[sdiy] dual "VCA" chip

[Seb Francis]

Matthew Smith wrote:
> Quoth Seb Francis at 2009-01-04 11:44...
>> I used to think like that, but have been going more and more towards 
>> SMT.  Admittedly one has to use adapters or thru-hole versions if 
>> building a prototype on breadboard, but from a PCB point of view SMT 
>> is just better, smaller & cheaper... (IMO!)
>
> I know that a lot of people are vary wary of using SMDs but they ARE 
> suitable for hand-assembly, although I hold some reservations about 
> BGA packages in this respect.
>
> Whilst the older/larger packages can be soldered by (a steady) hand, 
> even the fine pitched devices can be soldered at home using hot-air 
> reflow equipment, hotplates or toaster ovens.  (Yes, toaster ovens can 
> make handy soldering equipment.)
>

I've not found anything yet, even fine pitched packages, that can't be 
soldered by hand with a normal soldering iron and the right technique 
(BGAs excluded!).  I wrote a short tutorial on it here:
http://burnit.co.uk/sdiy/index.php?page=4xd&subpage=soldering

My last project used 0.65mm pitch ICs, and my current one uses 0.5mm 
pitch.  I don't anticipate any problems soldering these by hand (just 
waiting on the PCBs being fab'ed at the moment..)

And with plenty of low cost prototype PCB manufactures around, SMD makes 
a lot of sense.

Seb