Happy New Year! Thank you for reading the blog and being part of our community in 2013! We’re looking forward to more open hardware projects, more how-tos, more videos, more free PCBs, and more hacking in 2014.
Author Archives: DP
Another holiday break project: AndyBrd
One more holiday project by Mats, the AndyBrd – An Arduino Leonardo combined with a MAX3421-based Android ADK (Accessory Development kit).
PID based thermostat built using the Flash Destroyer module
jeanmarc78 posted his PID based thermostat built using the Flash Destroyer module in the forum: After trying a few commercial thermostats for my central heating (hot water), i was not really satisfied. They don’t provide a smooth regulation. Then i decided to build my own one reusing my flash destroyer hardware board.
W5500 Adapter v1
eHaJo created a pcb with the new Wiznet W5500 chip (machine translation), SPI to Ethernet, and with the brand new atmel ATXMEGA8E5 chip on the pcb for the unique mac-address.
The Tesseract build, Part II
Kevin Rye posted an update on his Tesseract, we wrote about it previously. With the software and hardware for the Tesseract complete, it was time to wrap up the enclosure.
Another Bus Pirate reference sheet
mofosyne shared this Bus Pirate reference sheet [PDF!] he made in the forum: Being new to bus pirate, I created my own printable stickers to cut and stick labels to the case and probes. I also took the time to compile an A4 Bus Pirate v3.b reference sheet from various sources, that would be useful to somebody […]
Another holiday break project: MainSlogger
Here’s Mats another holiday project the MainSlogger -Voltage and Frequency logger for the mains power: The sensor board is done, working on firmware for the Analyzing/Displaying & Logging board.
App note: Small, high-voltage boost converters
Produce high-voltages from low input sources as low as 2.5V, Maxim’s app note discusses three topologies and their limitations as well as their advantages on achieving these large voltages. The biasing of avalanche photodiodes (APDs), piezoelectric transducers (PZTs), vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs), and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) require high-voltage power supplies. This app note presents three […]
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: Model of chip cap tombstoning
Here’s a graphical app note from TDK on the phenomenological “tombstone” when doing reflow soldering. If temperature and solder quantity is inappropriate during substrate mounting, products may not be mounted properly, which causes tombstone
App note: Four channel digital voltmeter with display and keyboard
Here’s an old but quite clever approach app note from Microchip on utilizing microcontroller I/O’s to handle multiple display and switches with only few pins. This application note demonstrates the capability of the PIC16C71 and has been broken down into four subsections: • Multiplexing Four 7-Segment LED Displays • Multiplexing Four 7-Segment LED Displays and […]
The Tesseract build, Part 1
Kevin Rye documented his Tesseract build. Check out the project’s Part II.
Arduino LCD Smartie OLED project
Rupert Hirst writes, “I decided it was time to build my own version with the features that should have been in the official hardware”: LCD Smartie is open-source (cough!) software which allows a character LCD display to be used as an auxiliary display device for a PC. The program has built in support for many […]
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 December 27, 2013
Here’s a summary of major developments over the last week. Free PCB Friday is coming up soon. USB and serial enabled LCD backpack and Bus Pirate v4 are back in stock Check out Tom’s 12mm Rotary Encoder breakout, Nickjohnson load project, Sjaak’s Nixie clock, and Mats’ LoadMaster Jr in the project log forum Coming up: Free PCBs via Facebook on Friday App […]
DIY 3W constant current LED driver
Dilshan Jayakody wrote a post on his blog about his 3W constant current LED driver: This is quick post about 3W constant current LED driver which I was design to combine with some homemade furniture piece. The main components of this system is LM311 voltage comparator and IRF9640 P-Channel MOSFET. This module is design to drive maximum of […]
Components storage, what do you use?
What’s the best way to store your electronics components? Systemstech shared us his parts storage for all his components: This is what I use and I haven’t had any troubles with it and static. Via the forum.
Nixie clock holiday project
Sjaak has been working on nixie clock project this holiday: Finally try to finish my nixie clock.. it was due in september :) Nixies are working :D
Another holiday break project: LoadMaster Jr
Mats posted his holiday project the LoadMaster Jr, a Digitable settable constant load that can save data to a SD card. Via the project log forum.
Numato Mega New Year give away 2014 – Grab your surprise gift
Tom over at Numato writes, “This year we are calling all electronics enthusiasts to join this event and grab their free gift. Gifts ranging from SMD adapters to FPGA boards. More details at www.numato.cc” This is the happiest time of the year for sure. Christmas is around the corner, New Year 2014 is fast approaching. And one […]