OT Troubleshooting: Old computers with modern parts

woodelf> I would rather not. SMT is something my craftmanship can't woodelf> handle. Mostly I still would like to say with 5 volt logic woodelf> and DIP/PLCC packaging because they are still easy to get woodelf> prototypes PCB's made for them. I am not quite ready to try woodelf> the 'toaster oven' just yet. You might want to give it a try. With the exception of BGA, which is for specialists only, SMT parts can be handled perfectly well in the workshop with nothing more than a good soldering iron, thin solder, a bright light, and a magnifying glass. You might want to look for some back issues of QST (or perhaps QEX); there have been some good articles about SMT for amateurs in there. Included were examples of people who made boards for SOIC parts with a Dremel tool, or an Xacto knife. I personally prefer a CAD program and a board shop, but for small pin counts I'll admit the other is workable. Yes, if you want to use 240 lead PLCC parts, you'd better farm out the PCB fabrication to a good board shop, but all the rest you can do yourself. It's hard to imagine a PCB shop that can't make boards for those applications... paul