Help with Portable Radio/Media Player coding

rsavas · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 197 Location: Baldwin, Ontario

With a board of this complexity, functional test requires many test routines in order to troubleshoot down to the component level. The beauty of FLASH memory, is that it is easy to do.!! I know these test routines, as scope loops. I have a bunch of them written, as I built up the HW/SW.
Then when you identify a fault to the component level, you have to do re-work to replace/correct the problem. These are required production line/manufacturing skills. Operator skills and necessary equipment is required.
Yes, in order to make this a product for mass production, the mechanical design is very important in order to make it attractive for sale.
I optimized the layout to get maximum PCB yield on a production panel. It is a 4-layer PCB after all!!
Thus the mechanical design will have to be a customized design. Do not get me wrong, it can be as simple as a box in reality. Does not need to be fancy. I am not an Industrial Engineer, so in order to make this a product, for mass production, appeal is sooo important!! The appeal factor can make or break a sale. With a big company, you establish a look, that you use for all your products to follow, to differentiate you from the rest. I have nothing really to follow in that regard as it is my first product design in that sense. Everyone has their opinion, when it comes to enclosure design/looks, no differnet than the car you drive or what you wear for clothes.
If I had a break and shear, I'd already would have made a box out of easy to work material, such as sheet aluminum. In production, you might want to switch to steel because it is cheaper material. There is also plastic, but that is expensive for a mould.
I have done one mechanical design using "Front Panel Designer". Problem is the cost of the enclosure, is way to expensive from this source. The mechanical costs, should be a fraction of the electronic assembly costs.
I looked around for pre-built cases. Did not find anything. If I was going to use a pre-built case, I would have designed the PCB to fit the case and not the other way around.
I chose Digi-Key because they had all the parts that I needed, especially the ROHM BU9458 part, which is impossible to find elsewhere. BTW, Rohm does not give out samples. As it is, they have already rev'd the apart and I asked for a sample of that = not a chance, I am a small player in their mind.
Interesting discussions none the less, getting a bit away from my original request for some SW help however. I do not mind or even invite discussion on these topics, as it involves the product development cycle & production, which I have a wealth of experience.

Regards
Rick