Microsoft is announcing PowerShell on Linux and open source, that is available on GitHub: Today, we are taking the next step in our journey. I am extremely excited to share that PowerShell is open sourced and available on Linux. (For those of you who need a refresher, PowerShell is a task-based command-line shell and scripting […]
Author Archives: DP
Biking sweeper detectors
Sweeper bike detectors project from Cliff Batson (N4CCB): They are equipped with a Moteino transmitter running on 9V battery power that keeps them going all day for the event, while transmitting a beacon every 4s. They beacon their identity to the various checkpoints/rest points and in sag vehicles (cars with “bike detector” receiver units) to […]
Bi-directional voltage level translator – Board house test
Lukas Fassler from Soldernerd shares his experience with DirtyPCBs: I can think of a lot of situations where it could be useful. But the main reason for this project was to gain some experience with getting a PCB professionally manufactured by a board house. For several years I have done my own designs but I always milled […]
#FreePCB via Twitter to 2 random RTs
Every Tuesday we give away two coupons for the free PCB drawer via Twitter. This post was announced on Twitter, and in 24 hours we’ll send coupon codes to two random retweeters. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times a every week: Hate Twitter and Facebook? Free PCB Sunday is the classic PCB giveaway. Catch […]
Dekatron tubes controlled by Arduino
Flathagen writes: Interfacing dekatron tubes with a microcontroller is fairly easy, once you understand how the tubes work. Threeneuron’s Pile o’Poo of Obsolete Crap provides the necessary background information and schematics for making this work. I used two russian OG-4 tubes. I prefer the orange look of the neon tubes rather than the purple look […]
Light following bristle bot
Facelesstech made a light following bristle bot and wrote a post on his blog detailing its assembly: There is one thing missing from all my projects so far…..Something that moves. Bristle bots are very similar to hex bugs but are built from toothbrush heads and pager motors. I thought the idea of bristle bots was […]
25 watt hybrid EL84 tube amp
Ray Ring from Circuit Salad has published a new build, 25 watt hybrid EL84 tube amp: This is my new hybrid guitar tube amp which utilizes a solid-state input stage, DSP reverb, and solid-state phase splitter. Only the push pull, class AB output stage utilizes tubes, namely two EL84’s run at 390 volts with cathode bias. […]
Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB
We go through a lot of prototype PCBs, and end up with lots of extras that we’ll never use. Every Sunday we give away a few PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. Our PCBs are made through Seeed Studio’s Fusion board service. This week two random commenters will […]
App note: Voltage to current conversion
Using Apex Microtechnology’s power op amps for voltage controlled current sources (VCCS’s) application note, Link here (PDF) Voltage controlled current sources (or VCCS’s) can be useful for applications such as active loads for use in component testing or torque control for motors. Torque control is simplified since torque is a direct function of current in […]
App note: Programmable power supplies
Apex Microtechnology’s application note about programmable power supplies. Link here (PDF) The programmable power supply (PPS) is not only a key element in automated test equipment, but it is also used in fields as diverse as industrial controls, scientific research and vehicular controls. When coupled to a computer, it bridges the gap from the software […]
App note: Interfacing an I2S device to an MSP430 device
Interfacing an I2S device to an MSP430 device application note (PDF!) from Texas Instruments: The MSP430 series of microprocessors are fast powerful devices ideally suited for use with the various wireless transceivers offered by Texas Instruments. In streaming audio applications, however, it is desirable that the microprocessor support an audio bus to allow for interconnection to an audio […]
Free PCB coupon via Facebook to 2 random commenters
Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. This post was announced on Facebook, and on Monday we’ll send coupon codes to two random commenters. The coupon code usually go to Facebook ‘Other’ Messages Folder . More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three […]
OTGW panel
Onno designed and built his own OTGW panel with Dirty Board PCBs: Added all together and had a working gateway. This gateway has also connections for status LED’s. However, I didn’t find anything about getting the LED’s connected and build in the housing. So there started the first idea of designing my own PCB. I’m someone who […]
A low-voltage disconnect for 12 volt lead acid and lithium batteries
KA7OEI writes: The avoidance of overcharging is usually pretty easy to avoid: Just use the appropriate charging system – but overdischarge is a bit more difficult, particularly if the battery packs in question don’t have a “protection board” with them. Lead acid batteries (almost) never come with any sort of over-discharge protection – one must […]
Open hardware DSP platform
Open source hardware digital signal processing platform from Paul Janicki: The open hardware DSP platform is a range of small boards that can be plugged together to give you a flexible platform for processing all sorts of audio signals. If you want a simple crossover, a custom USB soundcard and headphone amp, or a fully fledged […]
DIY ECG with 1 op-amp
A DIY ECG made from single op-amp (LM741) and 5 resistors by Scott Harden: I made surprisingly good ECG from a single op-amp and 5 resistors! An ECG (electrocardiograph, sometimes called EKG) is a graph of the electrical potential your heart produces as it beats. Seven years ago I posted DIY ECG Machine on the […]
App note: Wear leveling in NAND flash memory
Application note/Technical note from Macronix on extending the maximum endurance limit of NAND flash memories by wear leveling. Link here (PDF) NAND flash memory is widely used in today’s embedded systems for code and data storage applications. Some applications are required to perform numerous Program and Erase operations on the NAND flash memory after system […]
Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB
We go through a lot of prototype PCBs, and end up with lots of extras that we’ll never use. Every Sunday we give away a few PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. Our PCBs are made through Seeed Studio’s Fusion board service. This week two random commenters will […]
App note: Understanding a digital transistor datasheet
Application note from ON Semiconductors about digital transistors where two resistors are built-in the transistor package. Link here (PDF) This application note will describe the common specifications of a Digital Transistor. It will also show how to use these specifications to successfully design with a Digital Transistor.
App note: Using the Microchip Ultra Low-power Wake-up module
An application note (PDF!) from Microchip on using the Ultra Low-power Wake-up module to reduce system current consumption: This application note describes ways to reduce system current consumption with the use of the Ultra Low-power Wake-up (ULPWU) module. The PIC16F684 and PIC16F88X are examples of deviceswith this feature. The primary use of this module is as an […]