Precision Labs replica

Description

Texas Instruments recently published a great video and lab series, for teaching some hands on and in depth knowledge on operational amplifiers here:http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/amplifiers-linear/precision-amplifier-precision-labs.pageI think, this is really a great idea. Dear TI, Thank you for providing this for the community. I really like it.There is a problem with it on the other hand. The price for the NI's virtual lab is not for a hobbyist - Ok, we can use our own test gear for measuring.And the price of the evaluation module for it is insane $199 for a board with few passives and few pluggable Op Amps???Come on! This is the same company who spread the world with the $5 LaunchPads - Encouraging me to jump back to electronics after 20 years?

Details

I just run around my sources with the BOM, not even trying to find the cheapest solution, even counting the shipment cost, calculating only one board, and the cost would be around 50 bucks. Even less if I put some research effort into it.

So, lets the journey begin. I'll replicate this kit.

Components

2 × OPA211 Amplifier and Linear ICs / Operational Amplifiers

2 × OPA188 Amplifier and Linear ICs / Operational Amplifiers

1 × OPA171 Amplifier and Linear ICs / Operational Amplifiers

1 × OPA277 Amplifier and Linear ICs / Operational Amplifiers

1 × OPA140 Amplifier and Linear ICs / Operational Amplifiers

Project Logs

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Arrived
SUF • 08/31/2015 at 21:58 • 0 comments

And finally...
After some fighting with the Fedex/Customs Office, it landed on my desk:
Let the learning begin...
Breaking News - Canceled
SUF • 08/19/2015 at 07:05 • 0 comments

I started to work on this project, replicated the schematics in KiCAD, created the PCBs for the OpAmp inserts, and partially designed the main board itself.
As you may know the project found it's way to the Hackaday blog itself:
http://hackaday.com/2015/06/10/hackaday-prize-entry-teaching-opamps/
I don't know if somebody at TI read what I wrote, but this came today in a newsletter:
So, mine is on the way to Budapest:
I payed ~$60 for it with shipping.
If you need it hurry up, while it lasts.
Notes:
First: The project is officially canceled - I've many more things to do
Second: Great thank you for Texas Instruments, for this offer!
OpAmps Arrived
SUF • 06/09/2015 at 17:58 • 0 comments

Today I got all of the Operational Amplifiers required by the board, and I also made a handful of breakout boards for the SOIC-8 packages.
First Schematic
SUF • 06/07/2015 at 09:03 • 0 comments

I just replicated the original schematic from the product documentation into Kicad, to be able to design a new board.
Schematic v1.00 - PDF
I also commited the KiCAD files into the repository of the project.
The schematic is still shaky a bit, because there is some discrepancy between the drawings and BOM in the documentation, so I've find out which is correct.