AtomicBaboon!?!

I bought a Classic Video Table Tennis Kit from Think Geek and attempted to solder it together this weekend. It was hard... and it doesn't work. I under estimated how difficult soldering it together would be. I spent at least 3 hours, and the power LED lights up, and the reset button appears to work as far as I can tell, but I don't get any video or audio. I think I got the PCB too hot in a couple places because the traces pulled up off the board a bit.

I was also using a Cold Heat Soldering Tool. It can be a little difficult to get it positioned so that it would heat up. So, I would be messing around trying to get it positioned and then end up with the board in a cumbersome spot for getting the solder on it. A little frustrating but towards the end I was getting it figured out. I burned up a bunch of batteries doing it though. I think for lengthy projects I should use a real soldering iron.

There are a few places where the solder globbed up rather than spreading out evenly and this isn't good either. I am going to have to go pick up some solder wick and try to re-do those spots.

Although it wasn't a complete success it was pretty fun. I want to get better at it so I can put together some projects I have had bouncing around in me head for a while. I gotta keep trying.