Getting started with my pcb build
22 June, 2010 - 10:41
Hi guys, thanks for the very quick delivery of kit. I picked up a livebox for £1.04 + postage last week and just waiting for it's arrival. I'd just like to give you some feedback on my expereince of building the microprocessor board.
The instructions in general were great. I think the only area where I got a little unsure of what was required was when installing the RF module. I'm not sure about the height at which it now sits. Maybe a closeup picture might help.
Other thing maybe worth mentioning is that my board came partly populated. If this is now a standard, I would update the flow of the instructions to provide a quick check on what's been installed and then what to follow on with. I imagine however that I was lucky enough to get a board you may have already started on?
I did however run in to one rather unfortunate problem. When it came to soldering on all the connector blocks, with my confidence running hi, I just whacked them all on and then quickly ran out of space at the end. I just couldn't get the last one to site in. I then noticed the little ridges on the side of each block that allow for locking them together. This however means the connector blocks need to be fitted from one direction(I did them from the wrong direction).
My problem came when trying to unsolder them all. One of the solder pads came off(couldn't solder sucker enough solder off). This has resulted in one pin on a block has no connection to the relay. I will need manually connect the correct pin of the relay to the pin of the connector block.
The connector block in question is the one directly under the xtal device and the pin is the 2nd from the left(with the connector block at the bottom as you look at it, 6th from left if you take other block into account). I think it should connect to the 2nd pin down on the left of that relay. This is where the others seem to connect to but when I hold it up to the light I can't see a track that goes there...can you help?
26 June, 2010 - 11:04
#2
Connector block issue
This is one of those cases where a picture helps. I've put up an image on the Wiki to show the tracking in question. Here http://www.dbzoo.com/_media/livebox/track.jpg
Also followed up on your suggestion re pics of the RF module mounting process.
Derek.
Thanks for the feedback.
Good job on the £1.04 Livebox (my personal record is 50p).
I'll get a close up photo of the way that the RF module mounts done this weekend. The 'part-population' isn't standard. I had started a board for my own use & it struck me that this would give you a 'head start' on the build.
Sorry to hear about the connector issue. I'll get words of advice into the wiki. I won't have the circuit to hand until Friday, but will drop you a note then.