IDE with emulation!

[T.Jackson]

My wish for the next evolution of PBP...

Just like in VB, you type your code then hit F5 to run. But how do you base an interrupter around a real-World event you ask? Emulation. If MAME can emulate complex 68000 hardware, why can't MELabs do the same with PBP.

Obviously a much more trying task than just rendering pixels to the screen in a video game. But nonetheless not too far-fetched in my humble opinion. Something idealistic would cater for the virtualization of all commonly used components in modern circuitry.

1. Virtual passive components, resistors, caps
2. An equally impressive library of actives such as LCD's, BJT's etc...

The user would strap together circuits on the screen – just like drawing up a PCB – hit F5 to run the code. On screen the user would be greeted with a bird’s eye view of exactly how their design will work before they actually build it. This would dramatically reduce the Overall cost of development. No prototyping, go straight to PCB.

Trent Jackson

[Luciano]

Hi Trent,

This already exists in the northern hemisphere!

http://www.labcenter.co.uk/index_uk.htm

Best regards,

Luciano

[mister_e]

and the west hemisphere wish you good luck with anything like that...

This would dramatically reduce the Overall cost of development.

no way for me! There's no time saving.. believe me... just hair lost at best.

No prototyping, go straight to PCB.

No f... way for me!

[T.Jackson]

Like it, love it or even hate it! It's what's destined for pretty much everything in the not too distant future. Most people have already started to welcome it.
It has only just started...

How can it reduce development cost?

1. Less time. Fewer overheads.
2. Fewer errors.
3. No need for developers to maintain an inventory of parts.
4. Existing designs are much more easily maintained.
5. Less staff (don’t know if this is such a good thing for society)

Best Regards,

Trent Jackson

[skimask]

Like it, love it or even hate it! It's what's destined for pretty much everything in the not too distant future. Most people have already started to welcome it.
It has only just started...

How can it reduce development cost?

1. Less time. Fewer overheads.
2. Fewer errors.
3. No need for developers to maintain an inventory of parts.
4. Existing designs are much more easily maintained.
5. Less staff (don’t know if this is such a good thing for society)

Best Regards,

Trent Jackson

Agree with mister_e 99%. Simulators might be a good 1st step, but that's it, an initial 1st step to see if an idea might even be remotely feasible. Relying on a simulator in my mind is false economy. 2nd step straight to the prototyping stage, not straight to a production PCB.

[T.Jackson]

Agree with mister_e 99%. Simulators might be a good 1st step, but that's it, an initial 1st step to see if an idea might even be remotely feasible. Relying on a simulator in my mind is false economy. 2nd step straight to the prototyping stage, not straight to a production PCB.

I have about 10 years of expertise with electronics and computers. There's a heck of a lot that I know and an equal amount that I don't. Over the years I have had a dozen projects published in the Silicon Chip magazine, and I've also been employed as an electronics technician in some previous job roles.

Often the people that I’ve worked around have reminded me that a lot of professional design engineers take their initial schematic and go straight to PCB. In my first technical role with a company called BEAR Solutions, I once threw my hands in the air offering to prototype some of their designs. In my spare time even. I figured I'd learn a thing or two. The response was very clear. We go straight to PCB; if the design needs corrections we simply modify the layout and request another 1 off board from our suppliers.

Economically this can work well, but only if you plan on ordering a specific quantity after the design has been perfected. At worst you'll be up for the tooling fee. Some manufactures may write this amount off or bury it somewhere into the actual total cost. Of course though, if your production runs small, or you have extreme doubts with the integrity / workability of your design, then this may not be a feasible approach. There’s a big difference between R&D and setting out to produce a product that uses known to be good and working technology.

All told, if you know exactly what you're doing then there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to go straight to PCB. (*Sure wish I did)

Best Regards,

Trent Jackson