Itead, Members with Experience...

OSH Park has one of the best file uploader I have used. Very easy to upload and view the board, plus each layer individually.

I did contact him on twitter and he did respond, so hopefully we can solve this issue. I really like OSH Park's boards and quality. Plus it seems like he's getting boards processed quicker. Prolly cause he's got the customers to fill panels faster.

Came upon this thread while searching on more info about iTead.
I just placed order with them last week, but never got confirmation e-mail so I emailed them right away with gerber files. Sunny replied that he got them, so I thought everything is ok, until I just got Invoice e-mail from iTead. Their online system doesn't show that I placed any order, I hope it's just a glitch...
BTW, my experience with OSH Park was great, from submitting design to getting notifications when it was sent to the fab. Turnaround time varies, but quality of PCB was amazing. If they only can be as competitive with prices as iTead I would stick with them :slight_smile:

I just received another batch of screw sheild PCBs from Itead that I had ordered over the New Years break.
Received e-mail with order #, sent in my files.
Received e-mail indicating factory had accepted the Gerber files
Received e-mail with tracking #.

Boards look as nice as ever. Wendy/Sunny continue to receive my backing.

Im thinking of using Seeed next...

(still more non-sense from iTead)..

placed over Chinese New Year as well..

I tried to check out that itsopway.com ... but they dont seem very clear...

on prices... (I dont have a lot of experience in this either to be fair).. on what pcb's (type) I need to order.. do they do color?...etc

Only drawback on Seed is the color pcbs is $5 more than iTead.. :frowning:

Wendy, Sunny, John , Alex and a few others.. outside of the generic order/info emails.. have all gave myself the same run-around/non-sense.

I had the same problem with Itead not sending email updates. But, after about a week, I emailed them and a couple of days later they sent me the tracking number. Got the PCBs a week later. Itead has very good prices, but I still don't have the confidence in them to send all my PCBs to them. Still use OSH Park for the smaller boards.

Id liek to try that sitopway.com place...

heard good things.. and heard good prices.. just wish thir site was a bit more user friendly.. on how they want things done.. rules/requirements..etc

just like iTead (and Seed) does!!... (but not iTead) LOL :stuck_out_tongue:

Submitted my design with Seeed on 2/22. They marked it shipped on 2/28. Received in the mail 3/15.

Just received my iTead boards! Very happy how they came out, no problems soldering them!
Not worse than OSH Park actually. It took total of 12 business days from submitting to receiving (in US).
For some strange reason I didn't get any silkscreen on the back of the board. I had text there on bNames layer. Anyone knows what could be an issue? I generated Gerber files form Eagle 6.3

Did you make sure that your CAM file had that layer highlighted when you generated the Gerbers? I did that once..

codlink:
Did you make sure that your CAM file had that layer highlighted when you generated the Gerbers? I did that once..

I think so.. I just checked Gerber files (that I sent to iTead) with Viewplot (Gerber viewer) and bottom text is there... Weird. Gotta ask iTead support about it...

codlink:
Did you make sure that your CAM file had that layer highlighted when you generated the Gerbers? I did that once..

Fwiw, if you use Eagle, iteadstudio is nice enough to publish a DRU File to ensure that your design is good to go, as well as a CAM processor file to ensure that the proper layers are printed/processed. Now if only eagle was easier to use (I find the cam process completely backwards, for example).

After 'printing' your Gerber files, the online Gerber viewer will let you see exactly what will be transmitted to the pcb fabrication house.

Constantin:
Fwiw, if you use Eagle, iteadstudio is nice enough to publish a DRU File to ensure that your design is good to go, as well as a CAM processor file to ensure that the proper layers are printed/processed. Now if only eagle was easier to use (I find the cam process completely backwards, for example).

After 'printing' your Gerber files, the online Gerber viewer will let you see exactly what will be transmitted to the pcb fabrication house.

I've used their cam processor, but I didn't see online Gerber viewer on their site. Do you have URL?

bratan:
I've used their cam processor, but I didn't see online Gerber viewer on their site. Do you have URL?

Hi Bratan, I use the online Gerber-Viewer. I am sure there are others, but so far, the results I saw on this web site have yet to deviate from what I eventually got from itead/iMall or OSH Park.

I use the free viewer at viewplot.com. Will open all 13 files that the itead .cam file makes.

GerbV (http://gerbv.geda-project.org/) works well for me on Linux. Have not used the Windows version but it's available.

I've used GC-Prevue for years.

My latest boards from ITead arrived in the UK a couple of days ago, I should get them tomorrow.

Order was placed March 5th. I haven't ordered from them for some time, they used to take two weeks or less.

I have had great service using these guys:

http://www.internationalcircuits.com/

You can price your order on their site easily, and depending upon your board size and quantity, it can be a very good deal.

I have used internationalcircuits also, I have found their pricing is better for larger quantities.

CrossRoads:
I use the free viewer at viewplot.com. Will open all 13 files that the itead .cam file makes.

Thanks! I checked with both viewplot and Online gerber viewer. GBO layer is there and shows back silkscreen correctly. Looks like iTead messed up :frowning: I sent them e-mail hopefully they'll respond.

The times they've marked mine on the bottom it's turned out well:

Do you have pic's of yours?