Probably the quickest path to program the beast is the full version of Swordfish BASIC which includes support for USB & LCD.

My Unicorn kit has similar peripherals (USB, LCD)

 

You may ask a technical school if your problem may be used as a student project. Then I was at technical high school. I did a hardware project for an outside firm. You will have no guarantee for success. But the cost will be low. Usually only components etc.

 

Well i dont mind asking a school for help, i do want this thing to be working and ready by the 15th.
So i was hoping to find someone who could get it done right and before then.

 

You might not like the price of a professionally developed product.

 

Well even if its not done professionally but by someone with more advance knowledge than me that would be great.
I dont need them made i just need the layout so i can make a prototype myself then sending off to a company to run the boards.

 

You need a proper specification detailing what you expect on the USB end of it as well as the display. You should also build a prototype just to make sure your idea works.

 

The usb end is just needing to transmit a number from 0.000 to 5.000
And on the display show active volts, peak volts, average volts.
I also want to add a button to change the resolution and max reading.
this button would change the resolution and max reading so it could read up to 1w at 1mw resolution and then 2w at 2mw resolution and so on till 5w.
Like i said i am going to build a proto type i have made a few already but i want to build one with a good board layout. i try most my work in ExpressPCB. and make my layouts then etch them.
Its a modified Volt meter with a pc connection.
But for the board layout none of that matter yet that more when i get into detailed programming.
If anyone can design a layout for those parts in a nice and small under 3.2 in
1.5 in that would be great. the smaller the better.

 

USB to what? USB is a communications bus, you need something on the PC that displays your number.

Have you tested the analog circuit with a voltmeter? Does it work?

 

I am buying the software. He has yet to give me the hand shake codes along with the output format.
But i would like to know if someone here is wiling to design the board layout.
i linked the software in a previous post.
It has every feature i need. and it works over usb.

 

What software are you buying? How much will you pay for PCB artwork?

 

http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/luminosity-data-logger-releases-updates-build-notes-49848.html
I dont know it depends on how small the layout is and good the traces are.
If you want just give me a number and i will check to see if i can do it.
i am trying to keep costs down to a bare minimum. but i dont mind paying for development help.

 

I suggest you try your prototyping run with something like PCB express. That'll be about as cheap as it gets for a prototype run (about 3 PCBs)

I use Sprint Layout for my PCBs. I simply prefer it's interface. Most members here use Eagle.

IMHO I'd switch to the smaller 18F2550 rather than the much bigger 18F4550.

 

Boo to Eagle! FreePCB is the way to go--no restrictions on size and it just plain works really well.

I'd almost offer to do it for free if you can send me a PADS netlist. Almost, but not quite. I'll do it cheap, if you want. Famous last words, "It doesn't look very complicated."

Is that PCB Express service cheaper than Golden Phoenix? Even if it is, I'm not fooling around with their proprietary software.

 

John p.
If you can do it and want compensation for making a nice and small board i would be wore than willing.
This is where i was going to get my boards made at
http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order
They seem to have a good price.
But i want it designed before that so i can test a few units myself. with the final layout.

 

Any takers on this project?
i was playing around with the schematic in my free time and came up with a layout no traces but almost every large component.

i would kinda like the layout to be like this. i dont mind if somethings go to the bottom. just as long as the buttons and pots stay accessible. and the usb near the edge of the board.
Also for resistors use smd ones. i got a whole back of 50,000 smd resistors of all powers. so it would be nice to use them. those things above the pots are swtiches. it was the only switch in the program. maybe this helps people understand what i am looking for?

 

If your gonna design your PCB why not use SMT components? This would allow you to make 4 boards for the price of 1. You just make one large PCB you can break into 4 smaller ones. Looks like all the stuff on that PCB is DIP which is gonna make your protoboard big, and look technically old. Investors like small boards and smt chips. Makes it look like real lab work instead of hobby work. Plus with enough practice and a decent iron you should be able to solder on SMT chips manually.

 

Are you mounting the resistors and caps on the bottom of the PCB? Where does the +OUT & -OUT outputs of your OpAmp connect to the PIC (are they going to two analog inputs?)
You need a contrast pot on the LCD
Probably a good idea to use the unused OpAmp as a unity gain buffer for the -OUT output.
Any reason you don't want to use a smaller 18F2550 (and yes surface mount is even smaller)
Can you do the zero gain in software? Do you need a pot?
IMHO you're going to need some serious help to have any chance of having this ready for mid November. Either you have some skills, cash or time. Pick at least two.
PS you've got -OUT going to GND. The zero trimpot will do nothing.
PPS hand wire a prototype, test your design and never go in to production with something you've never tested (your schematic is incomplete at best)
How long are you hoping a 9V battery will last?

 

I have been saying i have cash and not much time.
Use smd or smt, i just threw together something for a general layout. if you can make the boards even smaller that would be amazing.
And yes i need both pots on the board.the zero one can be any normal pot but the gain pot need to be a precision pot.
Along with the lcd contract but that pot can be put anywhere and is not needed to be accessible. like the others.
The zero could be done in software. but i would much rather it be done by a pot.
The 9v is only there for when people dont want to use the pc, as not to long.
i have 2 versions made right now. one that is just an opamp hooked to a panel meter, set to 0to2v range. and it works.
I also had one on an arduino that used the same opamp circuit hooked to pc and it worked. i am looking to pay someone to put the thing together.
if you can get the all the needed components then i am all for 18F2550. that would make the board a whole lot smaller.
So if you have a price please let me know how much you want.
i just went back to playing with the board yeah use smt. that will make this thing very very small.

 

Repost your schematic in complete form and I'll be happy to check it.

 

You could probably grab the USB PIC18 Schematic off of the Explorer 16 board. It has one on there to work as a PK2. I would imagine it would be very easy to isolate and scheme out yourself.