RE: Palm Remote-- need advice/help

["Ian B" <Ian@xxxxxxx>]

Hi James

The four in one idea is good, anything to keep costs down in the early
stages. As for the design - check out the software you plan to use
carefully
as a lot of PCB places won't take the format you can output. Gerber is
the
industry standard but PCBpool for example will take Proteus files as well
as
many others.

It is quite a steep learning curve with a PCB package but worth the
effort
when the results come back and work.

I use the software from www.labcenter.co.uk and they do shareware
packages
which will do what you want. If you went this route I could sanity
check
your results for you and produce Gerber files if necessary. Just a
thought.

I know this seems like a simple design but I, as a complete novice
found
that there is no such thing. Check out my site www.mollyology.com for
some
of the circuits I have built. There is also a how to that shows the
process
to get from design to finished PCB in the DIY environment.

Have fun

Ian

>-----Original Message-----
>From: James [mailto:James@xxxxxxx]
>Sent: 07 September 2002 21:49
>To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Palm Remote-- need advice/help
>
>
>Thanks Ian, (sorry but I have another question)
>
>The board is fairly simple: 1 chip, a power regulator, a few
capacitors,
>a header for a siteplayer module, a cat 5 filter and a 9pin serial
>connector. No surface mount and not many traces.  I have found
someone
>who is 'keen' enough to try to do the design,  as I didn't look
forward
>to it at all! The board is basically the right hand bit from this:
>http://stage.itp.nyu.edu/~tigoe/pcomp/siteplayer/siteplayer-customb
>oards.shtml
>
>
>I've discovered pcbpro.com who if I wait 4 weeks can do 20 for
>$12(each). But they will also do a board 4 times larger for only
$15.
>So I was thinking of copy/pasting the design x4 and cutting the
boards
>up when I get them.
>
>Do you think this 4 in 1 idea is a good one?  I guess the home cut
edge
>won't be as nice as their one but does it really matter or is there
some
>flaw with the idea that I havn't thought of. I do have access to a
good
>quality band saw which I have successfully used on other boards.
>
>If this works then $4 a board is great,  I just hope there is a
nice
>demand for them. :-)
>
>
>James
>
>For those interested in the project, I have added a new screen to
use
>Palm remote as great alarm clock with really big numbers with 4
buttons
>underneath , all controlled from the PC.
>Prototype has been running for a week now, no crashes and fingers
>crossed perfect reliability. Now I need to add the xAP interface
and
>make a website.
>
>On Sat, 2002-09-07 at 19:25, Ian B wrote:
>> If he is doing the design and everything as well then it is
very
>good value.
>> Even for someone like myself a small board will take an hour
to
>produce at
>> best and more at worst. The design takes a lot longer so you don't
really
>> give enough info to give a valid opinion.
>>
>> Ian
>>
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: James [mailto:James@xxxxxxx]
>> >Sent: 30 August 2002 23:07
>> >To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>> >Subject: [ukha_d] Palm Remote-- need advice/help
>> >
>> >
>> >As you may (or may not) know I am trying to develop a Palm
based HA
>> >remote controller which is networked over Cat5.  I have
nearly finished
>> >all the software and now looking at the hardware.  I have
a working
>> >circuit, I now need a PCB to go forward.  This is an area
I know nothing
>> >about.  I found a guy in America that can do the PCB at
$25 for 6 and
>> >$18 for 20 but this seems alot to me.  It is a simple
board 2 sided and
>> >4"x2" in size(guesstimate).  Any ideas of where
to look/start? There
>> >must be a cheaper way of doing this.
>
>
>
>
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