Group Picstep pcb buy

[dberndt]

Since I can't seem to get anyone to etch/mill me any picstep pcbs I'll put forward the idea of having them professionally done as a group buy. If I could get an order for 50 or 100 together they'd be alot less expensive, less then 10 bucks per pcb I hope.

Anyone interested drop a reply in this thread.

I'm in Canada so shipping within north america should be reasonable, but beyond that I'm sure shipping gets slow and expensive.

[Al_The_Man]

I have a local guy does really cheap boards, not plated through holes though.
Al

[pminmo]

http://www.futurlec.com/PCBService.shtml

Is a realtively inexpensive pcb house if your buying a medium quantity. 10 boards single sided, no solder mask or silk screen about $7.60 each. Silk screen and solder mask about $10 each. You should get Alans ok. I'd buy one, would like to see how it performs.

Phil

[dberndt]

Thanks for that link Phil. Best prices I have seen so far. So I will be ordering 10 boards for myself on monday, anyone else that wants to order with me I will ship them out and you will pay cost.

at 10 boards cost per board is $8.12 usd.
at 50 boards cost per board is $5.96 usd.

Frankly the prices dont scale nearly as well as some of the other board shops, because the cost for a small number of boards is alot more reasonable at futurlec.

However if you want to be included in the order post here or email/pm me.

[dberndt]

bump

come on people you know you want some boards.

[ranman]

Which one are you planning on getting?

With ICSP (In-circuit programming) socket (v2.1)
Or
No ICSP (In-circuit programming) socket (v3.1)


I might be interested.

[dberndt]

Well I didn't really see the advantage of the ICSP so i was going to go without it. Unless you can provide an argument for it.

[ranman]

I kinda like the ICSP for being able to apply firmware updates ...
If there was an update at some point.

I am curious as to what the advantage of not having it is.
Other than saving a little money per board on components.

Anyone else have some input either way?

[Garfield2]

Originally Posted by ranman I kinda like the ICSP for being able to apply firmware updates ... If there was an update at some point. I am curious as to what the advantage of not having it is. Other than saving a little money per board on components. Anyone else have some input either way?

My thoughts exactly!

But demand deemed that I should make a version without the header and the DIP switches (an a few less wire-links). Most people where just as happy to pull the PIC out of it's socket and plonk it into a programmer than solder a few extra components on the boards and just simply plug a lead in.

So I opted to satisfy both camps with two versions.

Alan

[dberndt]

I don't know, pulling the chip out of the socket and putting it in the programmer really doesnt sound that traumatic to me. Maybe I dont see the real advantage of ICSP because I've never used any board that had it. Hard to miss things you've never had.

[ranman]

hmmm ...
So lets say you have gone your whole life w/o eating Pizza because there was not a pizzaria close by
Would that keep you from allowing yourself to eat pizza if you had the chance?

Just giving you a hard time since you made it sound like some people may be too traumatized to pull the chip.


To be honest I am still on the fence between the PICStep and another board.
And Firmware is part of the difference between the two.
The other one has ICSP so a Firmware update would be connect a couple wires and go ...
More than likely I would make some changes to the other boards Firmware myself, if I go with it.

Alan - Thanks for the input.

[dberndt]

Well I said the order was going in monday, thats obviously passed by. I'm putting it in tonight at midnight EST. If you want to throw your hat in the ring with for either board thats fine, just do it now or not.