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[on:]

Soon I will be starting my project for a homemade addressable LED strip, I plan to use WS2803's for this project,sop package, and I have no clue how to design a board for it, using them online custom circuit board sites. So can someone point me in the right direction on a good cheap site with a easy to use designer program.

Another thing is where would I buy, once I designed it, a custom flexible circuit board, like the one in my analog led strip.
And this will be my first smd project, figure I can't always use a breadboard or piece of cardboard with poked holes and wire for a finished project, what is a preferred soldering iron, and a tip that I can try my hand at drag soldering.

Oh and one more thing, the ws2801 library works for the ws2803, I read that somewhere, does it work fine without modifications?

[Reply #1 on:]

I like this little program. They intend for you to buy through them after using it but with CutePDF you can export it to photoshop or whatever you need. If you need gerber files you should find something else, they charge to convert to gerber. I do toner transfer so it's perfect for me.

For a soldering station, my research showed that the Hakko FX-888 was the best beginner station for the price. I got it and I love it. You can find tips for it on ebay pretty cheap from within the US. This is the tip I use. It has been successful for SMD soldering... I quite prefer it over through hole now.