Cheapest way to implement the DIP40 in a project?

WBA Consulting

I am looking around at all of the options for utilizing the Propeller in some projects. I would like to use the DIP40 for a few reasons, and I am looking for the simplest, cheapest, most versatile method of having a DIP40 in a functional state. Obviously a small proto style PCB with just a DIP40 socket and locations for Crystal, EEPROM, 3.3v reg, DC jack, and headers for IO would be perfect.

Is there something out there like this that I have missed?

GadgetGangster's Boss Boards or PropPlatform module are very close to my idea, but I was looking for something more compact (almost like a PropstickUSB with female headers instead of legs)

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, Mar 20, 2010
Propeller-Based Reverse Geo-Cache Birthday Present Project

localroger

For a few personal one-off things you could probably get away with a generic protoboard designed for wide DIP's; all you'd have to wire by hand would be the power, bypass caps, and crystal. This would also be a perfect project for ExpressPCB's miniboard service, three 2.5 by 3.8 inch boards for $51 and you could probably get two (maybe even three) of your miniprop boards out of each miniboard.

hover1

There are couple on Ray's site, but I don't know if they are compact enough for you.
http://rayslogic.com/propeller/PropPCB/PCB_Boards.htm
Jim

WBA Consulting said...
I am looking around at all of the options for utilizing the Propeller in some projects. I would like to use the DIP40 for a few reasons, and I am looking for the simplest, cheapest, most versatile method of having a DIP40 in a functional state. Obviously a small proto style PCB with just a DIP40 socket and locations for Crystal, EEPROM, 3.3v reg, DC jack, and headers for IO would be perfect.

Is there something out there like this that I have missed?

GadgetGangster's Boss Boards or PropPlatform module are very close to my idea, but I was looking for something more compact (almost like a PropstickUSB with female headers instead of legs)

hover1

Yes, Capacitors But you knew that.

WBA Consulting said...
Obviously a small proto style PCB with just a DIP40 socket and locations for Crystal, EEPROM, 3.3v reg, DC jack, and headers for IO would be perfect.

Is there something out there like this that I have missed?

Bill Henning

I have a standard ProtoBoard form factor Prop prototyping board you might want to see, however it is larger than you are looking for... on the other hand, it has a nice big proto area...

I designed it exactly for "quick and dirty" one off Propeller projects, and it works great for that.

So far I've used it for:

- a one off "CNC" controller
- a robot controller
- a memory testbed

See mikronauts.com/products/propteus/ for the skinny.

It is a commercial board, but I do give forum & quantity price breaks.

It is also designed to work with SerPlug.

WBA Consulting said...
I am looking around at all of the options for utilizing the Propeller in some projects. I would like to use the DIP40 for a few reasons, and I am looking for the simplest, cheapest, most versatile method of having a DIP40 in a functional state. Obviously a small proto style PCB with just a DIP40 socket and locations for Crystal, EEPROM, 3.3v reg, DC jack, and headers for IO would be perfect.

Is there something out there like this that I have missed?

GadgetGangster's Boss Boards or PropPlatform module are very close to my idea, but I was looking for something more compact (almost like a PropstickUSB with female headers instead of legs)

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www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com 5.0" VGA LCD in stock!
Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system

kwinn

You should be able to get 5 boards from a single Express mini board along with the programming header if you mount the crystal, eeprom, and bypass caps under the socket. More than enough space to do that and you end up with 15 boards for $51.00

Tubular

Andrew,

There are quite a few options from over the years. It really comes down to what format you want the female headers in?

I made some cascadable pcbs based on DIP8 or Digilent style headers (depending on what you solder into the holes), like this...

rjo_

As far as I know, the answer is "no."

You said 40pin dip... but there is no reason that you couldn't "dead bug" female headers onto a PropStick. See mockup below.... haven't actually soldered
the headers in because this is my son's PropStick[noparse]:)[/noparse]

The closest that I know of in a 40 pin dip is this unit... it was a dual prop design(piggy-back prop), produced on a home-brewed
CNC machine, and I have to admit that at this moment I can't remember who made it. The components are on the back side.
It has female headers .... but not directly connected to prop pins. The outer pin rows connect to a second Prop... not shown.

At this moment (as you know) for size and price, it is pretty hard to beat McTrivia's boards... http://propmodule.com/

I like the 40 Pin Prop because I can see it...I can solder to it and it never dies.

Rich

WBA Consulting

Wow, lots of excellent, quick responses!

localroger: That was my first idea, but I was trying to avoid the protoboard format by using something already available.

hover1: I did look at those links on Rayman's site and the miniprop by Ken Peterson looks good except the QFN package. Converting that to a DIP40 then dumping the proto area would work and the price is good using the miniboard service.

Tuular: excellent platform, that's kind of my goal but in the prop format.

Bill: the layout of the right end of your Propteus is what I am looking for.

rjo: the DIP40 piggyback picture looks exactly like what I am thinking. I like the SMT header on the bottom of the propstick idea (but on a DIP40). Yes, I am using one of McTrivia's 1x1 modules for my plungelogger.

The reason for the idea is that I have several projects that really only need the "heart" of a protoboard and need to be small, so it would be nice to have that circuit in an easy to use, kit style, format. I may actually look into making a tiny board that just has the basic support circuitry. I guess what I am thinking is a tiny board with a DC jack, 4 pin programming header, and a 2x20 I/O header that uses all TH parts so it can be built easily.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, Mar 20, 2010
Propeller-Based Reverse Geo-Cache Birthday Present Project

rjo_

I think you are on the right track. When push comes to shove, and the new Prop arrives, the guys that can handle small stuff without a fuss will have to
move on to the PropII(due to all kinds of interesting market forces), leaving the DIP40 version of the PropI fairly important... forever.

Rich

WBA Consulting

Actually stumbled across the design I am looking for.... in a way. The prop circuit/layout on the PPDB would be nice. You cold put the power circuit under the prop and cut the real estate in half.

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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, Mar 20, 2010
Propeller-Based Reverse Geo-Cache Birthday Present Project