Homebrew PCBs

Hi Wayne!

Fancy meeting you here!  Although it's no surprise!

Yes, I think I may have been responsible for starting the thread on Eagle.
Funny, I think it was eagle that got me into this list when it was started.
Although that time I evidently was more interested in translating the Gerber
RS-274 files to Gcode then actually learning the schematic and layout
modules!  I did eventually get a module of my STEP4 controller program
written to import Gerber and generate Gcode (well, actually Vectors PLC
first).  

I'm just now getting back to PCBs; I'm on this 32 R/C servo board project
that just begs for a board.  I'm now exploring routing the power for the
board, and I've experimented with allowing Eagle to auto-route the board.
Interesting!

KICAD could be interesting, due to it's open-source!  However that would
mean ANOTHER project!

I got your Servo8 code translated into C, and had it running on a '452 demo
board that I use all the time.  But with the CAM interface and 9-bit
addressing mode, I haven't gotten to "command" the board.  I did manage to
set up some simple initialization values and send a servo or two to various
positions.

We hired an engineering tech for work, and HE has a 24-servo hexapod project
underway.  All the legs with their servos, and a round base!  He's working
on a PIC board to drive the servo using discrete servo chips, but expects to
abandon that in favor of a new design. 

Alan  KM6VV  

> 
> All:
> 
> After seeing all those posts on Eagle and its board size
> limitations, I just thought I'd let people know that there
> is an open source PCB program called KiCAD.  Here's the URL:
> 
>   <http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/>
> 
> The short summary is:
> 
>   - Multi-platform -- Windows, Linux, etc.
>   - Schematic Capture
>   - PCB's up to 16 copper layers and no board size limits
>   - Gerber viewer
>   - An active (and growing) Yahoo support group
> 
> I haven't designed a board with it yet, but I've gone through
> a tutorial and it does not seem to have any show stoppers for
> me.
> 
> Enjoy,
> 
> -Wayne