Why are perforated PCBs preferred to striped PCBs?

[Wrichik Basu]

TL;DR Summary

Why are perforated PCBs preferred to striped PCBs?

I had a book that was written for electronics enthusiasts, in which the author described various circuits for hobbyists, like thief alarm, plant pot water tester (to find out whether the soil is moist or dry), radio, etc.

In all his circuits, he used a certain PCB which he called "veroboard". Later I found that he was talking about striped PCB boards.

However, when I see youtube videos, I find people mostly working on perforated PCB. I have also seen that finding stripped PCB on Amazon is a headache, but perforated ones are easily available.

Why are perforated boards preferred to striped boards? In the latter, there are tracks already made for you; you just have to break tracks if required or create cross-connections using jumper wires. On the other hand, in perforated boards, you have to construct the full tracks by soldering wires on the lower side of the board. Isn't that more work compared to striped boards?

Edit: Fixed spelling

 

[sophiecentaur]

@Wrichik Basu
You are referring to striped boards (just one 'p'; stripped means something else)
The choice of board is largely a matter of choice. In the early 70s. Veroboard was all the rage for small scale prototyping. It becomes (became) a way of thinking when building a circuit that way. You don't need much insulated wires for crosslinks if you plan ahead and, of course, you avoid dozens of interconnecting links. The overboard stripes were very robust, I remember, and you could de- and re- solder components without destroying the copper lands, which is something that PCBs are vulnerable to.
Pin boards are a pain if you use plastic insulated wires because every connection has to be made individually and the wires stripped. (not striped!)
In those days, they didn't use the breadboards that are available these days (not in our labs, anyway). It amazes me that people ever use that method successfully.
There was a significant advance when the Verowire system emerged. I believe it's still available and it was used for some fiendishly complicated and big (TTL logic speeds and above) hybrid (discrete and IC) circuit boards. It used holders for ICs and the pins were connected with a thin flux / enamel wire, dispensed with a 'pen' with a small spool of the wire, which would solder reliably and easily. The wires were carried on 'combs' which fitted behind the component side and could be easily routed. That was nice to use but there weren't many colours of enamel and that made tracing faults difficult. Afaik, it is still available in various guises. Give it a go??

 

[Wrichik Basu]

You are referring to striped boards (just one 'p'; stripped means something else)

Spelling corrected.

In those days, they didn't use the breadboards that are available these days

Breadboards are not for permanent circuits, but for testing, they are indispensable.

There was a significant advance when the Verowire system emerged. I believe it's still available and it was used for some fiendishly complicated and big (TTL logic speeds and above) hybrid (discrete and IC) circuit boards. It used holders for ICs and the pins were connected with a thin flux / enamel wire, dispensed with a 'pen' with a small spool of the wire, which would solder reliably and easily. The wires were carried on 'combs' which fitted behind the component side and could be easily routed. That was nice to use but there weren't many colours of enamel and that made tracing faults difficult. Afaik, it is still available in various guises. Give it a go??

Interesting, will check that out.

 

[davenn]

Summary: Why are perforated PCBs preferred to striped PCBs?

I find people mostly working on perforated PCB. I have also seen that finding stripped PCB on Amazon is a headache, but perforated ones are easily available.

I would be surprised if that really is "mostly" ?

They are BOTH perforated
just tht one has rows of circuit track and the other doesnt

The ones with circuit track are easier to use as you don't have to create your own tracks between components
I have always used the copper track ones and have done so for 50 years

The only time I don't use them is for RF projects, anything higher and ~ 20MHz because inter-track capacitance becomes a big issue and worsens as the frequency increases.
Over the years here on PF and other electronic forums I inhabit, I have seen people struggling to make RF oscillators, FM band (88-108MHz) etc work and I have repeatedly had to tell them to stop using Vero strip board

For higher frequency boards it is pretty essential to use specifically designed PCB layouts to avoid mutual inductance and capacitance issuesDave

 

[davenn]

Summary: Why are perforated PCBs preferred to striped PCBs?

Why are perforated boards preferred to striped boards? In the latter, there are tracks already made for you; you just have to break tracks if required or create cross-connections using jumper wires. On the other hand, in perforated boards, you have to construct the full tracks by soldering wires on the lower side of the board. Isn't that more work compared to striped boards?

there you go, you answered your own Q

perforated strip boards really are much easier to use and are ideal for ALL low frequency electronics ...
power supplies, audio, lower speed digitalD