David, The unit could be run from a Standalone or the EX/RX. The issue is the metal case that is needed for heatsinking. As you can imagine it is not the best material to get the radio signals through so I worried doing it inside would be too range limiting. I have arranged a setup to use them anyway but like Rick said I am not wild about getting into the stuff until I have it working and know it will work well and I want be changing it.
Right now I have been having a bad time with converting to through hole on it. I thought it would help with those that surface mount makes nervous but the replacement parts for the surface mount are killing me. I had the exact part in through hole and then a few days ago it went on the obsolete list so no need to use it. Then I found a suitable replacement and could not find any in stock. Guess what called a supplier about it and it is Obsolete!
Man I guess we are going to be moving that way or there will be no parts to work with. All the new good stuff is surface mount and even the old stand bys are not being replaced. Look at what happen to me with the TLC5940NT chip for the MR16 controller. It is getting hard to get. I can get it in SMD with no issue.
So at this point I believe we are back to the Aether being surface mount like the prototype is. I went back to it and I am changing a few parts to the next size larger in an effort to make it the easiest SMD to build I can. It is really easier once you get over it and try it. A cheap griddle is cheaper than a solding iron. I bought mine for about $28 at walmart as I remember, and it works great.
RJ
