Monthly Archive for August, 2009

Using Windows Live Writer

Published on August 29, 2009 by Tim

Well, I just downloaded Windows Live Writer. After I installed the product, I ran it. On first run, the program asks me about my blog. I entered all of the pertinent information and it seemed to connect to my blog.windowslivewriter

Now I am attempting to write a new post. This post is really just a test to see if Windows Live Writer is going to be worth using. I am impressed that it has spell check functionality. Now, lets see if I can add a picture. Well, that seemed to work well. There are many different options available for working with pictures. Finally, the ultimate test, actually posting this post. Here goes!

EDIT: I can now attest that posting is a snap. Whether or not the feature set of Windows Live Writer is compelling enough for me to leave my typical web based WordPress editing style remains to be seen.

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Designing a PCB with EasyPC

Published on August 23, 2009 by Tim

One of the first assignments I was tasked with as a graduate student was learning how to design printed circuit boards or PCBs for short. There are many different pieces of software which allow you to design PCBs but in my case Number One Systems EasyPC was the software of choice.

There are two different ways to design a PCB in EasyPC. The first approach is with schematic files. Schematic files allow a user to create a circuit schematic and then translate that schematic to a PCB design. Alternatively, circuits can be designed directly in the PCB editor. The first method is most often the method of choice for medium to large designs. Small designs can often be done directly in the PCB editor.board

Circuits are designed in both schematic and PCB mode by using components. Components in EasyPC are made up of two distinct parts. The first part is a schematic symbol which is used in schematic design mode. The second part is a PCB footprint which is used in PCB design mode. By using components, translation between schematic and PCB designs can be easily accomplished.

Once you have learned the navigational structure of the program and designed a few components, it is relatively simple to design a simple PCB. The board pictured above is my first design and will host a computer which will be incorporated into a shoe. It is approximately 1.5 inches square. We soon hope to design a new version of this board which is about one quarter of the current size.

Posted in Computers and Electronics. 0 Comments