Electronics > FPGA

FPGA/CPLDs that are hand solderable

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Frozen001:
Sort of a rant/vent here, but with the ever shifting toward smaller devices, it is getting harder and harder to have a decent electronics hobby simply because we cannot actually mount parts to the PCB anymore, or at least it is getting difficult.  I want to build something with a CPLD or FPGA, but the "easiest" to mount device that I can find in stock and free development software is a 100 pin TQFP package.  If this tend keeps up, we soon will not be able to build anything as a hobby any more without having to have an assembly house mount these parts, which can up costs significantly, especially if I want to build 1 cca.

Someone:
Buy a dev board or System on Module (SoM), they are targeting exactly that market of low volume low barrier FPGA use.

asmi:
I make boards with FPGAs in larger-pitch BGA packages at home without any problems. This is the reality of situation - if you want anything high-speed, you will need to embrace BGAs. You can stick to old mostly obsolete or slower parts, but it will only get you so far. Thankfully, tech required to use these BGA packages is also becoming more and more accessible - like multilayer boards now being super-cheap, existance of KiCAD with good enough features to design some high-speed boards (see project in my signature as a proof positive), cheap tools like stereo microscopes and hot air guns available on a market. Just about a decade ago all that stuff cost a pretty penny, but now it's like $100 for the hot air gun and $150 for the stereo microscope. And these tools will last many years, so it's a one-time expense.

Or do as Someone says. These are going to be more expensive, but there is less upfront cost of purchasing equipment.

betocool:
Usually PCBWay and the like offer to reflow components on a PCB.

If you have 5, and send them the chips (or they can get them for you), the extra cost for "assembly" is about 30 - 50 USD or so. Worth asking if you don't have the tools.

You can populate the rest per hand.

Cheers,

Alberto

Bassman59:

--- Quote from: Frozen001 on January 19, 2022, 03:06:31 am ---Sort of a rant/vent here, but with the ever shifting toward smaller devices, it is getting harder and harder to have a decent electronics hobby simply because we cannot actually mount parts to the PCB anymore, or at least it is getting difficult.  I want to build something with a CPLD or FPGA, but the "easiest" to mount device that I can find in stock and free development software is a 100 pin TQFP package.  If this tend keeps up, we soon will not be able to build anything as a hobby any more without having to have an assembly house mount these parts, which can up costs significantly, especially if I want to build 1 cca.

--- End quote ---

0.5mm pitch TQFP is easily soldered by hand.

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