I need the design files and a BOM, as well as layer thicknesses. I also need the firmware from an SPI memory IC on the PCB. Traces on the layout need to be plotted exactly how they appear on the board (I'm hoping to pass FCC certification as an intentional emitter). I'm not sure how many layers the board has but it's at least four, so I don't think I'd be able to accurately replicate it myself.

I'm looking for recommendations as well as objective comparisons, and if you have any experience with particular vendors then your input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

 

So, am I missing something here? It seems like you are trying to steal a design to resell it?

 

So, am I missing something here? It seems like you are trying to steal a design to resell it?

That's right. I am trying to steal it but not resell it. What's the problem?

 

That's right. I am trying to steal it but not resell it. What's the problem?

The "steal it" part is my show stopper.

 

The "steal it" part is my show stopper.

I guess providing competition in the market economy is such a sin. I'm sorry for disallowing the filling of pockets of the large coporations who have exactly... zero legal filings they could make against me for reverse engineering a PCB marketed to the public. You have my sincerest apologies. Are you aware reverse engineering designs is a common activity carried out by competitors globally?

 

First of all, the memory IC may be code protected, so you will not likely get the firmware off that chip.
Since you can't get the firmware, the rest of the exercise of building the board is kind of pointless.
As a comment, I doubt you will find any one (or any firm) that will be able to reverse engineer that board, at least not without spending tens of thousands of dollars to do so...

 

First of all, the memory IC may be code protected, so you will not likely get the firmware off that chip.
Since you can't get the firmware, the rest of the exercise of building the board is kind of pointless.
As a comment, I doubt you will find any one (or any firm) that will be able to reverse engineer that board, at least not without spending tens of thousands of dollars to do so...

I have already dumped the firmware, so that's not an issue - I just wanted someone who *could* do it if I wanted them to. It's a relatively small board (about one inch by one inch), so I don't think it will cost more than a couple thousand dollars, which I can spend.

 

I guess providing competition in the market economy is such a sin. I'm sorry for disallowing the filling of pockets of the large coporations who have exactly... zero legal filings they could make against me for reverse engineering a PCB marketed to the public. You have my sincerest apologies. Are you aware reverse engineering designs is a common activity carried out by competitors globally?

Reverse engineering is done for two reasons:

1. To learn about the techniques being used by a competitor so they can be incorporated into products produced by the company doing the reversing.

2. To duplicate the exact configuration of a product without investing anything more than the effort of reverse engineering it. Compounding this is extracting any firmware, which is also something the originator developed.

You may be OK with this based on the evil corporation idea, but I'm not. I don't like it when larger companies (famously but not exclusively Chinese ones) do it, and I don't like it when smaller companies do it.

If this was for your personal use, somehow, I'd feel differently about it, I think. But the fact that you want to get it certified by radio regulatory bodies means you are planning to distribute it. I am not OK with that.

Now, while you may feel huffy about my questioning the ethics of this, and not wanting to participate. I didn't do anything except express my opinion about it. If you have a right to your opinion, surely I have a right to mine.

You are not more righteous than me because of your evil corporation excuse which, in this case, doesn't move me.

So, deal with the fact that I don't think what you are doing is justified, and don't rant at me as if you have some objective basis for your decision.

I think it is wrong, deal with it.

 

Reverse engineering is done for two reasons:

1. To learn about the techniques being used by a competitor so they can be incorporated into products produced by the company doing the reversing.

2. To duplicate the exact configuration of a product without investing anything more than the effort of reverse engineering it. Compounding this is extracting any firmware, which is also something the originator developed.

You may be OK with this based on the evil corporation idea, but I'm not. I don't like it when larger companies (famously but not exclusively Chinese ones) do it, and I don't like it when smaller companies do it.

If this was for your personal use, somehow, I'd feel differently about it, I think. But the fact that you want to get it certified by radio regulatory bodies means you are planning to distribute it. I am not OK with that.

Now, while you may feel huffy about my questioning the ethics of this, and not wanting to participate. I didn't do anything except express my opinion about it. If you have a right to your opinion, surely I have a right to mine.

You are not more righteous than me because of your evil corporation excuse which, in this case, doesn't move me.

So, deal with the fact that I don't think what you are doing is justified, and don't rant at me as if you have some objective basis for your decision.

I think it is wrong, deal with it.

I definitely agree that I am not more righteous than you (I just don't care about stealing ideas and I respect that you have values you stick to), and I do apologise for ranting at you. However, the question was asking for *recommendations*, not moral opinions. Your replies were A) off topic and B) not helpful in the slightest. I didn't ask for how you felt about it, and I don't appreciate you tarnishing the post, with the first reply being one that questions if I'm a good person or not. Not exactly going to get any useful answers now am I.

 

Thank you for the apology.

My question was instrumental, not rhetorical. If you had some other motivation, I might have been willing to help but that turned out not to be the case.

 

I guess providing competition in the market economy is such a sin.

Competition is good. Stealing is bad.

 

You have the right to seek recommendations.
However, what you are attempting to do is stealing which is not condoned by the owners of All About Circuits.
For that reason this thread will be closed.