What would make prototyping easier?

I'm conducting a survey about items that would make prototyping easier. Here are a couple questions:

1. Is it typically hard to find breakout boards for particular surface mount IC packages?

2. Would a breakout board for popular connectors be beneficial (ethernet, usb, etc)?

3. If there was a catalog of pre laid out reference designs, would they be worth buying?

4. What's the toughest part about prototyping other than making the design work?

Thanks for your time!

craigfoo said:

1. Is it typically hard to find breakout boards for particular surface mount IC packages?

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Not for me. I use adapters on boards such as these pics. I get em dirt cheap off EBay in advance of need.

craigfoo said:

2. Would a breakout board for popular connectors be beneficial (ethernet, usb, etc)?

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They can be very helpful with some tiny ones. I've used them for mini USB (Sparkfun good price) and micro SD off EBay (expensive for what it was but only one I found):

craigfoo said:

3. If there was a catalog of pre laid out reference designs, would they be worth buying?

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I would probably pass these by.

craigfoo said:

4. What's the toughest part about prototyping other than making the design work?

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Thinking of the original idea.

ErnieM said:

Originally Posted by craigfoo
3. If there was a catalog of pre laid out reference designs, would they be worth buying?


I would probably pass these by.

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I wouldn't pass them by. Reference designs are the best way I know of to get your design up and running. It's way easier to modify a design that already works than do somethign from the ground up. And, studying reference designs is one of the best way I know of to learn how things work. As a professional designer, the first thing I look for is a reference design.

Brownout said:

I wouldn't pass them by. Reference designs are the best way I know of to get your design up and running. It's way easier to modify a design that already works than do somethign from the ground up. And, studying reference designs is one of the best way I know of to learn how things work. As a professional designer, the first thing I look for is a reference design.

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i agree to this.. we can't pass this by because its way better to have ready made ones.. way to save time, effort and money.. well, even the design part, they will really look in handy..