fri, 18 October 2013, 21:44:39: Quote from: Zeal on Fri, 18 October 2013, 21:05:13
I saw some videos about it on YouTube, but they never covered how many cherry switches it used. Also, if it used more than 4 directional MX Blues, were the switches placed at an angle to allow for a smoother sideways actuation?

"Specifications

Hardware: 4-Button Gaming Footboard
Buttons: 4 Programmable Cherry MX Switches
Connections: USB A Male (PC) to USB B Mini (Footboard)
Device: USB HID (Human Interface Device)
Construction: Steel Inner Frame with Aluminum Top Plate for Performance and Durability
"
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Zeal on Fri, 18 October 2013, 23:05:41: Quote from: PointyFox on Fri, 18 October 2013, 21:44:39
Quote from: Zeal on Fri, 18 October 2013, 21:05:13
I saw some videos about it on YouTube, but they never covered how many cherry switches it used. Also, if it used more than 4 directional MX Blues, were the switches placed at an angle to allow for a smoother sideways actuation?

"Specifications

Hardware: 4-Button Gaming Footboard
Buttons: 4 Programmable Cherry MX Switches
Connections: USB A Male (PC) to USB B Mini (Footboard)
Device: USB HID (Human Interface Device)
Construction: Steel Inner Frame with Aluminum Top Plate for Performance and Durability
"

Can 1 switch handle the weight of the metal board + your foot? And for something retailing at ~$100, they sure are making lots of profit :p
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 19 October 2013, 01:40:00: I have the foot pedals from a couple of steering wheel sets. Not that I get much time to use them these days.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: ijprest on Sat, 19 October 2013, 17:57:06: I got one through Kickstarter, though haven't really used it much, since I haven't been playing many games recently... and that's really the expected use-case. You could use it as a generic foot-pedal, I suppose, but I personally don't have enough motor control over my feet to reliably actuate the left & right switches individually.

The build quality is pretty good from what I can see. There are some heavy-duty springs between the metal plate and the switch housing. It came with four different "weights" of springs that I could swap into each of the four positions, depending on my preferences (e.g., lightweight springs on 'left' & 'right', medium-weight on 'up', and heavyweight on 'down'), and the amount of travel required to actuate is adjustable. All the springs are much larger & stronger than anything built into a normal keyboard switch.

The switches themselves are totally hidden. I'm not sure what kind of switches they use (though a previous poster said they were Cherry), but I can confirm that they're clicky. And I'm pretty sure there are only four switches (one for each direction)... i.e., I don't think there are switches in the diagonals.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: AcidFire on Thu, 31 October 2013, 23:02:34: I bought one specifically to void it's warranty and I've already opened it up. If anyone's interested, I can post photos and general impressions.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Pacifist on Thu, 31 October 2013, 23:37:52: Quote from: AcidFire on Thu, 31 October 2013, 23:02:34
I bought one specifically to void it's warranty and I've already opened it up. If anyone's interested, I can post photos and general impressions.

Please do. Want to see how they made it
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 01 November 2013, 06:46:33: You can get ok-good programmable USB/HID pedals on ebay for less than 20 bucks!
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 01 November 2013, 06:48:24: Quote from: AcidFire on Thu, 31 October 2013, 23:02:34
I bought one specifically to void it's warranty and I've already opened it up. If anyone's interested, I can post photos and general impressions.

I'd like this please.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Parak on Fri, 01 November 2013, 07:19:17: I actually like this. I have an x-keys pedal currently, but it along with the rest of transcriber type pedals have deficiencies compared to this thing. No variable weight, can't rest your foot on it, and have to move your foot significantly to hit other keys on the pedal possibly missing them.

If it works as good as described barefoot, I can see one in my near future..
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: AcidFire on Fri, 01 November 2013, 12:51:34: Quote from: Parak on Fri, 01 November 2013, 07:19:17
I actually like this. I have an x-keys pedal currently, but it along with the rest of transcriber type pedals have deficiencies compared to this thing. No variable weight, can't rest your foot on it, and have to move your foot significantly to hit other keys on the pedal possibly missing them.

If it works as good as described barefoot, I can see one in my near future..

Thats the problem. It's a great concept in theory, in practice it's soo bad. I'll detail this more tonight after work, but I'll say that I really really wanted to like this thing, and I've been very disappointed in it.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: kolonelkadat on Tue, 05 November 2013, 20:34:22: ick... why is it so big? it looks like its as big as a mans torso. they should have made it stompbox size. something like a peavey sanpera footpedal would be pretty cool.

but this is just too big for only four buttons. i wouldnt want to be stomping around under my desk with this giant turd. it should be something you only need to twist your ankle slightly to use.

but i guess if its targeted at gamers it should be big and stupid looking and have lots of shiny material and blinking lights.
(http://patrickjm.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/sarah-palin-likes-shiny-objects.jpg)
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: AcidFire on Thu, 07 November 2013, 16:05:53: My apologies for taking so long to post this, I need more time in my days it seems >_<

Let me preface this by saying that I really wanted to like this thing. The concept is cool, and I'm always happy to support Canadian ventures.

(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14767.jpg)
Before I break it down, I'll give you a bit of a mini review from my experience with it.

Let's start with the size. This thing is huge, which for what it's designed for makes a certain amount of sense. My feet are size 13 and fit quite comfortably on the device. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the size of my feet seem to be a problem, as I had a hard time finding the center of the board while still being comfortable. Either I could be comfortable and have a hard time actuating the board (not to mention just keeping it level), or be able to rest my foot on it while centered and have to sit in an extremely uncomfortable position.

I do have to give them huge props for the support mechanism. Much like keyboard switches, they offer three different spring types, Soft Medium & Hard. these can also be fine tuned using the screws used to hold them in place. This is a fantastic idea, since this is one of those fields where everyone will want something a little different. In practice however, I never could find a proper balance that would center my foot & the board, but still be comfortable enough to depress.

The other half of the cleverness behind this board is it's design to allow you tilt your foot to actuate the switches, rather than lift it like you would with traditional pedals. Again, a great idea on paper, but seems to fall down in execution. Rocking the switch forward and back was fairly trivial, however the sides were a bit more difficult. Even with the soft springs, I had difficulty rolling my ankle toward the outside edge, and it was impossible to roll my foot inward. I've had a number of people try the board, all had the same feedback. I also found that after a short amount of time that my ankle was starting to hurt.

The first big WTF in the choices for the design however comes from their choice of switches. Instead of a standard lever switch, they're using Cherry MX Blues.
(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14775.jpg)
These contact points on the upper side of the board.
(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14782.jpg)
This results in less than accurate keypresses at times.

The next is more from a manufacturing stand point. With everything I've been going through my project, I know that the more you can order of a single board, the cheaper they are, even if you aren't using the extra functionality.
(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14786.jpg)
The board on the bottom is used on the front & back, and the red one is used on the side. I bring this up because I've seen numerous complaints about the price, and I find this kind of decision wasteful. There is nothing on the mount for the red connector switch that would prevent the other one being used. I'm also going to point out that they had the opportunity to mount the 3mm LED in the switch, but its shifted off to the side.

Another niggle that seems wasteful is the programming header.
(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14780.jpg)
Now if this was designed to be an expansion header that would allow you to add wireless down the road, the JST connector could actually make sense. However, since opening up the device voids the warranty (oops!), I don't see why it's used. Because JST connectors are designed to lock, it makes zero sense as a programming header. It could just as easily been a straight pin header, or even just a set of vias/pads that a pogo bed or similar could be used to program. Again, when the price is one of the biggest complaints for people to try it, every cent counts.

Couple of quick things to cover.
- The allen wrench it comes with for changing the springs seems as cheap/crappy as the ones you get with IKEA furniture. Not only that, but considering how many turns it takes to remove the screw so you can change the spring, its very awkward and frustrating. For $120, I think they could have included a proper driver.
- The USB cable that it comes with is about 5-6 ft long. Now this is reasonable for most people's set ups however for a number of people I know, including myself, it's a bit short. Again, for a $120 pricetag, you would think a 3-4 extension wouldn't be a terribly expensive add on to throw in the box.

Couple of wide shots of the inside of the base & top:
(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14781.jpg)
(http://acidfire.ca/stinky/BDY14784.jpg)
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: jinxedx84 on Thu, 07 November 2013, 17:08:59: thats pretty cool
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: jevvix on Thu, 07 November 2013, 23:42:03: Heard about these from the PAX coverage. Looks nice but the price is a bit :eek:
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Calcifar on Wed, 13 November 2013, 16:06:20: Not sure why exactly you would want this for.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: quake4mhg on Thu, 14 November 2013, 20:42:32: I have it like couple months now. It works great!!
FYI, I've been using scythe triple foot switch version 1 & 2 few years, for games & work.
Stinky feels really solid,
MX blue switch click feed back feels very good on foot,
faster & confident keypress than my others,
really can rest my foot on the center.
You use it in portrait or landscape.
I'm learning use it with my Scythe triple (total 7 buttons). Cannot game without it (like my scythe's).
I'll buy 2nd one, if it is on sales, for my office.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: jinxedx84 on Thu, 14 November 2013, 20:49:15: ordered mine, should receive it soon.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: MsYutai on Fri, 15 November 2013, 11:03:48: Quote from: quake4mhg on Thu, 14 November 2013, 20:42:32
I have it like couple months now. It works great!!
FYI, I've been using scythe triple foot switch version 1 & 2 few years, for games & work.
Stinky feels really solid,
MX blue switch click feed back feels very good on foot,
faster & confident keypress than my others,
really can rest my foot on the center.
You use it in portrait or landscape.
I'm learning use it with my Scythe triple (total 7 buttons). Cannot game without it (like my scythe's).
I'll buy 2nd one, if it is on sales, for my office.

What're you using it for? Does it make a good footrest ergonomically? (Like can you change the angle)?
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: quake4mhg on Fri, 15 November 2013, 18:05:11: No, you can't change the angle.
Ergonomically? I still don't know, been using it only couple months.
But instead of holding my ankle on the edge of "Scythe like foot switch"? you can rest your foot on the center.
I'm using it on Arma3, BF4, Payday2, Borderlands2, Aftereffects .. etc. Plus Scythe triple on the left for VOIP & screen/video capture when game.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Grendel on Wed, 08 January 2014, 13:31:09: Interesting, thx for the pictures. Bought one used for cheap, should be be here soon. Planning to hijack the AT90USB162 that's running the show, for that the header will come handy :)
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: StinkyBoard on Tue, 28 January 2014, 15:02:10: Hi All,

My name is Luc, I'm the inventor/co-founder of the Stinky board. I hope you guys don't mind if I participate in the thread.

Great feedback and questions on this thread. We're always open to suggestions, criticism and improvements. If you have any other questions or concerns about the board by all means please let me know.

I'll do my best to cover some of the questions that have been asked so far.

Programming header: You're right that it's not actively needed. It's strictly used to load the boot loader at the factory. The main reason we kept it, is because we wanted to take out the guess work (pin orientation) for the individual who is programming each PCB.

USB cable length: We do hear from some users that the cable is too short. We're looking at sourcing a longer cable 8 to 9 feet long. During our beta phase our testers we're ok with the 6ft length.

red/white/black connectors: We pay the same price no matter the color. The main advantage to using the colors is again form assembly purposes. We had all white connectors in the beginning and had some boards returned because the connectors were connected wrong. Color matching the connectors solved this.

Cherry MX blues: During testing we found that a sealed switch worked best in comparison to an open gate. No dust to contend with and the Cherry's take a beating and don't bottom out. It's all about durability, we want the board to last. It was best to go with a quality switch seeing as it's the primary purpose of the board. We ever drove over it with an SUV to prove our point

ergonomics: It's all about options. We recommend that users tilt their foot forward and back and slightly slide their foot left to right. The board can also be used horizontally. This gives users with shorter feet more leverage when tilting forward and back and for side to side buttons the foot will need to slide or be lifted to activate those buttons when in horizontal orientation. You can also use the board with 2 feet.

Size: The advantage to using the board over other pedals on the market is that you can rest your foot on it at all times. This means fast response time and no fatigue to the user. You don't have to hover your foot over the pedal or lose the pedal under your desk. We chose this size in order to accommodate as many foot sizes as possible. By the way I always play in my socks or barefoot :thumb:

I hope that answers some of the bigger questions.

Thanks all

Luc
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: quake4mhg on Wed, 05 February 2014, 20:47:34: Regarding to the foot size, I would love to see a smaller foot size stinky footboard :) for girls
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: gameaholic on Wed, 05 February 2014, 21:58:10: I'd like a cheaper single pedal style one that I could daisy chain. The main use I would want it for would be for PTT when playing a FPS. The other use I might want for it would be a DPI shift but I'm not sure that would be compatible with my Logitech Gaming software.
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: MiR4i on Sun, 09 February 2014, 02:11:37: Quote from: StinkyBoard on Tue, 28 January 2014, 15:02:10
Size: The advantage to using the board over other pedals on the market is that you can rest your foot on it at all times. This means fast response time and no fatigue to the user. You don't have to hover your foot over the pedal or lose the pedal under your desk. We chose this size in order to accommodate as many foot sizes as possible. By the way I always play in my socks or barefoot :thumb:
I'd like to start off by saying that it's very cool to see you post here, but I just wanted to quote the above to say that this was one of my main concerns with so many other pedals -- Not being able to rest my foot/feet on top of them. However, the Stinky Board allows me to do just that, and I can even do it with shoes on if I position my feet just right. ;)
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: quake4mhg on Tue, 11 February 2014, 20:02:29: Quote from: gameaholic on Wed, 05 February 2014, 21:58:10
I'd like a cheaper single pedal style one that I could daisy chain. The main use I would want it for would be for PTT when playing a FPS. The other use I might want for it would be a DPI shift but I'm not sure that would be compatible with my Logitech Gaming software.

Use foot switch for push-to-talk is so convenience, worth every penny.
I guess it won't work with your Logitech Gaming software, except ... you bind keys in Logitech Gaming software, then bind footboard to it?
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: thesentinel on Sat, 15 February 2014, 16:08:10: Cherry mx switches sound too delicate to be smashed on with my feet. Or am I underestimating them?
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Zeal on Sat, 15 February 2014, 16:10:52: Quote from: thesentinel on Sat, 15 February 2014, 16:08:10
Cherry mx switches sound too delicate to be smashed on with my feet. Or am I underestimating them?
You're really underestimating cherry mx switches. :p
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: thesentinel on Sat, 15 February 2014, 16:15:03: Quote from: Zeal on Sat, 15 February 2014, 16:10:52
Quote from: thesentinel on Sat, 15 February 2014, 16:08:10
Cherry mx switches sound too delicate to be smashed on with my feet. Or am I underestimating them?
You're really underestimating cherry mx switches. :p
Hm. I'm impressed then. Then I wonder if you can actually feel the tactile click of the blue switches
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: C5Allroad on Sat, 15 February 2014, 20:54:33: LinusTechTips has a review up on it...
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: TotalChaos on Tue, 15 July 2014, 09:47:13: Is it possible to use 2 of these at the same time?

I just want 1 switch under each heel. My right heel can do one button and my left heel the other button. I don't want to do "complicated" ankle angles as it hurts my ankles/feet. I just want a simple up/down motion under my feet.

Maybe I could put them next to each other and one could be upside down? So I could press on the Top button of the right board and the bottom button of the left board (as an example).

And then I could I could maybe assign SHIFT to one board and CTRL (or whatever) to the other board?
Title: Re: the stinky foot board
Post by: Lanx on Tue, 15 July 2014, 17:57:17: as a hack,

you could just strip the ends of a used rockband footpedal, solder the two leads to your shift button and there you go.

or you can also use a tattoo foot pedal, i know sounds weird but same mechanism.

i tried both of these for my keyboard back in the day.

didn't like it, but that's preference i guess.