Excellent! Thanks for sharing. This howto is extremely educational and badly need in the absence of any schematics or boardviews from electronics manufacturers. A shared repository of these single layered boardviews is badly needed. 👍
In the footprint browser there is an icon shaped like a DIP with a red arrow at the top left, hit that to insert the new footprint into the drawing. Yes, KiCad can be a PITA.
Thank you for the hint of looking up a reference circuit to shape the symbol from. That's really practical :-) to get a readable schematic from the get-go if the chip is used in a default config. as it usually does.
Been doing this since I first started doing electronics back in the late 70's as no more than a kid.. Schematics?.. what are they.. All I had was the Mullard valve and transistor book printed the year I was born and a couple of generic tv repair books from a market stall.. Somebody gave me a Taylor meter they found in a shed when I was 14 and .. well. the rest is history.. Fixing guitar and pa amps for rock bands out on the road for years.. I'm the only amp tech in my town .. It's not hard.. some of the modern stuff is complicated but usually there is something similar enough to look at.
Good timing on this video. I'm getting ready to do this on a motor controller that's not working right. If the board is single or double layer, you might also take a photo with a bright backlight as a kind of "x-ray" view, which might help with connections.
35:49 - Watching you guys work together here makes me realize that this task is not as daunting with a team: one on the software and one on the board. 39:48 - “Prior experiences” - I did not guffaw here; but, I did smile - does that count as previous experience?
👍 Great video done at a good pace. I previously wouldnt have considered taking this on, but now if i had to I feel i could probably get there. Thanks for sharing your knowledge - I learn a lot here.
Quite interesting. Now looking for part 2 scheduled for "next week": did find it. Please could you be more concise : video really starting at 8:40 and could be four times shorter. Due to my maaaany projects my time is precious...
Very interesting video. My only question would be: If a person did want to make a second unit, then they would need to acquire suitable parts. Using inductor symbols to represent the transformer is fine for a schematic, but to actually build this power supply, you would need to find an actual transformer with the same (or similar) characteristics. And of course, that transformers pinout would need to be used. If all you want is the schematic, then none of that matters. I look forward to part 2 to see how you address this. Or if you address this issue. In the meantime, great video and thank you for making it.
Of course you need the suitable parts to reconstruct the power supply. The scope of this video and part two is primarily how to reverse engineer a schematic and secondly how to make a gerber file to duplicate the PCB.
I couldn't figure out how you managed to 'sreach' the PCB to match the footprint of the DIL-8 package. In the video you get the DIL to disappear and the PCB to enter a tranform function but it's not clear how you did it.
Does the footprint for the dip8 need to be flipped, or are we pretending we're placing components on the top side of the board and can see through it like an x-ray?
any tips or links to videos that anybody knows of, which are helpful for identifying mystery inductors w minimum setup (i.e. no more than sig gen and scope)?
An ESR meter (a real one not the feature built into component testers) will measure inductance though you need to use just a little math to convert the ESR 'resistance' reading to microhenries. I demonstrated this here ua-cam.com/video/bMUzTGnvrbU/v-deo.html That will not tell you all you need to know in the case of power inductors, but it is a start.
@Mr Guru The cheap component analyzers can measure inductance and they are extremely useful, if not indispensable. However I have found and proved that a 'real' ESR meter is far better at measuring low value inductors such as those found in VRM. Probably both tools are something you really should have. The component tester function of the DSO-TC3 I reviewed recently proved to be far more capable than other cheap ones I tried (even with small inductors), and it actually surprised me just how good it was. ua-cam.com/video/JpISM7g9Ff4/v-deo.html I am happy to recommend that one.
Hi guys, I cannot import the image to the pcb editor, the import image button isn't there, the button for importing images is in the schematic screen. Any ideas? Thanks for the great series.
Yes and no. That you can use such a mature tool free of charge is awesome. The UX however is non-intuitive to me and don't get me even started about some of the more obtuse error messages. Good UI/UX designers are quite rare so I'm grateful that it is at least functional. If I was a developer I would have offered suggestions on how to fix some of the issues, but I'm not.
I like KiCAD but it does give me a hard time every now and then. I'm sure that sometimes an error makes it lose a link in it's database and from that point on it's better to stop and start again.
@@LarixusSnydes The 'loose' relationship between symbols and footprints in Kicad does make it rather well suited to what we are doing with it, as you will see more so in part 2 later this week. I hear what you say about the UI though, this video required quite a bit of editing to keep Det looking calm and collected throughout LOL 🤪
Definitely going to have a try of this! As someone else mentioned an open source repository of reverse engineered schematics would be a great idea, I just have no idea how you would validate their accuracy. If anyone knows how to contact Louis Rossman I believe he is doing something similar but way more ambitious with repair guides for apple (eew) boards so may have some thoughts.
@Mr Guru I do agree what you say about people thinking a schematic is a magic bullet, and you already know how much I teach repairing without schematics. It does take a particular mindset (in particular, patience) to be able to do this sort of thing. If you are the sort of person who thinks untangling a box of cables is a 'challenge' rather than frustrating, or finds sorting a big heap of nuts, bolts, screws etc into a compartmented storage box therapeutic or even relaxing, then this sort of work is probably for you 🙂
The best way to get Louis Rossman's attention is to tell him that you are from the Brooklyn department of waste management, and you need to collect a bill. :) Say, you wouldn't happen to be the same guy that badgers Onewheels, would you?
Excellent! Thanks for sharing. This howto is extremely educational and badly need in the absence of any schematics or boardviews from electronics manufacturers. A shared repository of these single layered boardviews is badly needed. 👍
Learned more about KiCad from this video than I ever learned reading about how to use it - Great job Richard!
Absolutely fantastic. Great job in presenting, kicad.
In the footprint browser there is an icon shaped like a DIP with a red arrow at the top left, hit that to insert the new footprint into the drawing. Yes, KiCad can be a PITA.
Thank you for the hint of looking up a reference circuit to shape the symbol from. That's really practical :-) to get a readable schematic from the get-go if the chip is used in a default config. as it usually does.
Excellent when you know it, it will take time and effort to learn. Thank you for showing us what can be done for no outlay.
Been doing this since I first started doing electronics back in the late 70's as no more than a kid.. Schematics?.. what are they.. All I had was the Mullard valve and transistor book printed the year I was born and a couple of generic tv repair books from a market stall.. Somebody gave me a Taylor meter they found in a shed when I was 14 and .. well. the rest is history.. Fixing guitar and pa amps for rock bands out on the road for years.. I'm the only amp tech in my town .. It's not hard.. some of the modern stuff is complicated but usually there is something similar enough to look at.
Good timing on this video. I'm getting ready to do this on a motor controller that's not working right. If the board is single or double layer, you might also take a photo with a bright backlight as a kind of "x-ray" view, which might help with connections.
Excellent tutorial, thank you.
35:49 - Watching you guys work together here makes me realize that this task is not as daunting with a team: one on the software and one on the board.
39:48 - “Prior experiences” - I did not guffaw here; but, I did smile - does that count as previous experience?
I really Enjoyed this video, looking forward to part 2 Thanks!
A really useful video Richard, many thanks to Detlef and yourself.
Very interesting video! Looking forward to part 2.
This is what i was looking for
👍 Great video done at a good pace. I previously wouldnt have considered taking this on, but now if i had to I feel i could probably get there. Thanks for sharing your knowledge - I learn a lot here.
Quite interesting. Now looking for part 2 scheduled for "next week": did find it.
Please could you be more concise : video really starting at 8:40 and could be four times shorter. Due to my maaaany projects my time is precious...
Hello sir i am From India i learn so much from your videos thankyou sir for sharing your knowledge with us ❤ i hope some day i work with you 😅
Very interesting video. My only question would be: If a person did want to make a second unit, then they would need to acquire suitable parts. Using inductor symbols to represent the transformer is fine for a schematic, but to actually build this power supply, you would need to find an actual transformer with the same (or similar) characteristics. And of course, that transformers pinout would need to be used.
If all you want is the schematic, then none of that matters. I look forward to part 2 to see how you address this. Or if you address this issue. In the meantime, great video and thank you for making it.
Of course you need the suitable parts to reconstruct the power supply. The scope of this video and part two is primarily how to reverse engineer a schematic and secondly how to make a gerber file to duplicate the PCB.
I couldn't figure out how you managed to 'sreach' the PCB to match the footprint of the DIL-8 package. In the video you get the DIL to disappear and the PCB to enter a tranform function but it's not clear how you did it.
Is there a link to part II ? Waiting to see how you convert the pcb tracks to schematic rats nest.
Does the footprint for the dip8 need to be flipped, or are we pretending we're placing components on the top side of the board and can see through it like an x-ray?
We flipped the board earlier in the video
@Mr Guru Which also need to go onto the 'correct' side of the board 😉
Very usefull video. Thanx a lot.
any tips or links to videos that anybody knows of, which are helpful for identifying mystery inductors w minimum setup (i.e. no more than sig gen and scope)?
An ESR meter (a real one not the feature built into component testers) will measure inductance though you need to use just a little math to convert the ESR 'resistance' reading to microhenries. I demonstrated this here ua-cam.com/video/bMUzTGnvrbU/v-deo.html
That will not tell you all you need to know in the case of power inductors, but it is a start.
@Mr Guru The cheap component analyzers can measure inductance and they are extremely useful, if not indispensable. However I have found and proved that a 'real' ESR meter is far better at measuring low value inductors such as those found in VRM. Probably both tools are something you really should have. The component tester function of the DSO-TC3 I reviewed recently proved to be far more capable than other cheap ones I tried (even with small inductors), and it actually surprised me just how good it was. ua-cam.com/video/JpISM7g9Ff4/v-deo.html I am happy to recommend that one.
best video ever
Hi guys, I cannot import the image to the pcb editor, the import image button isn't there, the button for importing images is in the schematic screen. Any ideas? Thanks for the great series.
I was using Kicad 6 on a Mac and had the same problem. Upgrading to Kicad 7 resolved the issue
Hey.
KICAD IS AWESOME !!!!!!!
Yes and no. That you can use such a mature tool free of charge is awesome. The UX however is non-intuitive to me and don't get me even started about some of the more obtuse error messages. Good UI/UX designers are quite rare so I'm grateful that it is at least functional. If I was a developer I would have offered suggestions on how to fix some of the issues, but I'm not.
I like KiCAD but it does give me a hard time every now and then. I'm sure that sometimes an error makes it lose a link in it's database and from that point on it's better to stop and start again.
@@LarixusSnydes The 'loose' relationship between symbols and footprints in Kicad does make it rather well suited to what we are doing with it, as you will see more so in part 2 later this week. I hear what you say about the UI though, this video required quite a bit of editing to keep Det looking calm and collected throughout LOL 🤪
@@TheEmbeddedHobbyist Squeak!!!!!!
@@andymouse Eek it's Mr Squeak.
Thank you for the noce tutorial.
Definitely going to have a try of this! As someone else mentioned an open source repository of reverse engineered schematics would be a great idea, I just have no idea how you would validate their accuracy. If anyone knows how to contact Louis Rossman I believe he is doing something similar but way more ambitious with repair guides for apple (eew) boards so may have some thoughts.
This method makes it much easier to ensure your accuracy - you will see how to get it right every time in part two
@Mr Guru I do agree what you say about people thinking a schematic is a magic bullet, and you already know how much I teach repairing without schematics. It does take a particular mindset (in particular, patience) to be able to do this sort of thing. If you are the sort of person who thinks untangling a box of cables is a 'challenge' rather than frustrating, or finds sorting a big heap of nuts, bolts, screws etc into a compartmented storage box therapeutic or even relaxing, then this sort of work is probably for you 🙂
The best way to get Louis Rossman's attention is to tell him that you are from the Brooklyn department of waste management, and you need to collect a bill. :)
Say, you wouldn't happen to be the same guy that badgers Onewheels, would you?
Well done
i suscribe to your channel, it seem what you are doing is very interesting, where are you in the USA.?
LER is produced in Gran Canaria (island) Spain, though i am originally from the UK (and Det is from Germany)
Heya nice reverse engineering and a nice callops
Great video guys but Richard please slow down; it's not a race. 😊😊
I've been trying to slow down all my life LOL. I'm not doing so bad, you should see how fast I go when not recording 😋
@@LearnElectronicsRepair LOL I'm looking forward to the next installment!
haha, i don’t have to put Richard on 1/2 speed playback anymore, yeah!
Hey new video!
👍
Nice old but not old qq
Love you brother🎉🎉
Thank you gents 🫱🏽🫲🏼
👍