We didn’t make it in time for International Talk Like a Pirate Day, but Bus Pirate firmware v2.2 for all hardware versions is now available for download from the project Google Code page. This release includes a few bug fixes for all hardware versions, updated Spanish translation, and a few new features like a transparent […]
Author Archives: Ian
Script to convert HTML (WordPress) to Instructables format
We’ve been cross posting our original creations here and at Instructables. Instructables is an awesome site where anyone can demonstrate how to do anything. This is a WordPress blog, it uses HTML layout formatting. Instructables uses a kind of wiki-like markup. We whipped up a converter that replaces HTML elements with the Instructables equivalent. There’s […]
Free PCB Sunday: Bus Pirate v2a
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 professionally-made PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. This week we’re giving away two Bus Pirate v2a PCBs, PCB by Seeed Studio. The […]
#twatch: backlight control
The #twatch backlight is controlled through a TCP server on port 1337. We use Herculese as our TCP client. Connect to the #twatch TCP server at the IP address shown on the LCD screen. Send the command 0xFE 0x42 0x00 to turn on the backlight. Send the command 0xFE 0x46 to turn it off. Programs […]
#twatch: Preorder update
We’re really excited about the #twatch preorder. Yesterday was a great day for the #twatch, Seeed Studio added a few extra to their store. Thank you for your support! If things heat up, there’s a potential shortage of the PIC 18F67J60 chip we used. We built another #twatch using the slightly smaller PIC 18F66J65 chip […]
Prototype: Network LCD backpack
The most recent documentation is now on the wiki. Character LCD screens that scroll information are a popular case mod. They’re usually controlled through a parallel port, serial port backpack, or USB backpack (more). This article demonstrates our open source ethernet network LCD backpack. LCD control programs like LCD Smartie (Windows) and LCDproc (Linux, OSX?) […]
Hack a Day's Bus Pirate preorder 2: revision B5?
Bus Pirate v2go Firmware v2.2-nightly DEVID:0x0447 REVID:0x3043 (B5) Hack a Day’s preorder 2 Bus Pirates are starting to arrive worldwide. Remember to upgrade the firmware when it arrives. We’ve had one report that the latest preorder was assembled with revision B5 PIC 24FJ64GA002 chips. Press ‘i’ in the Bus Pirate terminal to see your PIC […]
Bus Pirate: Cables
BiOzZ shared this breadboard cable for the Bus Pirate. What kind of cable do you use?
Twitter scrolling picture frame
We posted brief instructions on how we put a #twatch into a picture frame. This was how we originally intended to launch the #twatch, but we forgot because we were so excited about our first full-length article. You can buy an assembled #twatch, with or without an LCD, starting at $30, including shipping.
Confessions of a prototyper: #twatch v1/v1b
Last week we released the #twatch v2, an ethernet backpack for 20×4 character LCDs. This wasn’t the only version of the #twatch that we designed. V2 is based on the slick, inexpensive, single-chip ethernet microcontroller, the PIC 18F67J60. The biggest downside to the 18f67J60 is that it can only be programmed an average of 100 […]
Free PCB Sunday: #twatch v2 & v1a
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 professionally-made PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. This week we’re giving away PCBs for our new ethernet LCD backpack, the #twatch, PCBs […]
Arduino contest winners
Hack a Day had a thread discussing why hacking site comments are so harsh. That got us thinking about all the groans we hear about Arduino projects. We asked you to rant pro- or con- Arduino, the winners are after the break. We came to this conclusion: geeks don’t hate Arduino, it’s just another case […]
#twatch: Twitter changes JSON feed slightly
In an amazing coincidence, Twitter changed the JSON datafeeds the #twatch uses to grab the latest trending topics and tweets on the same night that we launched. They didn’t actually make significant changes, but they tweaked the order of variables in a way that confused the #twatch. {“text”:” The original search parser looked for the […]
Preorder the #twatch ethernet LCD backpack
**UPDATE** The #twatch will start shipping around October 10, 2009. The preorder is over, but there’s a few extra #twatches in the Seeed store for $45, including worldwide shipping. Get them while they last because we won’t make more soon. If you missed the #twatch, sign up here to be notified of any future #twatch […]
Prototype: Twitter Watcher, the #twatch
The most recent documentation is now on the wiki. The #twatch scrolls the latest trending topics from Twitter on an LCD screen. It’s a stand-alone network appliance that stays updated without a PC. It was awesome to watch #iranelection, Michael Jackson, and other historic events scroll by while we developed the #twatch. This article documents […]
Bus Pirate preorder 2: new bootloader, no firmware
We’ve got another update on Hack a Day’s Bus Pirate v2go preorder 2 firmware. It would be nice if Hack a Day wrote a short post too, since this was their fundraiser. Seeed made sure everyone got the latest bootloader version (v2) because you have to program that through the ICSP header with a real […]
Bus Pirate preorder 2 unboxing
***UPDATE*** If your preorder 2 Bus Pirate doesn’t work, try bootloading the latest firmware. We’ve had one report that a preorder 2 v2go shipped with the latest bootloader but no firmware. The bonus is you get the latest bootloader (v2), but you have to add the latest firmware yourself. More info as we figure out […]
Compile the Bus Pirate firmware
This is an old version, see the latest version on the documentation wiki. You don’t need a Microchip programmer to develop firmware for the Bus Pirate. You can use Microchip’s free development tools and upload code through the USB bootloader. It’s a mini PIC 24F development board! First, download and install Microchip’s IDE called MPLAB, […]
Scan for I2C read and write addresses
See the latest version in the documentation wiki. You can find the I2C address for most I2C-compatible chips in the datasheet. But what if you’re working with an unknown chip, a dated chip with no datasheet, or you’re just too lazy to look it up? The Bus Pirate has a built-in address scanner that checks […]
Free PCB Sunday: Bus Pirate v2a
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 professionally-made PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. This week we’re giving away two Bus Pirate v2a PCBs, PCB by Seeed Studio. The […]