Complete Electronic Lab on PC

[mrl]

I "tried" to use KiCAD and, well, -- to be frank, its interface works like it was designed my moneys.  You have to try it to see what I mean.  I had to shut it down and not go back to it, as it traumatized me.  I went and got a program called "DipTrace" for PCB / schematic work.  They have a free version of it that does 250 pin boards.  Fairly good interface.

Free stuff is not always what it is cracked up to be.

[tsakou]

I "tried" to use KiCAD and, well, -- to be frank, its interface works like it was designed my moneys.  You have to try it to see what I mean.  I had to shut it down and not go back to it, as it traumatized me.  I went and got a program called "DipTrace" for PCB / schematic work.  They have a free version of it that does 250 pin boards.  Fairly good interface.

Free stuff is not always what it is cracked up to be.

The problem with open source programs is that they need feedback from users. If you like open source, and U don't know how to program, suggestions are always acceptable from the project developers. If you have time, you can contact the developers and give them suggestions.  I didn't try KiCAD, so I don't have an opinion about it.  But other geda tools are workable (I tried ngspice for a little while).

[wings]

Useful low cost hardware and software - 1MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope at 49 us$ (33 us$ kit)

buy fully assembled, don't' buy the kit difficult because surface mounted.

http://www.dpcav.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16330&cat=0&page=1&featured
http://jyetech.com/en/default.html


automation and monitoring at 15 us$   Liberlab

http://sites.google.com/site/liberlabsite/
http://radon2.u-strasbg.fr/jemulp/liberlab/En-demo1/En-demo1-v08.html

with Arduino:
http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/01/19/arduino-liberlab-liberino/

[wings]

Useful low cost hardware and software - 1MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope at 49 us$ (33 us$ kit)

buy fully assembled, don't' buy the kit difficult because surface mounted.

http://www.dpcav.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16330&cat=0&page=1&featured
http://jyetech.com/en/default.html


automation and monitoring at 15 us$   Liberlab

http://sites.google.com/site/liberlabsite/
http://radon2.u-strasbg.fr/jemulp/liberlab/En-demo1/En-demo1-v08.html

with Arduino:
http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/01/19/arduino-liberlab-liberino/

Superprobe:
“The Superprobe project was designed to see how much could be done with a PIC chip and just a few parts.
This device is designed around a PIC16F870, a 4 digit LED display module and very little else.
Note: I have received a lot of inquiries on this project. 
To date, several have been duplicated world-wide. 
Many have been constructed in other types of cases.  As long as the circuit is wired as shown, and the object code (below) is programmed into the PIC, the devices all worked perfectly.
Operation is via 2 pushbuttons. 
Holding down button #2 while pushing button #1 cycles through operating modes.
Here are how each of the modes work at present”

Prob      Logic Probe
PULS    Logic Pulser
FrEq       Frequency Counter
Cnt       Event Counter
VoLt       Voltmeter
diod       Diode Junction Voltage
Cap       Capacitance Measurement
Coil       Inductance Measurement
SIG       Signal Generator
ntSC       Video Pattern
9600       Serial Ascii
Midi       Midi Note
R/C       R/C Servo
[ ]       Square Wave
Prn       Pseudo Random Number
ir38       IR LED
PWM       Pulse   Width Modulation


http://mondo-technology.com/index.html
http://mondo-technology.com/sphof.html
http://mondo-technology.com/forsale.html
http://www.tato.ind.br/loja/produtos_descricao.asp?lang=pt_BR&codigo_produto=78
http://www.denizelektronik.com/digital_test_cihazi.htm

http://ikon.wz.cz/mondo/index.php

[jadaro2600]

Looks like the FEL covers a lot of programs avaiable elsewhere.  Perhaps they'll make a nice interface for it like was done with MONO or Eclipse, etc.