RoboProgrammer is a robotic microcontroller programmer. It’s an Arduino-heavy design – a GRoboduino is used to control the robot, and a Duemilanove is used to program the AVR chips. Via Hack a Day.
Author Archives: Ian
Tweeting coal stove
This twittering coal burning stove tweets the room temperature every ten minutes. An update that measures the actual fire temperature with a thermocouple is planned.
PIC programmable power supply
We’ve been working on a new power supply in the forum, so this programmable power supply project was an interesting read. The PIC adjusts the output voltage using input from a keypad. Via Hack a Day.
Infrared sensor tutorial
Adafruit has a new infrared sensor tutorial that uses an Arduino to clone an infrared remote control signal. They use a time-based protocol decoder/cloner, similar to the infrared sampling mode used in the USB IR Toy. SB-Projects has more excellent infrared remote control protocol details.
Developing a new laser-cut acrylic case
Ril3y is developing a new laser-cut acrylic case for the Logic Sniffer. Check out the preview. You can order the Logic Sniffer at Seeed Studio for $45, including worldwide shipping. Don’t forget that Seeed now has probe cables for $6 each.
Bus Blaster power up test
Soldering and power up test for the Bus Blaster board complete. The FT2232H enumerated properly as a USB device with two virtual serial ports.
Dangerous Prototypes t-shirt design contest
You asked about a Dangerous Prototypes t-shirt, and Seeed Studio said they’d make some. The design is open to submissions, and you’ll be able to vote for your favorite. The creator of the most popular design will get a free t-shirt, a Bus Pirate LCD adapter, and a PIC programming adapter. Post your designs in […]
LM317 constant current source
YourITronics has a how-to on LM317 variable voltage regulators. Florin covers the project from start to finish – designing the circuit, etching the board, and stuffing the parts.
STM32 ‘thinner client’ with composite video
This is a STM32 ARM-based thin client that uses a TV as an output device. SMD projects on home-etched boards are fun to made. Don’t fear SMD, it’s cheaper, readily available, and surprisingly easy to solder with a little flux. Via Hack a Day.
Logic Sniffer: SparkFun’s distributors
The Logic Sniffer is showing up at SparkFun’s distributors. If you like Watterott (Germany) or NKC (US), grab a Logic Sniffer now. The Logic Sniffers that went to SparkFun were a promotion, availability is limited. Via the forum.
ATpirate adapter kit
Eric from allthingsgeek.com writes: My friend and I work with a lot of different AVR microcontrollers. We love using the bus pirate to program them but find it inconvenient to setup a breadboard and look-up the datasheet for each one. We designed a ZIF socketed kit to make the process much easier and decided to […]
Low cost STM32 evaluation board reveiw
IPenguin bought the $10 STM32 development board that made headlines this summer. Read an extended review, with lots of pictures, in the forum.
Program STM32 with the Bus Pirate
Will Donnelly wrote a script to program the STM32 Discovery board with the Bus Pirate: I wanted to program my new STM32 Discovery boards under Linux, and I had a Bus Pirate, so I just finished writing a SWD programmer for it using the raw 2-wire interface. Get a Bus Pirate v3b for $30, including […]
MSP430 low power experiment
Kenneth’s low-power microcontroller experiment tests how long will an MSP430 microcontroller can run on 20F of charged capacitors. Via Hack a Day.
IC Squisher (ICSQ)
Annoyed when your DIP chips get all bendy? You need the IC Squisher. One commenter points out that some materials could cause a static electricity hazard. Still a very cool design for hobby use. Via Adafruit.
I2C magnetic compass sensor demo
Ril3y demonstrates an I2C magnetic compass sensor (Sure Electronics DC-SS503) with the Bus Pirate. Don’t forget that Ril3y has stylish laser-cut acrylic cases for the Bus Pirate (seen here). Get a Bus Pirate v3b for $30, including worldwide shipping at Seeed Studio. Adafruit also has the Bus Pirate and probe cables in stock and ready […]
Arduino Uno quality control
Moogle was disappointed by his new Arduino Uno. He thought it was pretty unrefined: rough edges, thin solder mask, poorly aligned headers. Arduino responded directly that this is an isolated incident. They will replace any less than perfect hardware. (A Moogle followup post) Additionally, bongobat may have encountered a major bug in the circuit that […]
Bus Pirate v1a: End of support
Each Bus Pirate upgrade package includes firmware for Bus Pirate v3/v2go and the older v1a hardware. If nobody uses the v1a firmware, it doesn’t make sense for us to keep releasing it. This is the second call for any v1a users to make themselves known. If nobody needs the firmware we’ll stop building it.
Free PCB Sunday: Web platform v1.1
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 we’re giving away two […]
Week in (p)review: October 3, 2010
Here’s some highlights from the past two weeks, in case you missed them: Bus Pirate firmware v5.8 USB IR Toy firmware v08 Logic Sniffer firmware v2.1 and updated OLS loader app Jawi released Logic Sniffer client v0.8.5 Web platform v1.1 is shipping now Bus Pirate LCD adapters are starting to arrive PCBs for the USB […]