Let me clarify some things and add some detail...

Once assembly has started in mid-late June, I'll have a month or two to 
deliver all the boards, so there is time.  And with some recent delays, I 
expect that that time may stretch out some.

My thoughts/intention on programming is to move the programming headers out to 
one large connector and run 4 programmers simultaneously.  A linux 
batch-script should work easily for this, and I just have to figure out how 
to get each instance to read a different config file so it points to another 
output port (currently parallel ports).

I intend to do the testing here, and since there are a lot of LED's on the 
board, there will be a lot of manual testing.  I'd like to setup the 
programming connector as the test harness as well -- so the system will 
program the board, power it up, and inject the correct signals/etc into the 
board for testing in one shot.  Still have a lot to work out for this.

Reason I want to program here is that they will probably be a couple 
variations of the code.  The digikey programming option sounds good, but 
looks like I will get the PICs at significantly lower-cost from another 
source so I'll probably go that route.

As for PCB's, I intend to go with eprotos.com.  500 boards are < $4 each.  
I've used them before and happy with their service/quality.

For assembly, I expect that SMT will be lower-cost, which is why I'm open to 
changing those parts, but some parts will remain thru-hole, such as all the 
LEDs and a couple connectors.

Cheers,
-Neil.



On Thursday 28 April 2005 12:19 pm, phil B scribbled:
> As I recall, the turn around time was not that long.
>
> I just think setting up a seperate station/line for
> programming adds a lot of process and thus cost and
> complexity (manufacturing and organization).  If you
> are doing small quantities and the price can bear the
> cost it makes some sense for quick one-offs for
> specific customers.  I'd recommend against making it
> the standard manufacturing approach, though.
>
> ICSP is a good thing to build in anyway.  Field
> upgrade is a seperate issue - its irrelevent to when
> the chip gets initially programmed.  There are also
> lots of issues of how the upgrade gets done but that
> subject of a different discussion.
>
> --- Olin Lathrop <olin_piclist@embedinc.com> wrote:
> > phil B wrote:
> > > Why not just use a service?  I know Digi Key will
> > > preprogram for fairly cheap if you buy from them.
> >
> > I
> >
> > > looked into this about 6 months ago - the minimums
> > > were pretty small and prices reasonable.
> >
> > I see a lot more last minute in-circuit programming
> > than I did a few years
> > ago.  Especially with surface mount chips, you want
> > everything assembled by
> > a place that does mostly that.  Often new firmware
> > versions come out
> > regularly, so with ICSP the latest can be programmed
> > at final test and
> > calibration time.  ICSP capability also gives a
> > potential path for field
> > upgrades.
>
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