Corgitronics
The control board design is complete, ready to etch it and see if it works… With 127 components (352 connections) there’s probably a Vdd or Gnd trace missing somewhere.
And the top and bottom layouts, without the copper pours. To control noise on the digital lines, the bottom layer will be as continuous a copper pour as possible.
New Mantis Compact inspection scope arrived, with articulated boom arm. The Mantis on the left with the standard binocular AmScope on the right.
This scope provides a great 3D view, without peering through little eye pieces. The Mantis provides a much sharper image than the Amscope’s optics. And you can shift sligtly while looking through the Mantis and change your perspective of the board, this is very handy for getting a better perspective when working on small devices.
The AmScope is still handy for high magnification (up to 200x), but most inspection work is in the 4x – 8x range, and the Mantis is great for that.
The optional articulating arm provides good reach across the workbench, and was a worthwhile option.
Corgitronics 