[Coco] assembly questions?

[jdaggett at gate.net]

Kevin

I recall there were some sockets, maybe Aires, Textool or someone 
like that, that would allow BGAs to be placed in a socket for testing. 
The ones for say a 256 pin BGA I tend to remember being in the 
$200 range and that was four or five yrs ago. 

Test sockets for BGA packages are very expensive and the 
companies that make them soak you for them. In fact many 
adapters and sockets for prototype and early stage developement 
can be very expensive. Since often these are bought in small 
quantitiies, vendors really are not equipt to give great savings on 
prices. Some of the cheapest PLCC zero force test sockets I can 
remember were in the $20 range for 84 pin PLCC package and that 
was in quantities of 50 or more. 

There are several companies that make TQFP and PQFP to Pin 
Grid Array PCBs now that are in the $25 to $50 range and are a 
better alternative for the hobbyist. With  those you can set you quad 
flat pack on a PCB and then plug it into a socket that is more 
reasonable $5 range. 

That is about what I am going to do for my prototype. On Alternative 
is to layout your owm PCB and have a place like ExpressPCB do 
the boards for you. They will do boards as small as about 2.5 
square inches.  

I hope this helps some,

james

On 26 Jul 2004 at 12:28, Kevin Diggs wrote:

Date sent:      	Mon, 26 Jul 2004 12:28:01 -0700
From:           	Kevin Diggs <kevdig at hypersurf.com>
To:             	CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts 
<coco at maltedmedia.com>
Subject:        	Re: [Coco] assembly questions?
Send reply to:  	CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts 
<coco at maltedmedia.com>
	<mailto:coco-
request at maltedmedia.com?subject=unsubscribe>
	<mailto:coco-
request at maltedmedia.com?subject=subscribe>

> Hi,
> 
>  Regarding previous discussions on this thread, Is there
> no way to use these new packages (BGA) with some kind of
> adapter on older circuit boards that hobbyists can make?
> 
>      kevin
> 
> -- 
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco