6502.org

My condolences as well.

After a long break, I am back on the case. I successfully mounted the BGA484 on rev B board, which turned out to have a short between VCC and VINT... So, rev C boards are off to the PCB fab.

The defective B boards, in spite of the short, actually configure correctly, and I can even flash designs to the internal configuration flash. Gets really hot though.

So I am pretty excited.

The details of my stupidity are documented here:viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2328&start=9

Excellent, glad to have you back! Looking forward to your progress.

Finally, rev C boards came in. Mounted the 700AN, a crystal, an LED and a JTAG connector. It works this far, and I can flash an LED. I messed up the board trying to hand-solder the SRAM chip...EDIT: managed to rescue it on a second try. Power consumption with SRAM is up to 0.1A; with SRAM disabled - 0.08A.

Tomorrow I will build a second board using proper stencils for the SRAM and the 6502.

A bad picture in the BGA thread viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2070&start=99

A quick project update:

The last rev C board is operational (trashed 2 out of 3 with soldering issues - BGA and SRAM... Most of the issues are related to the hard fact that my vision is rapidly deteriorating).

Runs Arlet's core at 100MHz out of BRAM, 35MHz out of SRAM (I expect better results later).

Haven't tested the 6502 connections yet...

Rev D boards ordered. Minor wiring corrections and cleanup.

Have you considered a desk-mounted magnifier?
http://www.123stitch.com/Craft_Lights_Magnifiers.html
http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/home-craft/ ... erPage=100
I have one with a 5inch rimless glass and a halogen bulb, both mounted on a flexible stalk, which clips onto the edge of the desk.
I don't see the exact model there, but you get the idea.
Cheers
Ed

What Ed said. When I got back into soldering after many years I found that there was no way I could work the way I used to. So now I use magnifiers, and very good lighting, and at the work lab I even have access to something which looks like a big microscope. I use that one both for some of the soldering and to inspect everything afterwards - a great help which has helped finding weak spots right away instead of during testing.
It took some time to get used to it, particularly losing stereo vision the way I was used to, but now it's fine. Magnification and light.

-Tor

I have a magnifier with a lamp that I use. I like it, although the fluorescent bulb in it has some flicker. It is quite old, but I am too cheap to spend over $100 on a new one...

I also use a head-mounted magnifier/visor that has two lenses (and a third one that rotates down for one eye only). I use it all the time.

My eyes do get tired very quickly though.

I think lighting is really the most important part. I have to mount some more lights to illuminate the work area.