still taking it easy as i recover from my cold.
morning spent replying to some emails, helping troubleshoot modules from my class.. and also planning some bike trips for when the weather gets nicer!
then in the afternoon i found that missing pcb and finished the soldering for the new prototypes im testing.. my phones back camera is broken but took some photos (awkwardly with the front camera)
the high level is that i have been prioritizing a new phase of circuit designs for underscores. most projects i have put out recently have been in the DIY category. these use mostly through hole components and focus on creating low cost entry points to exploring video circuits..
i still have some more ideas for this category (including an adaption of the vga based modules from my online class) but im wanting now to release some EURORACK modules - these will cut less corners, use all smd parts (still choosing hand-solderable footprints tho) and will be mostly assembled in house through jlcpcb once the designs are finalized. i have decided to place smd parts on both sides of these pcbs when needed and also will make these 4 layer boards with the middle ground planes.
looking at the price difference of these additional features when ordering 10+ boards is not much more, but for smaller batches for prototyping it is quite significant. therefore im prototyping with 2 layered pcbs that i will solder myself. and then upgrade it to 4layer when ready to batch order... it only adds around 10aud to add a stencil to a jlc order so i will be using these even for prototypes on more complex boards. i use a combination of a small hot plate and hot air gun to solder the parts i place by hand
