DNA 30 in a VTR?

[684Alpha]

Here's a strange thought, I recently picked up a VTR and I like it quite a bit, it's kinda heavy but other than that, not a bad package. So the tinkerer I am, I started thinking. What about ripping apart a VTR, taking out the electronic guts and figuring out a way to slip a dna board inside. I'm thinking I would probably drill a couple holes for tac switches for up and down but keep the stock fire button if possible. So here are the questions. Has anybody tried this? and secondly. Has anybody ripped apart a VTR yet to check out the interior space availability? May be a few pics.
Since I just got mine, I'm not quite ready to tear into it just yet and I haven't found a box that I'm crazy about to stuff a dna into but I'm dying to build one (cough cough, if I can get a chip at some point, cough cough evolve.

So anybody have any thoughts??

 

[AaronY]

I am interested in hearing how it works out. It sounds like it can be amazing but it might be alot of work. Hope it goes well.

 

[Nouseforanick]

Someone did rip open a MVP and mod into a dna mod..

 

[DaTank]

Sorry to revive an old topic, but I am doing this as well.

Rip the pot off of the VTR board, and hook that up. Then you can use the push button on the ring, the ring, and the fire button on the DNA30. No need to drill anything new.

I have the parts an once I have the free time am doing this as well.

 

[684Alpha]

Don't be sorry, that's great to hear, I'd love to see some pics as you go. I won't be doing mine for a while, as my vtr is still new, and I haven't been able to get a DNA board as of yet. Keep us updated of your progress

 

[H82W8]

I was just looking over my VTR and thinking that a DNA30 might be swapped in somewhat easily. Haven't ripped it apart yet so I'm glad to hear that you're a step ahead of me DaTank. Look forward to your update while I wait for my DNA30 chip to arrive.

 

[Doublek79]

Someone did rip open a MVP and mod into a DNA mod..

Do you know where, I have been thinking about this same idea as I love the form factor.

 

[DejayRezme]

Good news! Looks like it's possible with a bit of dremeling and removing stuff:

VTR into a DNA 30 - General Modding - Vapor Talk E Cig Forum

And in france, they are even more advanced and actually succeded:
VTR Powered By DNA20D

 

[rtm355]

oh no im going to have to see about this

 

[DejayRezme]

I wonder if anybody knows how the adjustment wheel on the VTR works? It can't be a potentiometer can it? Does it work like two buttons when rotating? I'd like to use that for a DNA30 mod, but the modder from the french forum added two extra buttons to adjust.

 

[ecat]

I wonder if anybody knows how the adjustment wheel on the VTR works? It can't be a potentiometer can it? Does it work like two buttons when rotating? I'd like to use that for a DNA30 mod, but the modder from the french forum added two extra buttons to adjust.

The easy way:
EC111012010H - ALPS - ENCODER, SELF RETURN, 11MM | Farnell UK
It's 3 switches in one, push down, left and right.

The hard way:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9117
See http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/482340-another-dna-20-mod-2.html#post11228456
Also read through posts #20 and #24 of that thread


As you can see I used the sparkfun option, at the time I didn't know the simple 3 way switches existed. That build was back November 2013, so 5 months ago - which is longer than either of two tube mods I'd previously purchased lasted. I use the mod all day, every day and so far that little button has proved faultless

 

[684Alpha]

I wonder if anybody knows how the adjustment wheel on the VTR works? It can't be a potentiometer can it? Does it work like two buttons when rotating? I'd like to use that for a DNA30 mod, but the modder from the french forum added two extra buttons to adjust.

DaTank had said this "Sorry to revive an old topic, but I am doing this as well.

Rip the pot off of the VTR board, and hook that up. Then you can use the push button on the ring, the ring, and the fire button on the DNA30. No need to drill anything new.

I have the parts an once I have the free time am doing this as well.".

So I don't see why not. Don't ask me how specifically though

 

[DejayRezme]

The easy way:
EC111012010H - ALPS - ENCODER, SELF RETURN, 11MM | Farnell UK
It's 3 switches in one, push down, left and right.

Thank you! A bit scary, the only thing I can do is soldier wires

DaTank had said this "Sorry to revive an old topic, but I am doing this as well.

Rip the pot off of the VTR board, and hook that up. Then you can use the push button on the ring, the ring, and the fire button on the DNA30. No need to drill anything new.

Oops thanks, it seems I read over that. Does the DNA even have any use for a "tertiary" button besides the fire button and +/- adjustment?

 

[Hermit]

It drives a rotary encoder. Might be able to use something like this, although that one still needs some logic added to get 'up' and 'down' outputs, I think. edit: oops, didn't see the 2nd page of posts

If the DNA ever needs both buttons pressed at the same time then it wouldn't work, because you can't do that with the wheel! Or... maybe that's what the centre button could be used for.

 

[684Alpha]

Don't quote me but I think you use both up and down buttons at the same time to lock the DNA, don't you?.
I can't remember, and to tired to check the evolve site at the moment.
Wait, can you lock an opus D, I can't remember. I do remember hearing something about locking the opus, but I can't remember if reviewers were saying you can or can't .

I'll try and look into it tomorrow

 

[Hermit]

Looked at the DNA30 datasheet... power lock is holding both for 2 seconds, on/off is fire button 5 times. Stealth mode and display flip are both long combos too.

Hmm, a rotary encoder can't do long button presses either

So I don't think you could get by without using the DNA's up/down buttons completely. (At least, not without adding another microcontroller to do clever things with the single button using completely different logic).

But with a rotary encoder on the wheel, and a couple of diodes to allow the button to press both up and down, you could have a nice power control with lock.

The other option would be to wire a potentiometer to the DNA's analogue input. It would be prone to getting knocked off setting though, and presumably can't be locked since it's an absolute control.

 

[DejayRezme]

But with a rotary encoder on the wheel, and a couple of diodes to allow the button to press both up and down, you could have a nice power control with lock.

This sounds cool! Not quite sure how you would wire that though.

BTW the Protovapor XPV DNA-30D also has a shuttle like switch, so I guess you can at least get by without it.

 

[Hermit]

This sounds cool! Not quite sure how you would wire that though.

The tricky bit is that it would need a decoder after the encoder to get simulated button presses out to feed to the DNA. I'm not sure what chips are easily available for that task, that allow some configuration of how long a 'press' is (the DNA will probably take a few ms to recognise a press). Most products would end up using a microcontroller to read a rotary encoder, so there isn't much in the way of dedicated chips.

BTW the Protovapor XPV DNA-30D also has a shuttle like switch, so I guess you can at least get by without it.

Had a quick look, but couldn't see exactly how it worked. Seems like a rocker switch, so not sure how it would do the power lock, but would have no problem doing long presses.