16 Sep 2016: 2nd phase of PCB prototyping begins

After the successful Crowd Supply campaign with its 100% focus on communications instead of design work, the focus now returns to redoing the PCBs. PCB1 - the main PCB which houses the EOMA68 Card - has been completed. PCB2 requires a bit more thought, and PCB3 a complete overhaul.

PCB2 contains the STM32F072 and covers the keyboard, monitors the battery, controls the power button and handles the mouse-like CTP and corresponding 3.5in LCD on which to display "mouse buttons". An alternative supplier for the HX8357D-based LCD was chosen after the previous supplier could not provide any technical information, and the connector and positioning needs to be entirely redone (a FPC-50). The problem is: that has knock-on implications for the casework. Given that the flat in HK is too small to set up a 3D printer, it is necessary to use the 3D CAD model instead. Some effort will therefore be made to replicate PCB2 and the LCD+CTP, in order to be able to check that everything will fit. This may require some iteration, but the cost of the 2-layer PCBs is minimal compared to the cost of the EOMA68 Cards, so this is deemed acceptable.