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 […]
Author Archives: DP
App note: Microcontroller Clock – crystal, resonator, RC Oscillator, or silicon oscillator?
App note from Maxim Integrated on clock sources of microcontrollers and their strengths and weaknesses. Link here The majority of clock sources for microcontrollers can be grouped into two types: those based on mechanical resonant devices, such as crystals and ceramic resonators, and those based on electrical phase-shift circuits such as RC (resistor, capacitor) oscillators. […]
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 […]
TTL triggered stimulus generator
Scott Harden has a nice build log on his TTL triggered stimulus generator project: I was presented with a need to rapidly develop a pulse generator to take a TTL input and output a programmable output (for now 0.1 ms pulses at 20 Hz for as long as the input is high). I achieved this […]
Designing a USB breakout board
Alexander Lang has been working on a USB breakout board, he writes: I often need to intercept USB signals for decoding and measurement purposes. I cut a cable apart last time I needed one but to be honest I much prefer doing things properly. I also noticed that nobody seems to sell a similar product […]
An open source rain and humidity sensor couple
Boris Landoni writes about a new open source rain and humidity sensor project: It detects humidity through two sensors which are to be used alternatively to let us know when there is water on the ground because it’s raining, or when the water level in a flowerpot is too low and it needs watering. See the […]
Yet another CXA1191 FM radio receiver
Dilshan Jayakody has published a new build: This is simple, but very high quality CXA1191S based FM radio receiver system. In this design we use Sony CXA1191S as FM tuner and TDA2003 as an audio amplifier. This receiver system is designed to work with 12V DC power source and it delivers approximately 6W audio output […]
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: Quartz crystal oscillators
App note from Abracon Corporation on quartz crystal oscillators. Link here (PDF)
App note: Quartz crystals
App note from Abracon Corporation about choosing the right crystal for you application. Link here (PDF)
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 […]
0-30V/0-7A power supply unit with LM723 and Arduino volt and ampermeter
Nicu Florica has been working on a power supply project, inspired by Albasete’s power supply unit with LM723 and Arduino volt and ampermeter: It use an Arduino nano board with i2c LCD1602 display, a active buzzer for indicate shortcircuit case. Also, I put DS18B20 temperature sensor and relay for power a cooler when tenmperature is […]
Pimp your PCB businesscard full color
Here is a nice PCB businesscard @ smdprutser.nl As a good electronic hobbiest tradition I started to design a businesscard from PCB material. Downside of all the businesscards (and PCBs in general) is the limited number of colors you can use: FR4, soldermask (with or without copper behind it), silkscreen or bare copper. Since the […]
#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 […]
HydroBot: Prototyping new modules
Matthew Reed writes: ProtoModule is a HydroBot module designed to easily develop and test new monitoring or control functions that may someday go into a HydroBot module. It has 11 GPIO pins and the power rails broken out on a 0.1” pin header for easy breadboarding or interfacing with ribbon cables. The provided pins give […]
BSide ACM03 plus clamp meter review and teardown
A review and teardown of a cheap Hall effect clamp meter (ACM03 Plus) from Kerry Wong: I recently purchased a BSide ACM03 Plus clamp meter so that I could do some high current measurements for my tab welder project. This meter can be bought on eBay for around $25, which makes it one of the […]
Driving a 48-segment RGB LED bar graph with a Teensy 3.2
Glen Akins writes: In my post Driving a SparkFun 48-Segment RGB LED Bar Graph, I stated that the hardware built there could be used to drive the LED bar graph with any combination of hardware and software that could drive one of the common 32×32 or 32×16 RGB LED matrices. Today I’m back to prove […]
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: Clearing Xilinx FPGA configuration to allow boundary scan testing
Another application note from XJTAG on preparing Xilinx FPGA for proper boundary scan testing. Link here When Xilinx FPGAs are configured it can restrict the boundary scan access to some signals on the device. One work-around for this problem is to configure the FPGA with a ‘blank’ image that closely matches its unconfigured state, allowing […]
App note: Using a test reset section to initialise JTAG devices
An app note from XJTAG about applying test reset to put some devices to JTAG compliant mode. Link here Some JTAG devices require a specific sequence of states to be applied to some signals in order to put the device into a JTAG-compliant mode. This application note describes how a Test Reset section can be […]