An application note from Microchip: Using the PIC16F1XXX High-Endurance Flash Block (PDF!) This application note illustrates the benefits offered by the high-endurance Flash block and describes a small C library which allows a simple and safe use of its capabilities.
Author Archives: DP
Stream Launchpad data serially using NodeJs
zlalanne over at the 430h forum writes: I created a quick project to start learning nodejs. To those that are unfamiliar nodejs allows you to write javascript for the server side. So I decided to write a small gui that plots serial data. The GUI itself is written in javscript/html and uses node-webkit to package it […]
Simple fix for Bus Pirate power supply oscillations
Jeff of Mightyohm wrote an article about power supply oscillations on the Bus Pirate: After removing my device under test, I quickly narrowed the problem down to noise on the Bus Pirate’s 3.3V rail. I initially suspected that this might be some kind of noise coming from the 5V USB supply, so I added an additional […]
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. More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times every week: Free PCB Sunday. The classic. Every week, get […]
Week in (p)review March 07, 2014
Here’s a summary of major developments over the last week. Free PCB Friday is coming up soon. Interfacing Adafruit 7-segment Backpack with Bus Pirate Bus Blaster v3 and Bus Pirate v4 are back in stock Bus Pirate v3.8 free PCB build Check out Michał’s DIY USB Infrared Toy, EverLost’s color wordclock, and joeforker’s update on his ATtiny LED driver for an […]
Using Kinetis Micrcontrollers in low-power applications
Sergei Bezrukov wrote an article on using Kinetis Micrcontrollers in low-power applications: Let us now turn to the microcontroller MKL05Z32. It belongs to the entry level subfamily KL0 of the Kinetis family. Besides of the fine pitch QFN and 48LQFP packages it is also manufactured in easily solderable 32LQFP ones. The microcontroller can be clocked […]
DIY CNC machine called the Ripper
Maximilian Malihas built this cool CNC machine called the Ripper: The 3-Axis CNC was not designed for a specific application – ripper fusions the needs required for fast shape-cutting in wood/PVC and the strength and stiffness required for milling in aluminum and copper. It brings the precision down to fractions of the human hair – […]
Bus Pirate LCD adapter v3 back in stock
The Bus Pirate LCD adapter v3 is back in stock at Seeed Studio. This breakout board lets you drive, and test HD44780, and compatible LCDs with your Bus Pirate v3. We changed the PCB to one of our standard PCB sizes, namely the DP6037 v1. Get an LCD adapter for $9.
Add functions to your Dotklok: Remote control
Boris Landoni from Open Electronics writes about the Dotklok’s new feature, the addition of a remote control. We wrote about it previously here: The latest variation is the addition of a remote control, implemented with a few lines of code. This function allows you to read the signals sent by the common IR remote control used in TV, […]
Breakout module for Si7005 temperature and humidity sensor
Raj of Embedded Lab has written up documentation on his Si7005 breakout board: The Si7005 is a digital relative humidity and temperature sensor from Silicon Labs. It integrates fully factory-calibrated humidity and temperature sensor elements with an analog to digital converter, signal processing and an I2C host interface in a single monolithic CMOS sensor IC. The Si7005 […]
DIY Arduino SVG plotter
Here’s a DIY Arduino SVG plotter by Junk+Arduino: Junk (the hardware): Olde Epson printer: frame, two stepper motors, motor driver circuitry CD player: The laser head moving mechanism Desktop compy PSU as a 5V power supply One H-bridge – SN754410NE Some resistors Bits of wire and a small breadboard Arduino uno, computer and pen Via Hacked […]
Colour sensor project
Iamzxlee has written an article detailing his colour sensor project: Basically, the sensor consists of three LEDs and Light Dependent Resistor (LDR). The LDR will detect the colour and display it to another RGB LED. Besides display it on the RGB LED, the colour will also display on PC. RGB LED is commonly used in display colours […]
Bus Blaster v3 back in stock
Bus Blaster v3 JTAG debugger is back in stock at Seeed Studio.The cool thing about the Bus Blaster is that it uses a programmable logic chip as a buffer. It can imitate different types of programming hardware with a simple USB update. You can get a Bus Blaster v3 for $34.95.
Bus Pirate v3.8 free PCB build
Markus Gritsch posted picture of his free Bus Pirate v3.8 PCB build. If you build a free PCB we’ll send you another one! Blog about it, post a picture on Flicker, whatever – we’ll send you a coupon code for the free PCB drawer.
RF remote control
Michał posted his DIY USB Infrared Toy: I’ve redesigned IR Toy’s v2 board a bit and managed to build it on my own and it works perfectly! I have decoded my Medion’s radio remote control codes via the WinLIRC Via the forum. You can get IR Toy v2 for $22.05, including world wide shipping.
Testing of two three-phase BLDC motor drivers
Kerry Wong writes: I was doing a project that needed a driver for hard disk spindle motors. While I could use a microcontroller to generate the required driving waveform sequence, keeping the waveform in sync with the motor rotation is actually quite tricky especially at higher rotation speeds. To ensure the correct timing sequence, a […]
ATtiny LED driver for an RC car update
joeforker posted an update on his ATtiny LED driver for an RC car we covered previously: This board delivers 100mA through 2 series-wired LEDs like a champ, powered by a 2S LiPo. Night drives are looking bright. The glaringly bright uncomfortable-coming-straight-towards-you high beam look has been achieved. :-) As usual, mistakes were made. The through hole components […]
#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 […]
Using traces as resistors
NsN writes: A while ago I needed some small value resistors as current shunts and I started wondering about the feasibility of using traces as resistors. There are many theoretical reasons as to why copper traces make bad shunt resistors, but I found surprisingly little practical data. The traces are (from left to right): – […]
Interfacing Adafruit 7-segment Backpack with Bus Pirate
asd has written an article on interfacing Adafruit 7-segment Backpack with Bus Pirate Bus pirate doesn’t do much by itself but needs some accompanying chip talk to. I got my hands on 7-segment display from Adafruit which has HT16K33 controller on it. HT16K33 chip is accessed via i2c protocol so it is good candidate to learn […]