Hey Road Testers!  What product(s) would you love to get your hands on?

An Arduino ZERO:

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lslater doctorcdf - What do you guys think?  Arduino Zero, SMD Tools for an upcoming RoadTest?

Then a micro-controller board KIT or something but also a couple of practice boards to learn

then once confidence and a few videos are done, build up your board and have a working practical end device...

Yeah a project with some LEDs, descretes a CPU and some comms ..some excuse to put components together then watch them flash almost usefully!

a basic smd kit should have at least the minimum.

anti-magnetic tweezers

optivisor

0.5mm or smaller diameter solder

liquid flux

flux cleaner and acid brush

blinnky 2.0

this could easily be built around an Arduino model or MSP43xx, that way the Energia or Arduino IDE and a programmer is easy to add

and the board could be repaired with easily sourced components

A few WS2812B LEDS, Temp sensor chip on I2C or SPI, easy add ons for an LCD and rotary switch and we have the basics of a home thermostat or something

Oh, Oh....please please... start this now and we could gear toward XMAS lighting system or something, put a theme around it, maybe less religious more fun but something... oh yes I see it formulating now ... where's the mask

Would love some kit to do LGA or other impossible SMD components...

You've got it ..Maybe a Bat Signal using RGB LEDs

Or a bat Stun light ..maybe inducing Vomiting or something nice like that

We need a dis like button/link

I've used Arduino Unos to control multiple strings of GE G35 Christmas lights and also WS2801's,

-Steve

maybe with a few videos on E14.

Hello ... that's what I said.

Your road test should specify a video, just so others can see how its done.

Its not much use having a tool and not knowing the simple method to use it, in order either not destroy it/the components next to it/or making a total hash of the board.

A simple video and general guide on bther ould aid in new persons actually deciding 'its not that hard after all'.

mark

maybe with a few videos on E14.

Hello ... that's what I said.

Your road test should specify a video, just so others can see how its done.

Its not much use having a tool and not knowing the simple method to use it, in order either not destroy it/the components next to it/or making a total hash of the board.

A simple video and general guide on bther ould aid in new persons actually deciding 'its not that hard after all'.

mark

Didn't see that bit of your post  any way I'm reiterating you ...helping you out and all..

Are you volunteering to create the vids BTW?

I was volunteering MK ...he seems to be the expert.

However, if I was lucky enough to get one, then sure I'd do the video .... no problem.

Mark

If the MK you mean is me then I'll admit to knowing how to solder but you could write all I know about making videos on an 0603 capacitor and still have room to spare. Perhaps one of my kids might help (with the video). I don't really need any bits from E14 to make it possible - I'm expecting to be making some new boards in the next three to four weeks so I'll try to make a video of that.

MK

I was referring to MCB1 but your feedback is also more than welcome, I too had to resort to getting my kids to help with the initial video stuff, had to borrow my daughters video cam too. aside from that it has all been done with web cams and a couple of low cost all in one cameras. Some day I may go get a quality HD camera but there still quite expensive so ill have to wait a bit

the hardest thing I found was worrying about making an ass of myself on camera, after a bit I thought, what the hell, ill just make an ass of myself and get it over with, now i'm not so worried and also ended up with a Batman Avatar in the process.

Life is too short to worry about some things, just do it and have fun, if you make mistakes you can be sure this group will rip you to shreds (Just kidding), mistakes are good and often educational

Micheal, I for one do like watching really finished videos but most use it to hide the lack of polish. I'd rather see one of your vids warts and all than see one with cool graphics and missing out the vital bits .

All you need is any video camera or reasonable phone and you are in the game if the picture looks bad get more light on it and it will look fine

Look forward to seeing your stuff

can always reduce the frame rate of the video and even the resolution a bit as long as it demonstrates the key points still, then follow up with a select set of good still pictures for any detail that may have been lost

Yes it was you Michael.

I don't really need any bits from E14 to make it possible

Now you're spoiling it ...

Whatever is done, I think its useful to show how the 'affordable' tools can be used.

The video will probably never demonstrate the quality, but some very good high resolution photos either side will show more than a video can hope to achieve.

So as peter says a reduction in resolution combined with photos could help.

We are fortunate at work that our new Tech was involved in smd production and fixing the issues/faults, but I haven't had the opportunity to tackle her for some pointer yet.

mark

making an ass of myself on camera

maybe you should have had a alias and worn the mask ...

Hardly a consideration these days my Note 3 for example does quite plausible 4K video  an 1080P until the cows come home.

Shoulde be fine with what ever you can produce ...You'll need good lighting to see the SMD parts anyway