[chbot] Stampalike progress, microchip direct, and a toaster oven.

[Chris Hellyar]

Hurro, thanks for the feedback...

Andrew Errington wrote:
> 1) Keep the pads for the through-hole reset switch, and add the footprint
> for the SMD version inside the through-hole footprint.
>   
That'll depend on the switch when they turn up.  I'd imagined keeping 
the hole device count to just the connectors to keep the 'top' of the 
PCB free for some text information, but if it works out when I get the 
pad layout for the switch I can do that...
> 2) Add three pads for (optional) SMD resonator.
>   
That's not a bad idea, and I've got heaps of space due to the length of 
the 20pin sil, will have a look at that idea.  Might make it a 
through-hole though, as there are so many variations on SMD resonator 
footprints it's not funny, and 3 pin resonators are common as muck.  I 
had figured the 8Mhz internal would do 95% of what folks would want to 
do with the '88 on a hobby project, and they could stick a resonator 
external if they wanted..  Default config for the RS232 bootloader will 
be to use the internal 8Mhz.
> 3) If you have 20 pins and 19 functions then how about making the 20th pin
> "power out" from the regulator? (Maybe you did that already).
>   
Yeah, the pin out so far is:
1 - Vin
2 - Gnd
3 - Vout
4-19 portA & B
20- NC
> 4) Add pads for (optional) Dallas Econoreset or similar reset supervisor.
>   
Will have a look at that one...  I've not had a situation with a recent 
spec PIC where I felt the need for the reset supervisor functionality, 
the brownout detect seems to be pretty good 99% of the time... (The '88 
has BOR).
> (I know that feature-creep is deadly, but you did say you have time on
> your hands...)
>   
:-)  Being (Temporarily) unemployed has it's advantages..

Cheers, Me.