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[on:]

First things first, I have been experimenting with the Arduino for some time now, but I didn't post anything here. Anyway, for some reason I found making PCBs with EAGLE to be pretty addicting. So I made this. I liked the Sanguino for the unusual MCU, but there were a few factors I didn't like.

Benjamino by Jan Nejtek jr. is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Based on work at www.sanguino.cc and www.arduino.cc

Improvements:

• Uses ATmega644 in SMD package
• Has USB using FT232RL, just like in Arduino Duemilanove and Diecimila
• Shield compatible
• Pins marked similarly to Arduino Uno
• Can automatically select between USB power and DC jack
• Uses micro USB to avoid shorting out any shields.
  

Overall, it is a more Arduino-ish modification of Sanguino and uses the same software.



Image generated using Eagle3D.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Too bad I don't have a working prototype, but BatchPCB hasn't shipped it out yet. Also, if it's ever to be mass produced, I want the solder mask to be white with black silk screen.

This isn't the only thing I invented. More boards with more interesting MCU's are coming very soon.

Any ideas, suggestions? Tell me right here, right now.

[Reply #1 on:]

Nice board NejTek, I love the 3d render. Are the component models available in STEP format or are they proprietary Eagle.

______
Rob

[Reply #2 on:]

Eagle3D runs as EAGLE ULP script, which processes the board into a POV-Ray file which is then rendered. Each component is a POV-Ray macro; it usually takes some fine tuning to get it rendered properly, only a few boards get rendered properly on the first try. Here and here and here is some interesting info about it.

[Reply #3 on:]

Thanks, I had a good read although it's not applicable to me as I don't use Eagle but I can import STEP models.

Have you considered how you're going to get your board manufactured should it come to that? Or are you happy to solder 50 of them yourself?

______
Rob

[Reply #4 on:]

I would either use assembly services or get a stencil, some paste and go cooking them.