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Micro USB connectors can be had for cheap on Aliexpress if you don't mind waiting for shipping, I usually buy from this guy at slightly more than a penny each.

by gh02t 9y ago

Micro USB connectors can be had for cheap on Aliexpress if you don't mind waiting for shipping, I usually buy from this guy at slightly more than a penny each. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-5pin-Female-Micro-USB-Connector-SMD-4-Fixed-feet-Widely-used-in-tablet-phones-and/32671445317.html https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-5pin-Female-Micro-USB-... Also don't forget what is IMO the main advantage of STM32, which is the ST-Link programmer. Even the official ones are cheap and the clone ones are like $2, but you get a programmer that gives you real debugging. You can also reflash them with the Black Magic firmware and have a self-hosted GDB debug server for generic ARM. Regarding directly breaking out the STM32f103, this gets at my main problem with the STM32F (and most 32 bit micros AFAIK), namely that it only comes in LQFP, which is pretty irritating to solder by hand without using an oven. There are a few TSSOP ARM micros which I don't mind soldering but it's a hassle to make a one-off quick project if I have to use LQFP or even worse QFN.

crankylinuxuser 9y ago
Hey, thanks for the heads up about the connectors. I was sticking primarily with Digikey and Mouser. Their prices certainly arent in the "pocket change" area per connector. Looks like I'll have to find a component dealer and just buy a bunch of stock components from them. None too happy about 3-5 weeks leadtime, but damn they're a magnitude cheaper. Oh, and I do hand SMT rework (thanks to my 20/15 eyesight). Doing some of the smaller packages isn't terrible. And Ive found that I can reliably do BGA in a converted toaster oven - as long as I flux correctly and do about 10c over recommended ball solder melt temp. It's a wee finicky, but ive only had 2 fail out of a dozen (I was too impatient and removed it hot - big mistake).

by gh02t 9y ago

crankylinuxuser 9y ago

Hey, thanks for the heads up about the connectors. I was sticking primarily with Digikey and Mouser. Their prices certainly arent in the "pocket change" area per connector. Looks like I'll have to find a component dealer and just buy a bunch of stock components from them. None too happy about 3-5 weeks leadtime, but damn they're a magnitude cheaper. Oh, and I do hand SMT rework (thanks to my 20/15 eyesight). Doing some of the smaller packages isn't terrible. And Ive found that I can reliably do BGA in a converted toaster oven - as long as I flux correctly and do about 10c over recommended ball solder melt temp. It's a wee finicky, but ive only had 2 fail out of a dozen (I was too impatient and removed it hot - big mistake).