Years ago I had a "ReworkCTF" board with 20-odd PCB layout bugs designed into it on purpose, ranging from backwards LEDs to missing vias under a BGA to inner layer differential pair swaps.
-
Years ago I had a "ReworkCTF" board with 20-odd PCB layout bugs designed into it on purpose, ranging from backwards LEDs to missing vias under a BGA to inner layer differential pair swaps.
The original board had some design issues that made some of the fixes easier/harder than intended, and also ancient, I think now EOL, parts (a Spartan-3A FPGA - even if not EOL nobody wants to use one of those in 2026).
I'm hoping to do a gen 2 of the challenge soon probably based on a BGA STM32 or Spartan-7 but haven't worked out the specifics yet.
Is anybody interested in contributing challenge concept based on real board bugs you've had?
Also, would folks be interested in me livestreaming a "play through" of some/all of the challenges once I have a board in hand?
-
-
@azonenberg @jpm yeah looks to be, more boards for challenges with documented test stages would be great.
The smd soldering kits from china are helpful for learning, but they don't have any mid steps. It either works or doesn't and that isn't the best for figuring out what you did wrong. -
Years ago I had a "ReworkCTF" board with 20-odd PCB layout bugs designed into it on purpose, ranging from backwards LEDs to missing vias under a BGA to inner layer differential pair swaps.
The original board had some design issues that made some of the fixes easier/harder than intended, and also ancient, I think now EOL, parts (a Spartan-3A FPGA - even if not EOL nobody wants to use one of those in 2026).
I'm hoping to do a gen 2 of the challenge soon probably based on a BGA STM32 or Spartan-7 but haven't worked out the specifics yet.
Is anybody interested in contributing challenge concept based on real board bugs you've had?
Also, would folks be interested in me livestreaming a "play through" of some/all of the challenges once I have a board in hand?
@azonenberg - IC footprint with the pins in reverse order on one side
- depending on which pins in a (molex, etc) connector make contact first, an alternate path to ground exists through data lines that can't handle it -
@azonenberg @jpm yeah looks to be, more boards for challenges with documented test stages would be great.
The smd soldering kits from china are helpful for learning, but they don't have any mid steps. It either works or doesn't and that isn't the best for figuring out what you did wrong.@tj @jpm @azonenberg exactly. The main idea was to make a challenge board that is not super frustrating for beginners. And has lower requirements regarding tools and materials.
https://gitlab.aachen.ccc.de/cpresser/reworkctf-pico/-/blob/main/docs/Challenges.md?ref_type=headsThis was after I solved Andrews version and was not to happy with my own results
I am considering to make more of them (they are "sold out"), but have not yet decided if I want to add more challenges or edit challenges.
-
@tj @jpm @azonenberg exactly. The main idea was to make a challenge board that is not super frustrating for beginners. And has lower requirements regarding tools and materials.
https://gitlab.aachen.ccc.de/cpresser/reworkctf-pico/-/blob/main/docs/Challenges.md?ref_type=headsThis was after I solved Andrews version and was not to happy with my own results
I am considering to make more of them (they are "sold out"), but have not yet decided if I want to add more challenges or edit challenges.
@cccpresser @tj @jpm well I'm planning to do a rev2 in the next month or so, then livestream a playthrough
-
Years ago I had a "ReworkCTF" board with 20-odd PCB layout bugs designed into it on purpose, ranging from backwards LEDs to missing vias under a BGA to inner layer differential pair swaps.
The original board had some design issues that made some of the fixes easier/harder than intended, and also ancient, I think now EOL, parts (a Spartan-3A FPGA - even if not EOL nobody wants to use one of those in 2026).
I'm hoping to do a gen 2 of the challenge soon probably based on a BGA STM32 or Spartan-7 but haven't worked out the specifics yet.
Is anybody interested in contributing challenge concept based on real board bugs you've had?
Also, would folks be interested in me livestreaming a "play through" of some/all of the challenges once I have a board in hand?
@azonenberg I thought I had more bodge pics, but here are a couple real ones
1st pic is wrong crystal footprint would be good. On this board I swapped the two gnd pads with the out and vcc pads. On a non-symmetric footprint too.
2nd pic is a bodged missing protection diode on a SOT transistor
-
@azonenberg I thought I had more bodge pics, but here are a couple real ones
1st pic is wrong crystal footprint would be good. On this board I swapped the two gnd pads with the out and vcc pads. On a non-symmetric footprint too.
2nd pic is a bodged missing protection diode on a SOT transistor
@azonenberg students can use my crystal bodge as an example of low quality rework
-
@cccpresser @tj @jpm well I'm planning to do a rev2 in the next month or so, then livestream a playthrough
@azonenberg @tj @jpm in that case, I will wait to see your rev2 and copy the new challenges and ideas that fit the "accessible" format as well.
My rough goal is to have a new version of my variant available for emfcamp.
-
@azonenberg students can use my crystal bodge as an example of low quality rework
-
R relay@relay.infosec.exchange shared this topic
