Boards for EP Kits

[Chrishew09]

A while back i had a post about makeing my own board for electro projects people might have, it was just a simple semi only board. I am starting to see that the EP kits are takeing shape and was wondering there would be any interest in a semi only board vs. a worlock or preditor board. Both those boards sell for about $130 (i think), my target price would be $30, am i crazy or does the $100 savings make this a worth while venture for you guys building the EP kits??

Please dont post unless you have something constructive to say, last time i was getting some flack b/c i dont have prototypes yet. I do have the entire design finished and boards ready to get ordered, but it does cost money and i would feel better knowing that you guys would even want these boards.

Chris

[Dark Side]

As long as you can guarantee your work and the boards life/code, I don't see why you would have any problem with them.

[Chrishew09]

Yes my work will be guarantee'd.

[Jimbud]

I don't have a problem with semi only since that's all I ever shoot.

But it must be fully adjustable in all other ways Dwell, Eye delay, Debounce, Ect. And not be a nightmare to adjust.

My Virtue board for my Ego is super easy to adjust with its multi color led.
The Chaos Board in my EP Mag on the other hand is a complete pita to adjust with only a single color led.
Also it must be small, tiny really. The smaller the better, not much room in most Mag frames.

Why Semi only by the way?
It was my experience that once I had written a good Semi routine with a shot buffer and all of the above, that adding other modes at least PSP, NXL and full auto was fairly strait forward.

[latches109]

why go through so much trouble to design a circuit board only to load a semi-only software? **rhetorical** The actual cost of manufacturing a board is low, however generally the amount of time put into it's creation, testing, prototyping, patenting, etc... raises it to the market cost. The other consideration, is players generally purchase a board once. i.e. limited recurring income.

[Chrishew09]

Well I am not doing this board with a microcontroller, just analog hardware, so adding features is not easy. I am not a programer, so this was my only option at the moment. Dwell and bounce can be adjusted but it would require replacing SMT resistors on the board. I could use POT's but they take up space and cost more. Most likely I am going to be supplying a few extra SMT resistors for the user to play with to get there dwell/bounce the way they like it.
I know that sounds like a pain, but I really have no choice at the moment, I am trying to keep this really low cost. I am also not looking to make money on the deal, if I break even I would be very happy.

Getting back to the dwell/bounce, I will look into the smallest POT's I can find but what sucks is there is know way to relay the setting back to the user. With set values of resistors, I will provide a chart that discribes the timing with each resistor installed.

[Jimbud]

Well I am not doing this board with a microcontroller, just analog hardware, so adding features is not easy. I am not a programer, so this was my only option at the moment. Dwell and bounce can be adjusted but it would require replacing SMT resistors on the board. I could use POT's but they take up space and cost more. Most likely I am going to be supplying a few extra SMT resistors for the user to play with to get there dwell/bounce the way they like it.
I know that sounds like a pain, but I really have no choice at the moment, I am trying to keep this really low cost. I am also not looking to make money on the deal, if I break even I would be very happy.

Getting back to the dwell/bounce, I will look into the smallest POT's I can find but what sucks is there is know way to relay the setting back to the user. With set values of resistors, I will provide a chart that discribes the timing with each resistor installed.

If that is the case I cant see anybody wanting that board. I know I would not. Sorry

[Lurker27]

As someone who went through the trouble of designing and testing a 555/556 based board for spyders, don't bother.

[Chrishew09]

As someone who went through the trouble of designing and testing a 555/556 based board for spyders, don't bother.
Yeah, this one is 555 based.

I am starting to come to the same conclusion...