Cheap PCB manufacturer + design prog HELP

[Game-Tech.US]

Just curious if any one here has any good or bad experiences to share with any pcb manufacturers.
Also, what prog do you use for design?
Seems to be an endless choice for each...
I've got a number of small boards I want made, in limited quantities, but am just starting to get to the point where I'm going to want to know who to use and what progs are best for design.
I've actually used pcb123 from sunstone, it was awesome to learn, but it seems to be too constricted for use with sunstone companies for manufacture, and seemed way too expensive. Also tried KiCAD and ExpressPCB, wasn't impressed with either.
So i'm going to check out Altium, it was compared with pcb123 on their site and got a lot of good marks, better than Eagle and OrCAD barely had any good marks.

[BlueBMW]

Once you figure this out maybe you could draw us up a PCB for an RGB to Component converter that we can make ourselves

[Game-Tech.US]

Actually yes that is one of my projects! It took me a LONG time searching to find anyone sharing such a schematic! I'm still in prototyping phase with it, got it hooked to a genesis model 1 and so far it isn't working. Seems to be a sync problem so still working out the details.

[Charlie]

Altium is extremely powerful, but has a somewhat steep learning curve.  They have a whole #$%%-load of on-line tutorial videos, but it takes a while to go through them.  Well worth learning, though.

ExpressPCB is very basic (= simple) but is geared to a very specific level of PCB and is centered around their own PCB manf facility (makes sense, they made the program!)  Works for me for the standard 2-layer, low-to-medium density boards.  Just watch out for irregularly shaped boards; they don't cut the corners very tightly...expect to need a hobby saw and file.

I can add some example pix if anyone wants.

Charlie

[channelmaniac]

I used BatchPCB.com for having my Colecovision mod kit PC boards made. They did excellent work and do small quantity orders just fine. I ordered and paid for 30 PC boards and they sent me 50.

They recommend EAGLE and it took me a bit to figure it out but wasn't too bad. I was able to change the layouts to upright resistors instead of flat against the board and squeezed my board down to just a hair under 1 square inch.

[Game-Tech.US]

I used BatchPCB.com for having my Colecovision mod kit PC boards made. They did excellent work and do small quantity orders just fine. I ordered and paid for 30 PC boards and they sent me 50.

They recommend EAGLE and it took me a bit to figure it out but wasn't too bad. I was able to change the layouts to upright resistors instead of flat against the board and squeezed my board down to just a hair under 1 square inch.

Checked out your website. Very cool Coleco mods. I do believe the Colecovision is component capable so thats the route I plan to take, but the dual boot and +5v memory is awesome! Does the memory mod eliminate the need for the original power supply? I think the r/f runs on 12v, but I won't be using that either.
I may have to buy a set!

[channelmaniac]

Checked out your website. Very cool Coleco mods. I do believe the Colecovision is component capable so thats the route I plan to take, but the dual boot and +5v memory is awesome! Does the memory mod eliminate the need for the original power supply? I think the r/f runs on 12v, but I won't be using that either.
I may have to buy a set!

Thanks!

According to the schematic, you'll still need the -5v for the controller ports and +12v for the RF Modulator. What it does do is take that pesky power switch out of the equation. You need good, clean +12v and -5v power for the 4116 DRAM and getting rid of that RAM lets you use the system without the +12v from the power switch. (The -5v is hardwired and always going to the board...)

RJ

[Game-Tech.US]

Thats too bad, I was hoping to dump the huge brick a/c adapter and just use a normal 9 or 12 volt DC adapter. Guess we could still instal an internal power supply! Seen anybody do that yet?

[Game-Tech.US]

Now that I think about it, the guy that did the "baby coleco" put in inside an external HD case and it ran it off the power supply already installed in it, so it has to be fairly easy to accomplish.

[Game-Tech.US]

Also, I did end up getting the free version of Eagle and easily and quickly drew up 5 boards, now just sorting through the board houses maze. Looks like i'll end up using advanced circuits for protos since I wont have to wait for a long time with the chinese holiday delay, then once i'm sure the boards work i'll use Gold Phoenix for cost reasons.
Eagle was pretty easy to learn after using the other progs, still want to invest some time into Altium, eventually.
Another thing I need now is a gerber viewer, I never thought about it, but maybe altium has one? The only free one I heard about, viewmate, requires you to sign up, ehhh.

[Game-Tech.US]

I put in my order with the DorkBot crew last night, i'll end up with just over 30 sq in of boards for just over $50 shipped.
Can't wait to see the results, I guess all their boards are now purple masked, awesome!
Even talked the guy into giving me a couple freebie tssop-24 adapter boards, free!
I guess he does that on a regular basis, but I asked for them specifically and he said he would hook me up!
Looks like the next order will be sent in Feb 7th and should get mailed out by Feb 16th.

[Game-Tech.US]

Well the group order filled up early, again, went in today.
I'm lovin this, cheap and much quicker than expected.

[nodtveidt]

Wow, that's super cheap... well I guess I know where I'll be going to have the PCBs for all of my hucard productions done.

[Game-Tech.US]

I forgot to share my experience so far with dorkbot.
Here is a pic of my first set of boards.
They look awesome! A shame to hide them inside a console!
The sop24 boards, lower left, were free!
I did have a couple small problems, but the guy running the show has been above and beyond helpful!
They are considering a medium run order that will be cheaper for 150 sq in and over, like $1.30 ish per sq in!!