Author Topic: Here is the board I've been working on (Read 2839 times)

sonictj · « **on:** July 14, 2009, 05:41:45 PM »

[youtube]Jl2HKa2KiLI[/youtube]

everything seems to work so far.

SmAsH · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:07:05 PM »

wow sonic! it looks great!
hows the testing going, have you found any bugs with it yet?
i call beta tester!

sonictj · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:24:52 PM »

Quote

hows the testing going, have you found any bugs with it yet?

no bugs per say just some aesthetic changes I want to make.
1) I wanna add a status led.
2) I goofed on a silk screen label
3) I think I want to scoot the reset button a tad closer to the edge
4) I may decide to change to mini usb cuz more people have them

Its looking more doubtful that I will be selling the board due to the time required to make them. The way to go would be sending the boards out for manufacturing, but frankly I can't afford that so I will likely end up with a good board for myself. It feels really good having your first PCB work correctly though. I feel that PCB design is a very useful skill.

SmAsH · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:32:41 PM »

Quote

Its looking more doubtful that I will be selling the board due to the time required to make them.

we told you so!
you should seriously consider hiring some skilled solderers from your local school or something...
about how much do you think places will charge to manufacture it?

Joker94 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:35:40 PM »

great job sonictj, it looks vry professinal.

whith the manurfacturing, before you give up make sure you contact some manufacturing companies and see what they charge for a package deal of say 25 or 50 to start.

kpmcgurk · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:54:08 PM »

good job the final board looks great... could you post more videos and possibly some close up pictures!?

SmAsH · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2009, 06:59:47 PM »

Quote from: kpmcgurk

could you post more videos and possibly some close up pictures!?

+1 this thread is useless without pics!

sonictj · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2009, 07:32:08 PM »

here is the pic sorry for not posting it earlier. I don't have a way of making it under 400 kb on my machine.

kpmcgurk · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2009, 07:42:51 PM »

wow! it looks great... is there a possibility that in addition to that power plug you could add headers for a power option for use with a battery?

SmAsH · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2009, 07:47:49 PM »

Quote from: kpmcgurk on July 14, 2009, 07:42:51 PM

wow! it looks great... is there a possibility that in addition to that power plug you could add headers for a power option for use with a battery?

yes, that is one thing that has always annoyed me about arduinos, the need for a jack connector.
a simple header would be much better and easier. just a suggestion.

sonictj · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2009, 07:51:49 PM »

simple header connectors cannot take enough current. I had to find a connector that would do 4+ amps at 24V.

Quote

is there a possibility that in addition to that power plug you could add headers for a power option for use with a battery

you need a shield anyway if you really want that kinda connector just throw one on VIN is available. If you want reverse polarity protection though you will need another diode. This also means you better not plug something into both connectors or you could over voltage something.

sonictj · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2009, 07:59:05 PM »

Quote

Its looking more doubtful that I will be selling the board due to the time required to make them.
we told you so!
you should seriously consider hiring some skilled solderers from your local school or something...
about how much do you think places will charge to manufacture it?

enough to where its probably out of the question. I don't have a ton of cash to throw at this, and personally I don't want to gamble with a lot of money right now. If I went the manufacturing route I'd likely spend several thousand dollars on 100 boards, and I doubt I could order less than that many.

SmAsH · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2009, 08:26:15 PM »

ok, that's fair enough, so how many of these boards do you expect to make? i know i will probably want one...
and i would expect at least another 100 people to want one.

Razor Concepts · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2009, 08:40:30 PM »

looks kind of like the mega...

chelmi · « **Reply #14 on:** July 14, 2009, 08:58:58 PM »

nice !

What about a kit? Or just sell bare board?

I would be interested by a kit, I wanna try SMD anyway

Chelmi.

sonictj · « **Reply #15 on:** July 14, 2009, 09:29:03 PM »

Quote from: Razor Concepts on July 14, 2009, 08:40:30 PM

looks kind of like the mega...

well it pretty much is one with some added features

Quote

What about a kit? Or just sell bare board?

I doubt two many other people would want to build it as a kit. Soldering .5mm spaced leads is not an easy task without the proper equipment and skill.

Quote

ok, that's fair enough, so how many of these boards do you expect to make? i know i will probably want one...
and i would expect at least another 100 people to want one.

I'll be back in school this fall and I won't have a ton of time so I don't know.

SmAsH · « **Reply #16 on:** July 14, 2009, 09:38:25 PM »

Quote

I doubt two many other people would want to build it as a kit. Soldering .5mm spaced leads is not an easy task without the proper equipment and skill.

well, we all have to learn sometime... aren't most dip chips soon only going to be smd?
i would also like a kit, just a pcb with the required components would be fine... it would save you all the work...

sonictj · « **Reply #17 on:** July 14, 2009, 10:47:53 PM »

A kit or a plain PCB would be a piece of cake for me that is true.

SmAsH · « **Reply #18 on:** July 14, 2009, 11:04:44 PM »

Quote from: sonictj on July 14, 2009, 10:47:53 PM

A kit or a plain PCB would be a piece of cake for me that is true.

be nice for us too, how much do you reckon a kit would cost, if you bought parts in bulk?

sonictj · « **Reply #19 on:** July 14, 2009, 11:40:10 PM »

Quote from: SmAsH on July 14, 2009, 11:04:44 PM

Quote from: sonictj on July 14, 2009, 10:47:53 PM
A kit or a plain PCB would be a piece of cake for me that is true.
be nice for us too, how much do you reckon a kit would cost, if you bought parts in bulk?

Depends on the amount I'd buy up front, but I'd say ~50-55. It will be harder to sell kits and I will also have to sell more to just break even. I'd prefer selling pcb's at ~$10 and provide a list of parts you can buy, but again I think less people would go for that.

SmAsH · « **Reply #20 on:** July 14, 2009, 11:43:01 PM »

less people would opt for that option as we don't get the bulk part prices...
it would probably cost us more...

sonictj · « **Reply #21 on:** July 14, 2009, 11:52:30 PM »

well at ~$50 a kit I'd have to sell 30 or so just to break even that's a large number for a surface mount kit. Its very easy for a person to screw up the kit and be out of $50 too. It doesn't seem like a good business plan to me. Its not like you can just say "well I fried my MCU let me order a new one, and that's that". A new MCU costs $12 to $16 and its very difficult to put a new chip on without a hot air rework station.

SmAsH · « **Reply #22 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:01:02 AM »

hmm, well... would it be too hard to sell a thru-hole kit? i understand you are short on money and all... but its just an idea...
i can see the trouble people would have with frying the chips... do you think you could get the pcbs out for $10 a piece?

sonictj · « **Reply #23 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:04:28 AM »

still the hardest thing to solder is the MCU everything else is pretty much cake. There is no through hole ATmega640/1280/2560

SmAsH · « **Reply #24 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:06:33 AM »

Quote from: sonictj on July 15, 2009, 12:04:28 AM

There is no through hole ATmega640/1280/2560

yep, thats the problem... what about a kit with the Mega soldered in, that's all? or would that defeat the point of a kit?

sonictj · « **Reply #25 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:32:38 AM »

that would defeat the purpose. I can solder the other stuff up very quickly its the atmega that is difficult.

SmAsH · « **Reply #26 on:** July 15, 2009, 12:47:56 AM »

Quote from: sonictj on July 15, 2009, 12:32:38 AM

that would defeat the purpose. I can solder the other stuff up very quickly its the atmega that is difficult.

well, please consider using an external company to assemble the board, or maybe just put the atmega on if thats cheaper, i really would like to see this become a product!

sonictj · « **Reply #27 on:** July 15, 2009, 01:01:27 AM »

I would too, just the circumstances just might not be right for it to happen. I'm not giving up I'm just a bit skeptical at the moment.

Razor Concepts · « **Reply #28 on:** July 15, 2009, 06:25:03 AM »

Show the design to places like curious inventor, ladyada, sparkfun, etc. One of them may like the design and choose to produce it. All you have to do is sit back and get a few bucks every time they sell one.

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Author Topic: Here is the board I've been working on (Read 2839 times)

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