schematics
faizzz
Posts: 7
hi
i am working on the schematic for my project, and i needed to konw which software is most easy to use in this regard.
Furthermore, is it possible to put components like the prop plug in the schematic?.. i mean if we have to design a component ourselves, which software would be most suitable for it.
One last thing, i am thinking of using MAX158 ADC and MAX699 watchdog for my application, which is an autopilot system, and i can only use DIP packaging. i know that sucks but its a limitation i have to work with.
Anyways, Could anyone be kind enough to tell me whether these chips are an appropriate choice? and if not, could anyone please give some recommendations.
Regards
i am working on the schematic for my project, and i needed to konw which software is most easy to use in this regard.
Furthermore, is it possible to put components like the prop plug in the schematic?.. i mean if we have to design a component ourselves, which software would be most suitable for it.
One last thing, i am thinking of using MAX158 ADC and MAX699 watchdog for my application, which is an autopilot system, and i can only use DIP packaging. i know that sucks but its a limitation i have to work with.
Anyways, Could anyone be kind enough to tell me whether these chips are an appropriate choice? and if not, could anyone please give some recommendations.
Regards
Comments
www.numberone.com
It's very intuitive and easy to use. I use Pulsonix now, it's from the same company.
What I use for the Prop Plug is a simple generic four-way connector part that I created a long time ago. I could have created a specific part, but it isn't really necessary in this case. Here is one of my schematics:
www.leonheller.com/Propeller/Propeller_schematic.pdf
CONN2 is the Prop Plug connector.
For a specific Prop Plug part I'd just have to add the pin Logic Names (Tx, Rx, RESn and Vss) to the part in the Pulsonix Part Editor. I could assign those names to nets, if I wished, in the Part Editor.
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Post Edited (Leon) : 12/5/2009 2:01:53 PM GMT
This allows a disrete RS232 board ( three transistors, or MAX3232 ) to be shared. I got fed up of rebuilding interfaces, along with regulators.
The down side was when I forgot on one board and directly gave the Prop a power supply that was intended for the regulated sort
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Style and grace : Nil point
There are lots of other packages around, of course, at about the same price, or free. Eagle is popular, but it's a pain in the posterior to use.
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
The biggest quirk Eagle has is its seemingly backwards command interface. In most Windows and Mac applications, you select an object and then click on a command icon. In Eagle, it's the opposite: you click on a command icon and then click on the object you want to apply it to. Example: say you want to delete a resistor from your schematic--you first select the delete icon and then click on the resistor you want to delete.
Once you get past that interface quirk, Eagle has a wide user base and several forums to go to if you have issues. One of the best I've seen is the one on the Sparkfun forums.
Another benefit of Eagle is the large number of footprint libraries available. Sparkfun has one that includes 90% of the components I'm using in my first design. I only had to create a few myself, and the process for doing so is straightforward and well-documented.
how would you compare eagle, easy-pc and target3001?
is a constat relearning process, since it isn't very intuitive.
It''s best to try them out for yourself and see which one you prefer; they all have their good and bad points and what suits one user won't suit another.
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
So I would say learn a good one that you can stick with, for a long time.
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Style and grace : Nil point
I learned it in grade 9 and have stuck with it. find one you like because you will never change.
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24 bit LCD Breakout Board now in. $21.99 has backlight driver and touch sensitive decoder.
I've used several, including Eagle. I now use DipTrace for everything.
It's very intuitive and provides a "free" complete package for a limited number of pins. I used that for a long time and have now upgraded to the bigger version.
Excellent starter, includes schematic, PCB layout, component design and pattern design. All very well integrated.
Good hunting.
Jim
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Searider
Since I'm not buying components in large quantities (this is a hobby for me), I tend to get most of my stuff from SparkFun or Parallax. The SparkFun Eagle library has entries for almost every part they sell, including many that are not in the library that comes with Eagle, such as the Xbee, and various sensors that I use. Does DipTrace have similar support, either by the vendor or the user community?
How is the auto router (I know, I know, some of you think that auto routers do a poor job and routing is best done manually, but I'd rather get on with a project rather than spend hour after hour manually routing boards)?
KiCad kicad.sourceforge.net/ is a complete EDA suite that is free, cross platform and open source. It has:
Project and library manager.
Schematic capture.
Component/footprint creator/editor.
Gerber viewer.
Layout editor with autorouter.
3D board viewer.
3D component creator/editor.
I may have left something out. The 3D viewer/editor comes as an add-in from the free, cross-platform, open-source Wings3D application (see: www.wings3d.com/. See the KiCad homepage for links to parts resources over and above the large parts library that comes with KiCad itself. There are lots of 3rd party add-ins and utilities for KiCad too.
There is a large KiCad user community at tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-users/. There is no built in SPICE simulator but it will export netlists to various simulators including LTSpice which is available free from www.linear.com. There is a large LTSpice user group here: tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LTspice/. LTSpice is Windows only and proprietary. But it has always been completely free - there isn't a version you can pay for as far as I know.
The learning curve can be a little steep with KiCad, but that's the case with any full-capability EDA suite. Choose your EDA suite carefully, it takes a lot of work to learn how to use it effectively, by then you're investment in time and effort will lock you in. Imagine marrying the wrong woman (or man). I think you get the picture. At least KiCad will go with you regardless of platform/OS, it's free, and completely open-source.
Diptrace would be my next choice, but it costs money if you want to go beyond 500 pins. Diptrace has a built-in SPICE simulator built in, but IMHO it's not as good as LTSpice; especially when you consider the wonderful support from the LTSpice user-group.
I would steer wide and clear of Eagle. I used Eagle once a long time ago and hated every minute with it; the user interface is horrific in my opinion, just not intuitive in any way. But those that use it often would argue with me, they're "trained" already. You're limited to a tiny little board with Eagle unless you let Cadsoft connect a vacuum cleaner to your wallet.
With KiCad out there, I just shake my head in amazement on how many people just automatically gravitate to Eagle. Cadsoft the company that produces Eagle was sold recently to Farnell/Newark, a large electronic distributor. I can see why from a business standpoint, perhaps Eagle will start building Farnell/Newark bills-of-material automatically. That would be a nice feature in my opinion provided you can turn it off. I wish KiCad would work up some kind of standard Web interface specification for interconnection with electronic parts distributors.
As for making a "part" like the prop-plug. With any EDA suite, be prepared to make your own. You typically have to make at least a PCB footprint and for something really non-standard both a schematic part and PCB footprint. Making a 3D part is of-course optional. I have seen some Eagle to KiCad part conversion utilities, but haven't tried any of them.
Good Luck, David
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Post Edited (Leon) : 12/6/2009 1:08:43 PM GMT
I have used Advanced Circuits for several boards and they produce execlent quality.
http://www.4pcb.com/index.php?load=content&page_id=46
I have not used PC Board Artist. I used Electronics Workbench and Ultiboard .
It looks like a complete product and has a large lib.
Tom
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
LTSpice may be a Windows only program but it has always run flawlessly for me under Wine in Linux. Sometimes I think it's developers have gone out of their way to make it Wine friendly. It's one of my all time favourite programs.
Good heads up re: KiCad. I suddenly have the urge to layout a board or two.
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For me, the past is not over yet.
Altium supports FPGA's... costs what seems like 1 million $, has every feature known to man, and makes nerds of all standing drool. I once noticed a cracked copy seeded on a popular torrent site, however I would not suggest breaking the law... ... ........
For the pcb production I would recommend www.pcbcart.com, the prices are reasonable even for processes other manufacturers charge throughly for, like coloured soldermask and gold plating. They also generated annotated PDF images of my project and suggested some basic error correction, a few different drill sizes to cut tooling costs. I had 50 dual 3" x 4" layer boards w/ white soldermask, red silk screen and gold plating, made @ $2.75 each. + about 65$ set up, If I remember correctly. 2 weeks from submission to delivery, with the long (cheapest) lead time. They also do complex milling for free, so non-rectilinear boards are no problem.
Gold plating is standard with a lot of suppliers now, as it helps a lot with RoHS. A cheaper alternative is silver, PCB Train use that and it seems to work very well. I sometimes use PCB Train's 24 hour service for prototypes - only £30 a board and I have them in my hands in three days.
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Post Edited (Leon) : 12/7/2009 10:56:13 PM GMT
I RUN Proteus 7 to make SCH-PCB layout.
Very nice program ... Run even some simulations to.
One problem ...... Cant find Z80/8080 simulations module to it.
And it not have Propeller to ):
But only CPU´s I not use much in my designs.
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Nothing is impossible, there are only different degrees of difficulty.
For every stupid question there is at least one intelligent answer.
Don't guess - ask instead.
If you don't ask you won't know.
If your gonna construct something, make it·as simple as·possible yet as versatile as posible.
Sapieha
I have deciphered a bunch but the older 74LS libs are a big help ,, Someone told me you could use this program to make circuit boards right from your schematic but I do not know how
I are not at home now ... Have one consulting work some 400KM from.
But IF You can sebd them to .... christofferj2@gmail.com tha have ben very nice.
mikediv .... I can help You start with making PCB Layouts from this program .... If You have Gmail.chat else Live masenger
REGARDS
Christoffer J
sorry I took so long to get back to you. I forgot to mark this post and did not see it had traffic.·
1. I have not used Eagle or others so I can't compare the libraries. I can find all common components
2. I find creating new components is pretty straitforward. I had to use the tutorial a couple of times, then I got it.
3. suposedly you can import eagle librarys but I have not tried this.
4. I have created all my own Parallax and Sparkfun components that I use rather than figure out how to import.
5. I have never used the autoroute. for some strange reason, I like the process of solving a routing puzzle. Using an autorouter for me would be like reading the solution to a brand new puzzle you bought before trying to solve it yourself and I like to solve puzzles.
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Searider