EEVblog #1034 - Mailbag

Mailbag is back!

SPOILERS:
Beginner schematic and PCB layout analysis.
Can Dave guess the mystery PCB's function?
Arduino Inventors Guide Book
Radiosonde car tracking:
Psion II PDA
BK Precision Binding Post Adaptor
The Choculator
MPEG4 USB TV/DAB dongle teardown
Forrest Mimms Circuit Classics

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[kentvandervelden]

Absolutely LOVED the PCB review! Please consider doing more of these, perhaps a regular series, very educational.

[Psychlist]

I really enjoyed the analysis of the first-timer PCB sent in. I kept decoupling close to the pins, but never knew why, and never really gave any thought to loop area, so learned something important today.

[AndreasA.S.]

giving valuable and critical fair review on a first board project, thats how you learn, and my hat off to ya dave. and to the maker of the board, keep at it.

[PeteBrubaker]

Note to all shippers, fold note into small square and package with/affixed with the parts you can feel outside the package. Dave hasn't learned to not cut the note, even after all the Mailbags.

[chromabotia]

Dave, thanks so much for a mailbag segment!! You're probably tired of it, but I love the old mailbag. All the best to you...

[dstryrport]

LOVED THE TIPS ON PCB DESIGN. I LEARNED SO MUCH! THANK YOU!

[QLTD]

20:30 the problem will be solved if you break it apart into two pieces

[willardb]

Enjoyed the PCB layout bit you did in the first part of the video! We've been covering board layout and design in one of my college (EE) classes this semester and it's nice to see some real world application... I think I remember having a choculator as a kid, seems like it came from the school book fair

[AttilaTheHun]

Dave, I love these videos. Thank You so much for making them! Even though I’m not an electronics genius, you explain everything so clearly that I get most of the stuff and it motivates me to learn more.

[copperdragon]

Hi Dave! I'm glad, you like my radiosonde and I'm really looking forward to your teardown video on it.
The odds of one landing on top of one of your viewers home can not be calculcated accurately, but maybe I can make a very simple estimation:
500, 000 viewers each with 200 m² land sum up to around 100km² . A given radiosonde should then have a chance of 1:5, 000, 000 to land in such a spot. "Thousands per day", may sum up to 1 million per year, so we could expect to have an actual hit once in every five years. Hmm - I really seem to have been quite lucky .. :-)

[sparkplug]

That review of the PCB was excellent and very informative. Its one thing to say "dont do X, Y and Z" while teaching or explaining, but seeing it in a practical example like that makes it worlds easier to understand. Should really do more of these.

[edwardcasati]

The critique of the PCB layout and design was fantastic. Great way to learn from other people's projects, both good and bad choices. Would love to see this more often. Great illustration of redundant components, ground loops suggestions for improvement. Fantastic!

[RobinHilton]

At 20:30 - why not carefully separate the Positive & Negative halves so you can put it on any spaced Binding post setup?

[Hewitt_himself]

instead of drilling new holes on the banana plug adapter to get to fit other machines just spilt it in half through the middle, wasn't the airgap a clue

[reallyniceaudio]

Just to repeat what has been said before but the feedback you gave on the pcb design should be a staple in your videos- fantastic job!!

[ksfixitmangaming]

Hi Dave. Thanks for all your great videos. Im here in Kansas in the good old USA. Mailbag is a favorite of mine.

[kissingfrogs]

The PCB critique was very informative. Thanks

[johnpossum]

Smart is the man that sends his PCB design board to Dave.

[jordanjohnson]

That PCB section was really enjoyable and educational. I certainly learned a whole bunch!

[coriscotupi]

Great review on the PCB and kudos to its maker.
...18:21 - Rothenburg ob der Tauber, lovely medieval town. Been there in the mid-90's, great memories.