Sunstone PCB

"Jamie" wrote in message news:Mug0r.5492$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe03.iad...

You have a cookie from sunstone or another similar site. There is also geographic advertising based on your IP address. I see newegg adds for the products I just looked at on other sites after visiting newegg.com, so it must be a cookie tracking thing.

PCB123 is the software, not the best. But for those that want to spin a board, it's enough to get by. Their prices are on the high side for quick turn. and the quality is ok. If I had to use them I would.

Cheers

If you are running firefox try and add-on called Ghostery. Pertty sure it will stop this happening.

I wouldn't use anyone's beholden PCB software when there's good free-free ones out there (Eagle, for instance).

Sunstone will happily work from Gerbers, I use them for quick-turn services, and have been very happy.

Where do you go for quick turn boards?

I've been ordering 6-layer boards from Sunstone (0.006" feature size, silk+mask on both sides, ENIG finish). No real complaints, other than that the online ordering system doesn't seem to be entirely compatible with Firefox. There have been one or two glitches such as a stencil that arrived with some damage, but they were resolved painlessly.

Their email support is great -- I've sent questions at 10 to 11 PM and gotten answers from (clearly US-based) support personnel within a few minutes to a few hours.

-- john, KE5FX

...for some values of "free". #1 It doesn't produce gerbers. #2 It's lock->I wouldn't use anyone's beholden PCB software

Bingo!

...for some values of "free". ...and when someone says "free-free", I would assume that to mean gratis and libre.

Crippleware with DRM doesn't meet my definition of "free".

Having separate power and ground planes is also nice; an ECAD that only gives you 2 layers won't do that.

Well, you're welcome to make a better suggestion if you have one. Eagle works better than the lock-in-ware that I've seen others use.

There are open software EDA tools, but I haven't tried them.

If (as many here religiously don't, and won't) you have a Mac check out Osmond PCB - designs under 700 pins are free, if you want to go over that (and print, make Gerbers, or spit out PostScript of the results - you can design them without paying if you want to see what the software can do), $79.

So, call it crippleware if you like.

Or rail against Apple if it makes you happy.

Or design small boards for "free" with the option to go not-free for not much money if you need to grow the pin count.

I've yet to need more than 700 pins, myself.

"Gratis" is a really useful word; I wish more people would learn it

--and use it; same for "libre".

KiCAD is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) aka gratis and libre. It works under Windoze, OS X, and Linux. No artificial limitations.

Some here have griped about some of its design decisions. Hey, don't like something in particular about it? It's FOSS; if it bugs you THAT much, have someone in India that you find on eLance or Rentacoder or whatever change that for you. Put the alter binary/code up on the 'Net somewhere so that everyone to share; put up a tip jar for reimbursement.

Yes, I will.

No need to do that--as long as there are -open- solutions.

I've used Sunstone, and they seem both pleasant and efficient, if not necessarily the cheapest.

The pro version of Eagle costs $275 per year, in the same ballpark as one batch of boards. The good thing about having your own set of tools is that all the labour of building all those library parts you'll need doesn't get lost if you switch board vendors.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

Someone here recommended Myro, and they are pretty good for quick turn.

Cheers

I use Eagle... I just was wondering about these people?

Jamie

They take Eagle files directly and generate Gerbers for you if you want. They put the job on hold till you approve their Gerbers. Otherwise just generate your own.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs