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Re: [Xylo-SDR] Comments on Board sizes & Eagle Light edition
Ahti
Thanks, yes, the 2 layers is a big limiting factor. It appears that there
are a number in the Xylo Group who have the full version. I think that if
some of us have the lite version they could take our files and parley them
into a single file.
Does the Lite version allow the solder mask and label layers? ( have not
played enough with it)
Eric
-----Original Message-----
From: xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us [mailto:xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us]
On Behalf Of Ahti Aintila
Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 6:32 PM
To: Xylo-SDR Discussion
Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Comments on Board sizes & Eagle Light edition
Eric,
I am using Free Eagle. For the full EuroCard (100 x 160) I divide the
circuit to two separate layouts (100 x 80) so that the PCB shop can
easily combine them side to side on their panel. Then the electrical
connections between the two can be made by wire jumpers. I think, this
concept should work well with the mother board layout. The daughter
cards obviously will be smaller in any case.
Rather than the size, more serious handicap of the Free Eagle is the
limitation of two copper layers only.
Ahti OH2RZ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Ellison" <ecellison@comcast.net>
To: "'Xylo-SDR Discussion'" <xylo-sdr@lists.ae5k.us>; <xylo-sdr@ae5k.us>
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 12:59 AM
Subject: Re: [Xylo-SDR] Comments on Board sizes & Eagle Light edition
> Don
>
> I downloaded the Free Eagle, and had only an hour or 2 to play. I did
> note
> that the board size we are talking about was within it's handicap.
> Also
> really like that all the libraries come with it, and there is eurocard
> stuff
> in the libraries.
>
> Thanks! Yep, was going to open this subject up again
> (Enclosure/boards).
>
> The enclosures (about 20 bux) I am looking at (now) are standard
> EuroCard
> 100x160 and 2.3 inches and 2.5 inches high with top and bottom shell,
> horizontal slide mount construction. I'll publish for ideas, however
> that
> would give us connectors for 3 - 4 x 3/4 inch spaced cards.
>
> My thought now(open for suggestion) is that we go for the full case
> length
> and mount one connector (if there is enough room on MB) horizontally
> on the
> MB facing the rear of the enclosure. That would give us one board 4x4
> inches
> and adequate space to mount taller components like toroids, caps,
> carry the
> power regulators to the buss etc.
>
> I guess there are trade off's to everything, but I think most of the
> modular
> stuff we have been suggesting would have plenty of space on a 2x4.
>
> It's up to the group.
>
> Eric
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us
> [mailto:xylo-sdr-bounces@lists.ae5k.us]
> On Behalf Of Don AE5K
> Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 12:45 PM
> To: xylo-sdr@ae5k.us
> Subject: [Xylo-SDR] Comments on Board sizes & Eagle Light edition
>
> Thought I'd throw in a few comments after listening to the
> xylo-teamspeak sessions and reading the talk on this reflector.
>
> One of the standard size "Euro" PCB boards is 100 x 160 mm.
> (This is approx. 3.9 x 6.3 inches). Current thought for our project
> seems to be a size of 4 x 2 inches (or 100 mm by 2 inches in a mixed
> measurement system?) We might consider making them just slightly
> longer than the 2 inch dimension and if so, how about 80 mm? Then the
> size would be exactly 1/2 of a standard Euro board size. In other
> words, make the board size 100 x 80 mm (approx. 3.9 x 3.15").
>
> This also corresponds to the maximum size (how about that?) that the
> free version of Eagle software will support.
>
> With current thinking (the DIN connector along the 100 mm side),
> unless
> you required front panel connection, the 80 mm dimension could be made
> shorter/less to save on board cost if that much real estate was not
> needed.
>
> Granted, maximum size we would support is based on some tradeoffs.
> Those
> include cost of a little larger board (if needed for front panel
> connection) vs. maybe using two smaller boards (with much added
> connector cost plus longer signal paths) for a design. My personal
> preference is to put more on slightly larger boards and have fewer of
> them, than to break it up onto smaller boards with more of them.
>
> Now some comments on Eagle Light (the free version):
> http://www.cadsoftusa.com/freeware.htm
> is the web page which lists info about it. As mentioned above, it is
> limited to *generating* boards 100 x 80 mm, two layers, and the
> schematic must fit on one page (but the page can be very large!).
> That
> is for *creating* -- it does have the capability of displaying or
> printing all sizes which are created by the full Eagle package.
>
> So if Eagle were used, those with the Light package could do a limited
> amount of creation (including such things as library packages) to be
> shared, but they could view and print anything greater than the
> limitations (for instance 4 layer boards). Those with the full
> package
> would not have those limitations of course.
>
> [Side note: I also happen to have the Professional full package
> (legally) and agree that Eagle has a steep learning curve, but once
> learned is one of the nicest systems around. Support is very good,
> and
> there is a large user support group too. It is supported directly by
> many PCB fab houses, not just the Gerbers etc it produces, but some
> will
> even take the basic Eagle files. I am not pushing use of Eagle, just
> supplying some info about it.]
>
> My 3 cents worth (inflation)...
>
> 73,
> Don AE5K
>
> --
> Confidence is the feeling you have before you really understand the
> problem.
>
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