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Re: musing about building a minimalist Apple ][+ clone

Vince Briel <vbrielnospamme@comcast.net> wrote:
: 
:> Yes, I did, but I didn't know about the auto-routing,
:> and does that mean that it takes the schematic and
:> applies it to the PCB?
: 
: Sort of, but better. Yes you get net routing as well, but auto routing
: allows you to basiclly layout your schematic, create a board based on your
: schematic and will automatically route all the points of contacts between
: the components. In other words, it does all the layout.

Just as another point of reference...

I'd NEVER use expressPCB because they make you use their crapracular
software, and won't take standard gerber files from other packages.

As for autorouting, I've yet to see a decent autorouter in any
package I've played with (I currently use PCAD2001 from work for
my projects, and that's not a cheap package ;)

For certain sets of nets (ie, routing repetetive data/address lines
across a bank of rams & roms with JEDEC pinouts), autorouting will 
save you some time, (athough cut & paste is pretty fast too), but 
for generalized routing, most autorouters will just make a big mess.

I've been using 4pcb.com and pcbexpress.com for most of my stuff
recently, but I've heard some chinese/malaysia places have dirt dirt
cheap 2-3 board protos, that I'm considering trying.

Some of my recent stuff:

http://www-mtl.mit.edu/~mspaeth/pics/cliff.gif
http://www-mtl.mit.edu/~mspaeth/pics/NewDL.jpg 
http://www-mtl.mit.edu/~mspaeth/zzpu.jpg

(reproduction arcade game pcbs ;)

-- 
Mark Spaeth                       mspaeth@mtl.mit.edu
50 Vassar St., #38.265            mspaeth@mit.edu
Cambridge, MA 02139               
(617) 452-2354                    http://rgvac.978.org/~mspaeth