01 — Quick Start

BoardScope is available as a native desktop app (Windows, macOS, Linux) or as a web app. Get up and running in under two minutes.

1. 1
   Install the desktop app

   Download the installer for your platform from thelogiclab.app. Run the installer and launch BoardScope.

2. 2
   Load your files

   Click + BRD / BVR to load a boardview file, and + PDF to load the schematic. You can also drag and drop files anywhere on the window.

3. 3
   Let OBD load

   If your board is in the OpenBoardData database (most Apple boards are), voltage and diode data will auto-fetch in the background. Watch the status bar — it will say OBD: LOADED when ready.

02 — Installation

Requirements

BoardScope desktop has no external dependencies. For the web version, you need Node.js (version 14 or later) for the local proxy server. Node.js is free and available at nodejs.org.

Windows

Download the BoardScope Setup X.X.X.exe installer. Run it and follow the installation wizard. You can choose the install location and whether to create desktop/start menu shortcuts.

macOS

Download the BoardScope X.X.X.dmg file (choose the arm64 version for M1/M2/M3 Macs, or the standard version for Intel Macs). Double-click to mount, then drag BoardScope to the Applications folder.

First launch: If macOS says the app is from an unidentified developer, right-click (or Control-click) the app and select Open, then click Open again in the dialog.

Linux

Two formats are available:

• AppImage: chmod +x BoardScope-*.AppImage then run it directly. No installation needed.
• .deb package: sudo dpkg -i boardscope_*.deb for Debian/Ubuntu systems.

Running on a local network (web version)

To access BoardScope from a tablet or another device on the same network, edit server.js and change '127.0.0.1' to '0.0.0.0'. Then access it via your computer's local IP address, e.g. http://192.168.1.10:8080.

03 — Desktop App

BoardScope is available as a native desktop application built with Electron. The desktop app provides a seamless experience with features not available in the browser version.

Features

Menu Bar

File → Open Board File... — Opens a native file picker for .brd and .pdf files.
View → Toggle DevTools — Opens the browser console for debugging.
Help → About BoardScope — Shows version information.

04 — iPad / PWA

BoardScope works as a Progressive Web App on iPad and other mobile devices. Install it to your home screen for a full-screen, app-like experience.

Installing on iPad

1. 1
   Host the app on HTTPS

   PWA requires HTTPS. Host BoardScope on any HTTPS server, or use the desktop app's built-in server on your local network.

2. 2
   Open in Safari

   Navigate to the BoardScope URL in Safari on your iPad.

3. 3
   Add to Home Screen

   Tap the Share button (box with arrow), then scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen". Confirm the name and tap Add.

4. 4
   Launch from Home Screen

   The BoardScope icon now appears on your home screen. Tap it to launch in full-screen mode with no Safari chrome.

PWA Features

• Offline caching — The app shell is cached for faster loading
• Full-screen mode — No browser UI, looks like a native app
• Home screen icon — Custom BoardScope icon
• Touch optimized — Pinch-to-zoom, swipe, and tap gestures

05 — File Formats

BoardScope auto-detects the format from file content — not just the extension. The format detected is shown in the status bar after loading.

Where to find boardview files

Boardview files (.bvr, .brd) are separate from schematics. Common sources:

• OpenBoardData.org — large community database, especially Apple boards
• Louis Rossmann's board repair resources
• iFixit — some boards have associated files
• Laptop.wiki — community wiki with board resources
• Board repair Facebook groups / Discord servers

06 — Interface Overview

Layout

BoardScope uses a split-pane layout. The left pane shows the schematic PDF. The right pane shows the boardview. A draggable divider separates them. Three layout modes are available in the top-right header buttons: PDF (PDF only), DUAL (both), BRD (boardview only).

Header bar (PDF pane)

Contains file load buttons, layout switcher, page navigation, zoom controls, rotation, continuous scroll toggle, and schematic search (Ctrl+F).

Header bar (BRD pane)

Contains file load buttons, TOP/BOT side toggles, and rotate/flip controls.

Toolbar (BRD pane)

The main toolbar contains the search box and four dropdown menus:

Status bar

The status bar (bottom of header) shows real-time feedback: component counts, OBD loading progress, active net, search results, and error messages.

07 — Board View

Navigation

Pan: Click and drag, or single-finger swipe on touch screens.
Zoom: Scroll wheel, or pinch on touch screens. Zoom is centered on the cursor position.
Fit: Press f to fit the entire board in view.

TOP / BOTTOM sides

Toggle the TOP and BOT buttons to show/hide each side. In dual mode both sides overlay. Use Butterfly Mode (VIEW ▾ → Butterfly) to see both sides side by side, mirrored as if folding the board.

Rotation and flip

Use the rotate and flip buttons in the header. These apply to the entire board orientation. Useful when your physical board is oriented differently from the schematic.

Component colours

By default, components are colour-coded by type when the colour-code setting is enabled:

Pin information

Hover over any pad to see a popup with:

• Component reference and side
• Pin number, name, and net
• Mount type (SMD, through-hole)
• OBD voltage, diode, resistance readings (if loaded)
• Component value/package from OBD

Component sidebar

Click any component to open the sidebar showing full component info, all pin nets with OBD badges, mycelium chain (connected bridges), and a quick-add note button.

Search

The search box supports powerful filters:

U1970         — exact ref match
ref:U19       — refs starting with U19
net:PP3V3     — components on net PP3V3
side:T        — top-side only
pin:1         — has a pin numbered 1
net:PP3 side:B — combine filters

08 — Schematic PDF

Navigation modes

BoardScope has two PDF viewing modes:

Single-page mode (default) — one page at a time. Fast, low memory. Use keyboard shortcuts for navigation.

Continuous scroll mode — all pages stacked vertically, lazy-rendered as you scroll. Press c or the ≡ button to toggle. Ideal for following signals across multiple pages.

2-Up PDF view

BOARD ▾ → 2-UP PDF shows two pages side by side. Perfect when a signal crosses sheets and you need to see both at once. Click either page to jump to it in the main viewer.

Text search

Press Ctrl+F to open the PDF search bar. Type a net name, component reference, or any text. Results are highlighted across all pages. Press Enter to cycle through matches.

Bookmarks

Press Ctrl+B to bookmark the current page. Bookmarks appear in the star (★) dropdown. The page indicator star turns gold on bookmarked pages. Bookmarks persist per PDF file in localStorage.

Zoom and fit modes

Press z to cycle through three fit modes: fit page, fit width, and actual size. Use +/- for manual zoom. These all work in continuous scroll mode too.

09 — Multi-Board Tabs

BoardScope supports loading multiple boardview files simultaneously. Each board gets its own tab in the boardview pane, allowing you to switch between boards without losing your place.

How it works

When you load a second .brd file, a new tab appears in the tab bar above the boardview. Each tab maintains its own zoom level, pan position, and highlighted nets independently.

Tab controls

• Click a tab to switch to that board
• Click the × button on a tab to close it
• Load a new file with + BRD to create a new tab

10 — Cross-Reference

The cross-reference system links components on the board to their appearance in the schematic — and back again.

Board → Schematic

Double-click any component on the board. BoardScope searches the PDF index for that reference, jumps to the correct page, and highlights the component name with an orange pulsing box. If the PDF pane is collapsed, it automatically switches to dual-pane mode.

Schematic → Board

Click any component reference in the schematic PDF. BoardScope finds it on the board, zooms to it, and highlights it in green.

Index building

When a PDF is loaded, BoardScope indexes all component references across all pages in the background. The status bar shows INDEXING PAGE X / Y during this process. The idx badge in the header turns green when complete. Searching before the index is done uses a slower live-scan fallback.

11 — Net Highlighting

Activating a net

Right-click any pad on the board to highlight its net. All pads connected to that net glow amber, and dashed constellation lines connect them to a central centroid point. The net panel appears showing the net name, pin count, and OBD measurements.

Net panel

The floating net panel shows:

• Net name (with alias if defined)
• Total pin and component count
• OBD voltage, diode, and resistance readings
• FIND IN SCHEMATIC — searches the PDF for this net name
• RECORD MEASUREMENT — opens the measurement form

Sticky labels

When a net is highlighted, floating labels show the component reference above each constellation pad. Toggle with the LABELS button in the net panel.

Mycelium trace

Click a component (single click) to see the mycelium — a trace of all passive bridge components (resistors, ferrites, inductors) that connect to this component's nets. Displayed as purple lines. Useful for tracing power rails through filter networks.

Multi-search (shared nets)

FIND ▾ → MULTI SEARCH opens a panel where you can add multiple components. The panel instantly shows all nets shared by all selected components — extremely useful for finding signal paths between two ICs.

With the panel open, Shift+click components on the board to add them to the selection.

12 — OpenBoardData

OpenBoardData (OBD) is a community database of known-good electrical measurements for common boards — primarily Apple laptops and iPhones. BoardScope integrates OBD to show expected voltages and diode readings alongside your measurements.

Auto-fetching

When you load a BRD file with a recognizable board ID (e.g. 820-02016 in the filename), BoardScope automatically fetches OBD data in the background via the local proxy server.

Manual fetch

Open REPAIR ▾ → OBD DATA. The panel shows the current OBD status. Use the import button to load a local .obdata file.

Reading OBD badges

OBD data appears as colour-coded badges in pin popups, the net panel, and the component sidebar:

Local measurements

Record your own measurements using REPAIR ▾ → PROBE MODE or the net panel's RECORD button. Local measurements override OBD values and are saved to localStorage per board. Export as .obdata to share with other techs.

13 — AI Setup

BoardScope includes AI-powered analysis that can read your boardview and schematic data to help diagnose faults. AI features require an API key from one of several supported providers.

Quick setup — Google Gemini (FREE)

1. 1
   Get a free API key

   Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey and create a free API key.

2. 2
   Configure BoardScope

   Run: AI_PROVIDER=google AI_API_KEY=YOUR_KEY node server.js
   Or create a .api_key file (see below).

Configuration via .api_key file

Create a file called .api_key next to server.js with this content:

provider=google
key=YOUR_GOOGLE_API_KEY
model=gemini-2.0-flash

14 — AI Analysis

Once configured, AI features become available in the REPAIR menu. BoardScope sends your board data (component list, net connections, OBD readings) to the AI model along with a diagnostic prompt.

How to use AI analysis

1. 1
   Load your board and schematic

   Make sure the BRD file and PDF are loaded. OBD data should be fetched.

2. 2
   Open AI Analysis

   REPAIR ▾ → AI ANALYSIS. A panel opens with a text input for your question.

3. 3
   Ask a question

   Type your diagnostic question, e.g. "Why is PPBUS not present?" or "What could cause a short on PP3V3?"

4. 4
   Review the response

   The AI analyzes your board data and returns a detailed diagnostic with component references, net names, and suggested next steps.

15 — AI Providers

BoardScope supports multiple AI providers. Choose the one that fits your needs and budget.

OpenRouter setup

provider=openrouter
key=sk-or-v1-YOUR_KEY
model=anthropic/claude-sonnet-4

Ollama (local, offline)

provider=openai_compat
key=ollama
base_url=http://localhost:11434/v1
model=llama3

16 — Voltage Map

VIEW ▾ → VOLT MAP colour-codes every component on the board by the highest voltage on its nets. Requires OBD data to be loaded.

The legend panel (bottom-left) shows each voltage bucket with a component count. Click any legend row to select all components in that bucket as search matches on the board.

Individual pins are also colour-coded by their own net's voltage, so multi-rail ICs show which pins carry which voltage at a glance.

17 — Diode Mode Map

VIEW ▾ → DIODE MAP colour-codes every component by the lowest diode reading on its pins. This is the single most useful view for board repair — it instantly visualises the health of every net.

18 — Short Circuit Finder

FIND ▾ → SHORTS scans all OBD diode data and flags nets with readings below a configurable threshold — likely shorted to ground.

How to use it

1. 1
   Set threshold

   Default is 0.150. Anything below this is flagged. Adjust lower (0.050) to find only hard shorts, or higher (0.250) to be more aggressive.

2. 2
   Click SCAN

   Results appear immediately, sorted worst-first. Three severity levels: DEAD SHORT (<0.05), LIKELY SHORT (<0.10), SUSPECT (

3. 3
   Click a flagged net

   Activates the net constellation on the board so you can see all components on that net. Use freeze spray or thermal camera to find the faulty component.

19 — Continuity Checker

FIND ▾ → CONTINUITY answers the most common repair question: "Are these two points connected?"

Three result states

Probe Mode

Click ▶ PROBE MODE, then click two pads directly on the board. The cursor changes to a crosshair. This is the fastest way to check continuity while looking at the physical board.

Type inputs

Type a component reference (e.g. U1970) or a net name (e.g. PP3V3_S0) in the A and B fields and press CHECK.

20 — Test Point Navigator

FIND ▾ → TEST POINTS opens a panel listing all TP* pads on the board, sorted by number.

Each entry shows the TP number, net name, side (TOP/BOT), and OBD voltage/diode badges. Click any row to zoom to that pad on the board and jump to the schematic if indexed.

Use the filter box to search by TP number or net name — type PP3V3 to find all test points on the 3.3V rail.

21 — Probe Mode

REPAIR ▾ → PROBE MODE turns the board into an active measurement recording interface. Use it during a repair session to log your readings and instantly compare to known-good OBD values.

1. 1
   Enable Probe Mode

   Click PROBE MODE. A bar appears at the bottom of the board pane. The cursor changes to a crosshair.

2. 2
   Click a pad

   The net name appears in the bar, and OBD reference values are shown. Any existing local measurements are pre-filled.

3. 3
   Enter your readings

   Type your live voltage, diode, or resistance reading. A ✓ or ✗ appears immediately comparing to OBD reference values (±10% tolerance for voltage, ±0.05 for diode).

4. 4
   Save

   Press SAVE or Enter. The reading is stored locally and merged into OBD data. The Voltage/Diode Maps update automatically to reflect your measurements.

22 — Fault Tree

REPAIR ▾ → FAULT TREE provides guided diagnostic checklists for common symptoms. Click a symptom to expand its step-by-step checklist.

Available symptoms

Each step includes a hint explaining what to look for. Net names are clickable — tap any blue net name to instantly activate it on the board. Use checkboxes to track progress. Reset the checklist with the ↺ button.

23 — Pro License

BoardScope offers a free tier with core features and a Pro tier that unlocks advanced functionality. Pro features include AI analysis, multi-board tabs, and priority support.

Free features

• Boardview loading and navigation
• Schematic PDF viewing
• Cross-reference (board ↔ schematic)
• Net highlighting and constellation
• OpenBoardData integration
• Voltage Map and Diode Map
• Continuity Checker
• Photo Overlay

Pro features

• AI-powered analysis (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini)
• Multi-board tabs
• Short Circuit Finder
• Fault Tree diagnostics
• Repair Log and Component Notes
• Priority support

License types

24 — Activate License

Entering your license key

1. 1
   Open the license panel

   Click the license icon in the header or go to REPAIR ▾ → LICENSE.

2. 2
   Enter your key

   Type or paste your license key (format: BS-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX).

3. 3
   Click Activate

   The key is validated against the license server. Pro features unlock immediately upon successful validation.

24 — Keyboard Shortcuts

Press ? at any time to open the shortcut reference inside the app.

PDF Navigation

Board View

Desktop App

Global

25 — Tips & Tricks

The standard repair workflow

For a new board, this sequence gets you maximum information fastest:

1. Load BRD file → OBD auto-fetches
2. Load schematic PDF → index builds in background
3. Enable Diode Map — red/orange components immediately flag problem areas
4. Run Short Finder at threshold 0.100 — confirms dead shorts
5. Right-click a flagged net → constellation shows all connected components
6. Double-click a component → jump to schematic to understand the circuit
7. Use Fault Tree to guide your systematic approach
8. Use AI Analysis for complex diagnostics

Finding shorts efficiently

Enable Diode Map → look for red components → open Short Finder → click the flagged net → use freeze spray on the constellation components while monitoring resistance → the faulty component warms up first.

Working with cryptic net names

If your boardview uses N00042 style names, create aliases before starting your session. Even a few key aliases (N00042 → PP3V3_S0) make the Fault Tree net links and Power Tree readable.

Comparing to a donor board

Load your faulty board as the main BRD. Use FIND ▾ → COMPARE to load the donor. Filter by NET DIFF — components where net assignments differ often indicate wrong parts, lifted pins, or rework errors.

Multi-search for signal tracing

When a signal enters one IC and should come out of another, use Multi-Search. Add both ICs and look at the shared nets — these are the signal paths between them.

Power Tree for unfamiliar boards

On a board you've never seen before, open the Power Tree before probing. It gives you the complete picture of which rails exist, their voltages, and how they connect through bridges. Start from the highest voltage (PPBUS) and work down.

Photo overlay alignment trick

For best alignment, use two components in diagonally opposite corners of the board as your A and B reference points. The further apart they are, the more accurate the stretch.

AI-assisted diagnosis

When stuck, use AI Analysis. Describe your symptom ("no PPBUS, short on PP3V3") and the AI will analyze your board data to suggest likely culprits. Always verify AI suggestions with your own measurements.

26 — Troubleshooting

"OBD: CORS ERROR"

You're opening boardview.html directly in the browser without the server. Run node server.js and open http://localhost:8080 instead. OBD data fetch requires the proxy to bypass browser CORS restrictions. The desktop app does not have this issue.

"NO PARTS FOUND"

The file format wasn't recognized. Check that you're loading a boardview file (.bvr, .brd, .brd2) — not a schematic PDF or gerber file. Try renaming the extension to .brd and reloading. Check the browser console (F12) for parser details.

PDF cross-reference not finding components

Wait for indexing to complete (status bar shows INDEXING → then a count of refs found). If it never finds the component, the PDF may use a different ref format — try searching the PDF manually (Ctrl+F) with the ref to see if it appears.

Board loads but no OBD data

OBD only has data for boards in its database (primarily Apple boards with 820-XXXXX model numbers). If your board isn't in OBD, you can add local measurements manually using Probe Mode and export them as .obdata files to share with others.

App is slow on a large PDF

Large PDFs (200+ pages) take time to index. Use continuous scroll mode for navigation while indexing is running — it lazy-renders pages on demand. The cross-reference still works via live-scan fallback before the index completes.

Toolbar dropdowns not working

Click the dropdown button (e.g. "⚙ VIEW "). If it doesn't open, try refreshing the page. On touch screens, a single tap should open the dropdown. Click anywhere outside to close it.

macOS says "app is damaged"

Run: xattr -cr /Applications/BoardScope.app in Terminal. This removes the quarantine attribute.

AI analysis not working

Check that your API key is configured correctly. Run node server.js and watch the console output — it shows which AI provider is active. If no key is found, the AI panel will show a setup guide.