Making Amplifier Layouts, & Schematics

[J M Fahey]

Agree.
I donīt use it for my own PCB designs (I still run decades old DOS based EasyTrax, Tango PCB and Autotrax, *because* they have no size limitations (ok, 32"x32", 8 layer PCBs max ), plus, well, I have been using them for decades and can run them asleep) but for the schematics I post here and in other Forums I use Express PCB/SCH too because itīs very easy to learn, does not have the gazillion options embedded in Pro (Expensive) software which I will never use anyway and does not have size limits at all. And itīs free.
Of course, *the* limitation is that you have to order the actual PCB from them at a certain (not bad) price, but for drawing itself, itīs excellent.
Best of all, it does output your drawings as .bmp or some similar graphic file , which can easily be posted anywhere.You should convert it first to .gif or .png to make it smaller, which *any* graphics package can do.
For any other graphics work: front panels, chassis designs, fabrication plans, leaflets, Ads to be published, whatever, I still use an old copy of Corel Draw.
Iīm sure most CAD programs can do that.
These are two simple examples of what can easily be done with Express SCH.
Klunky looking, but clean and readable:

and

And, as said before, nothing beats *that* price.

EDIT: hi MJWB.
Nice drawing but my PC nearly choked trying to display it.
What size (in Mega Pixels) it actually is?
I had to stop opening it half way up.

EDIT 2: now I opened it (in IrfanView): 7000x5000 pixels !!! wow !!!
Too big for any screen.
It also has 24 bit color depth, ("65 Million colors") while it could be easily be depicted just as well in a 16 color image .
IrfanView says itīs a 99Mb image.

EDIT 3: this is what I think as an Internet friendly image:
still detailed 1754x1240 pixels, 4 bit (16 colours) .gif
Image size? 1Mb. Iīm talking about video memory needed to display the image, not file size.


Nice design by the way.
Do you have any pictures/MP3 available?
How does it sound with guitar?
Thanks.
jm2c

[jmaf]

JMFahey, have you ordered PCB from ExpressPCB? I'm curious, because being not too far from you if it has worked for you in the past I might try it as well.

[J M Fahey]

No, never, but I think that considering US prices, having 3 boards made, double face, PTH , for U$60 is a very good business.
Personally, for U$ 60 I can buy a full 3 by 4 feet sheet of virgin PCB material and silkscreen, say, 40 boards ... but we are comparing apples to oranges here.

[hasserl]

Would you believe I just use MSPaint?!?

Once you make the initial component characters it actually works pretty well. Cut and paste for days. You can even cut, paste and modify existing schematics very easily.

I have two starter programs. One with some of my favorite layouts already done that can be pasted in place as I wish. And another that just has component characters and value signatures. On an all new design it can be time consuming. But I doubt other programs aren't with an all new design.

I do the same Chuck. I've also created (or snagged) some common symbols and have them on an image file I use to copy them and paste them into a schematic when I need them. It's pretty simple to draw up a schematic this way.

[J M Fahey]

For those who only have Paint (ugh!) available, thereīs a guy who might be called "the Genius of PCB Paint"
He starts with *very* humble base drawings and does incredible stuff.
Would you believe that simply with:

he might design this:

not forgetting that for clarity this is also necessary?:


Read all about it in:
DRAWINGS & PCBs by Harry Lythall

He is a cool guy, with a lot of inventive, and best of all, he is fun:
read all in
Harry's Homebrew Homepages
including such stuff as what to do when the RAF sends you as a Fighter Jet Electronics Technician to alcohol-free Saudi Arabia and you have a little weekend party inviting fellow Britons and Anglos in general (including Americans, of course).
SPIRITS by Harry Lythall