Quick bit of advice

[speculatrix]

Just a quick bit of advice for all you hardware hackers out there.

When you've designed a board around a 65C22 VIA, and the PCBs have arrived from China, and you're screaming at the malign gods of electronics because the damn thing's not working ... well, try checking that you haven't accidentally installed a 65C02 instead of the 65C22.

This is what I learned today.

You're welcome.

[BigEd]

Oh, those DIP40s, they all look so similar!

[GARTHWILSON]

It's an easy mistake to make. I haven't made it in hardware, but I catch myself making it in my writing sometimes.

[speculatrix]

BigEd wrote:

Oh, those DIP40s, they all look so similar!

And the writing on them is so small. And my eyes are so old…

[Proxy]

speculatrix wrote:

BigEd wrote:

Oh, those DIP40s, they all look so similar!

And the writing on them is so small. And my eyes are so old…

get a white marker or label printer and just put the short name in big fat letters on it, like "c02", "c22", "816", etc.

[RichCini]

I don't know how y'all store your chips, but I have the same aging-eyes problem. So, I use a Sharpie to write the chip number on the anti-static tube. Now, that always doesn't help once they're pulled, but I've also taken to using a magnifying visor (like a jeweler) to double-check things against the silkscreen and putting the chips on anti-static foam in chip order.

Rich

[jmthompson]

I can definitely not blame you on this one! I can't read the part numbers on chips anymore without putting them under a very bright light and using my magnifier. When I store chips I keep them in the plastic tubes with nice large and high-contrast labels printed on my little label printer. But that only helps if the chip is still in the tube. (I am really bad about putting things away...)

[speculatrix]

jmthompson wrote:

But that only helps if the chip is still in the tube. (I am really bad about putting things away...)

Quite. Most of my chips are in component racks. But I have a box for stuff related to my 6502 project. There were 3 40-pin DIPs in a piece of anti-static foam. One I knew to be a 65C22N. Another was a clearly readable R6522. I assumed the other must be some kind of 6522. Not having my illuminated loupe to hand, I employed that other handy tool - squinting. I could just make out an ‘S’ in the position I needed it to be. Confirmation bias.

As it happens, I’ve just taken delivery of a fine-tipped paint pen, specifically for marking ICs. Just haven’t got around to using it yet.

[GARTHWILSON]

Sometimes the smallest details can trip you up. I ordered some little boards for work and they arrived yesterday, and I tried to fit one into the clamshell housing it's supposed to go in, and it wouldn't close all the way. I forgot to make the board thinner than the standard .062" thickness!

[BillO]

My solution.



I have one at either end of my bench.

[BigDumbDinosaur]

BillO wrote:

My solution.

I have one at either end of my bench.

That appears to be the same as the one I have on my bench.

[jmthompson]

I too have one of those arm lights (not an ARM light ), it helps immensely but I've found it's not quite bright enough sometimes. Been thinking about replacing it lately. I also have have one of the head-mounted light/magnifier units and that one I find to be better, but a bit uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

[BigDumbDinosaur]

jmthompson wrote:

I too have one of those arm lights (not an ARM light ), it helps immensely but I've found it's not quite bright enough sometimes. Been thinking about replacing it lately. I also have have one of the head-mounted light/magnifier units and that one I find to be better, but a bit uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

The one I have uses LEDs to light the work. It's almost too bright if I crank it up all the way.

[Sheep64]

Among the batch number, speed rating and packaging information, there is only one digit of difference between 65C02 and 65C22. And with new-fangled surface mount options, the problem isn't your failing eyes. The writing really is getting smaller.

[BillO]

BigDumbDinosaur wrote:

The one I have uses LEDs to light the work. It's almost too bright if I crank it up all the way.

Mine are LED too, but not adjustable. Plenty bright though.