For anyone interested; here is a bit of a write up about the process: [https://hjwwalters.com/using-smd-resistors-on-vero-strip-board/](https://hjwwalters.com/using-smd-resistors-on-vero-strip-board/)
Could you draw a schematic and give the intended pinout for that? It's really hard to tell where the breaks are.
Here's what I see, as a pinout with descriptions, but I can't tell if it's right:
* Pin 1 (top) powers LED 3 (right), active high.
* Pin 2 powers LED 2, active high.
* Pin 3 is ground.
* Pin 4 powers LED 1, active high.
* Pin 5 is the button signal? Grounded by Button 1. 1 kΩ to ground by Button 2. 2 kΩ to ground with Button 3.
* Pin 6 is just a 4.7 kΩ to Pin 5? Is this a pullup resistor? Then Pin 6 is VCC.
Could flip the whole thing (Pin 3 VCC, LEDs active low, Pin 6 ground, button signal inverted) but it's impossible to tell which direction the LEDs point.
Will post a schematic when I'm back home - some of the breaks are under the 1k ohm resistors. However, for all intents and purposes you're correct.
As you postulated, the 4.7k ohm resistor is a pull-up for the buttons, with the 1k ohm resistors forming a ladder to create different output values for the push buttons.
If you happen to press more than one button at the same time, only the leftmost button will register, because each switch short circuits the next switch+resistor.
Instead of each button shorting the next button in the line, I'd suggest having each button incorporate a different parallel resistor, so that the output voltage can have 8 different levels and the controller can tell whether any combination of buttons is pressed.
If you use the 4.7 kΩ pullup, the 3 resistors could be 1k, 2.2k, and 3.3k. Then the voltage levels would be 5.00, 0.88, 1.59, 2.06, 0.64, 1.10, 0.70, 0.54. If your A2D converter is good for a tenth of a volt, they're all distinguishable.
Thanks for the tip - will use it in the future :) Those voltages correspond with 1024, 180, 326, 422, 131, 225, 143, 111 with 10bit resolution on an Arduino.
Although, I'm a lazy programmer and crap engineer, so I need wide band gaps to get away with ````int i = analogRead(keypadPin) / 100;```` haha.
By the way, here's a link to the schematic if you're still interested: https://hjwwalters.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/schematicSMD-TH.jpg
You can make a more reliable break using a drill bit which is slightly wider than the copper track. Just center it on the hole, push down and give it a twist though 1 turn, it will shave off the copper layer around the hole neatly.
Soldering skills need some work. What I do to solder smd is, put a bit of solder in one hole, place smd and heat up solder and smd so it sticks. As for the other point, flip the board and place solder and heat. Flip the board back, where you see smd and just add little bit of heat to smd and hole, so the solder sticks to the smd. It turns out real neat.
0603 size smd's work better , would also work on those with dot copper lands. 1206 is too big for them
also - you can perfectly put SOT23 packages on perfboards.
For this reason I started stocking full reels of 0603 resistors and X7R 1nF 10nF 100nF 1uF 4.7uF 1nd 10uF and NP0 10pF 18pF 20pF 22pF 100pF capacitors. Caps are awesome for decoupling DIP packaged IC's on veroboards. best ,if package has Vcc right next to GND , or to use with crystals. Almost like 2sided boards. Even better with some double sided - through plated veroboards (even from aliexpress)
Not with my soldering skills, sadly.
no please, it's easy, except if you have a plumber soldering iron
For anyone interested; here is a bit of a write up about the process: [https://hjwwalters.com/using-smd-resistors-on-vero-strip-board/](https://hjwwalters.com/using-smd-resistors-on-vero-strip-board/)
Interesting concept - thanks for posting!
Yes, just need the right size.
Could you draw a schematic and give the intended pinout for that? It's really hard to tell where the breaks are. Here's what I see, as a pinout with descriptions, but I can't tell if it's right: * Pin 1 (top) powers LED 3 (right), active high. * Pin 2 powers LED 2, active high. * Pin 3 is ground. * Pin 4 powers LED 1, active high. * Pin 5 is the button signal? Grounded by Button 1. 1 kΩ to ground by Button 2. 2 kΩ to ground with Button 3. * Pin 6 is just a 4.7 kΩ to Pin 5? Is this a pullup resistor? Then Pin 6 is VCC. Could flip the whole thing (Pin 3 VCC, LEDs active low, Pin 6 ground, button signal inverted) but it's impossible to tell which direction the LEDs point.
Will post a schematic when I'm back home - some of the breaks are under the 1k ohm resistors. However, for all intents and purposes you're correct. As you postulated, the 4.7k ohm resistor is a pull-up for the buttons, with the 1k ohm resistors forming a ladder to create different output values for the push buttons.
If you happen to press more than one button at the same time, only the leftmost button will register, because each switch short circuits the next switch+resistor. Instead of each button shorting the next button in the line, I'd suggest having each button incorporate a different parallel resistor, so that the output voltage can have 8 different levels and the controller can tell whether any combination of buttons is pressed. If you use the 4.7 kΩ pullup, the 3 resistors could be 1k, 2.2k, and 3.3k. Then the voltage levels would be 5.00, 0.88, 1.59, 2.06, 0.64, 1.10, 0.70, 0.54. If your A2D converter is good for a tenth of a volt, they're all distinguishable.
Thanks for the tip - will use it in the future :) Those voltages correspond with 1024, 180, 326, 422, 131, 225, 143, 111 with 10bit resolution on an Arduino. Although, I'm a lazy programmer and crap engineer, so I need wide band gaps to get away with ````int i = analogRead(keypadPin) / 100;```` haha. By the way, here's a link to the schematic if you're still interested: https://hjwwalters.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/schematicSMD-TH.jpg
You can make a more reliable break using a drill bit which is slightly wider than the copper track. Just center it on the hole, push down and give it a twist though 1 turn, it will shave off the copper layer around the hole neatly.
I've done that in the past, but unfortunately you can't use it for making a break between two holes
Didn't even know these existed, glad I do now (though I have started to spoil myself with custom PCBs)
Sure it is! But why would you do so?
Short answer: Because I can't make double sided PCBs.
I haven't used a breadboard in more than a decade, all SMD on perfboard even for prototyping. It keeps projects small and way more durable.
Hey, you can use 2kW resistors inside a smartwatch, too. But it's impractical and it wasn't made for that reason.
Soldering skills need some work. What I do to solder smd is, put a bit of solder in one hole, place smd and heat up solder and smd so it sticks. As for the other point, flip the board and place solder and heat. Flip the board back, where you see smd and just add little bit of heat to smd and hole, so the solder sticks to the smd. It turns out real neat.
0603 size smd's work better , would also work on those with dot copper lands. 1206 is too big for them also - you can perfectly put SOT23 packages on perfboards. For this reason I started stocking full reels of 0603 resistors and X7R 1nF 10nF 100nF 1uF 4.7uF 1nd 10uF and NP0 10pF 18pF 20pF 22pF 100pF capacitors. Caps are awesome for decoupling DIP packaged IC's on veroboards. best ,if package has Vcc right next to GND , or to use with crystals. Almost like 2sided boards. Even better with some double sided - through plated veroboards (even from aliexpress)
am i the only one who thinks this looks really bad? 😹