Author Archives: Ian

CoreCommander development board

An embedded development board for Altera FPGAs: CoreCommander development board is unique in the industry. It features the Altera Cyclone III FPGA that provides more than enough room for almost any embedded design. This flexible board comes with a suite of SLS IP Cores, drivers, and application software. Delivered as a complete package, the board […]

RS-485 network temperature sensor

ezflyer made a RS-485 network temperature sensor: This design will be used as part of my home automation system to measure temperatures in various parts of the house. I already have the wiring in place for an extensive RS-485 network, so the installation of the individual sensors will be easy. I’m currently working on a […]

Bus Pirate PIC programmer free PCB build

SineWave built an early version of the Bus Pirate PIC programming adapter. This version would have needed several cables, we made the final design stackable instead. The Bus Pirate PIC programmer project is has been idle for a while. It would be nice if the Bus Pirate could do absolutely everything, but it’s a ton […]

App note: Dynamic siphon steals current from USB port

rsdio tipped us to an app note on USB-port power: Very cool! This is like an audio ducking compressor for voiceovers, but for charging. This circuit exploits all the power available from a USB port by dynamically adjusting the amount of current delivered to the load, thereby siphoning a relatively constant (and maximum) current from the […]

ADIS16407: Ten degrees of freedom inertial sensor

Drone writes:  This is a single part MEMS 10-DOF IMU part that will ship around 15 July 2011. OK, here’s the catch: Unless I’m missing something obvious, it looks like this device costs $605 USD each in quantity 100-499 (no, I did not forget a decimal point). There’s an EV board, but Gawd only knows […]

Single-chip digital IR temperature sensor

Joe writes:  TI have announced a tiny (1.6mm sq), low power and low cost (~$2) IR temperature sensor Enables contactless temperature measurement in portable and consumer electronic applications Developed through TI’s expertise in MEMS technology, the TMP006 is the first of a new class of ultra-small, low power, and low cost passive infrared temperature sensors. […]

OpenBench Logic Sniffer release 3.08

A new software package v3.08 is available for the Logic Sniffer: OpenBench Logic Sniffer Release 3.08 is now available for download. Release 3.08 includes Jawi’s 0.9.4 client with the following changes: Numerous Bug Fixes Support for multiple “Sump” clients Via the forum. Get a Logic Sniffer for $50, with free worldwide shipping.

Week in (p)review: June 10, 2011

Facebook free PCB Friday is on the way. Don’t forget to share your current project in the comments or the forum. Here’s a summary of major developments over the last week: How to mail PCBs WIFI web platform design review Bus Blaster v2, USB IR Toy v2, Bus Pirate v3b, and CPLD development boards are back […]

Tiny CPU: testbed for CPLD-based processors

Tiny CPU uses an Altera CPLD to emulate a simple processor. Also included on the board: flash ROM, keyboard input, JTAG header, and more. Tiny CPU is a custom “small CPU” design intended for implementation in a CPLD. Such soft CPU cores typically target an FPGA or large CPLD, but the target device for Tiny […]