Telegrams from the board front...

... with cherries on top.

- Rev 0.1a returned. Last minute addition screwed three traces. Tested with scored and jumpered version. Tight as an overwound clock.
- Rev 0.1b returned. Everything right design-wise. Time to get physical mounting holes and shove-around done.
- Rev 0.1c returned (today). Out of town. Test it on Sunday. If this is a go, it may be Rev 1.0 for release.

More will be revealed this coming week. What is it? What's it good for? Why the mystery?

Soonish...

[ddg]

Advances in simplified board design

So Thursday I got Windows 7 installed on the Macbook Pro, and yesterday I started using the software from expresspcb.com to lay out the board. I spent a little more time today working on the input system, and tomorrow I should be able to lay out the DAC section. The result will be ready to ship off on Monday, and should yield me some boards by the end of the week (or so).

I'm anxious, since this will be the first time I've got a single board that integrated both inputs and outputs. A reduced number, but complete set nonetheless.

[ddg]

Back in - development to begin (again) soonish.

Just back from SF, was in MPLS before that and WI before that. I wanna be home. I don't want to burn out (yet). I need to sleep...

[ddg]

Teamwork Cavalcade

Talked to Hardware Partner today. After much discussion, we've decided to run with multiple small boards to steer away from Bad Joss w/r/t board layout software. There seems to be no middle ground between "I just do a board every once in a while" and "I lay out 10 boards a day in production mode". Here's a hint for all you board layout people: give me an option that says "I lay out a board a month, and I might even want to sell the damned thing - but I can't afford a $1000 expenditure for something this teensy."

Or something like that. If someone was offering me a commercial-OK license for $200, we'd all be happy. Right now, nobody is happy. How's that working for everyone?

[ddg]

Encoded Message #3

F'in hellhole Eagle doesn't seem to want to route a board that isn't pockmarked with vias like a 12-year old's face is pockmarked with zits. Vias, really? You mean a board that I could never make at home?

Thanks bundles.

Looks like I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board with the test boards. Maybe I'll make a whole bunch of mini-boards with a single component on each, and have a network of 24-pin connectors hold the whole works together.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

Crap crap crap crap crap

[ddg]

Encoded Message #2

General Notes:
- Damned the Eagle license ordeal.
- Auto-routing dislikes me, my board layout, and 8-channel tinkering.
- Gotta try to coordinate PCB Fab-in-a-Box with my layout, including vias.
- Effin' buddy is making progress with face-fab; I just want to get a board made.

Thanks, but no board houses need to apply (yet).

[ddg]

Encoded Message

Measurements:

- cracked the 7524
- only using two of the four of tl074
- impedance clean

Notes to self:

- tl072 x 10 (or so)
- etchant, but don't tell anyone
- have someone at house to receive fab-in-a-box

Results:

- in tune Cm7 arpeggio over three octaves
- size increase of only four pins
- damned dead arduino rears its ugly head