Circuitguy has published this guide entitled Datasheets (Don’t) Lie on his website. Its intended to show newbies how easy it is to mistake a component’s capabilities when you fail to consider all relevant information on the datasheet. Something those new, and not so new to the hobby, have to keep in mind.
Author Archives: the machinegeek
Microsoft demos a Kinect-driven armchair
Microsoft demoed a Kinect-driven armchair at the MIX11 conference in Las Vegas. This proof of concept device controls a motorized platform armchair using hand gestures. The source code for this project will reportedly be made available with Microsoft’s release this Spring of its Kinect for Windows SDK which will open up development using Visual Basic, […]
Arduino lightpen 1.0
Paul Bishop has developed a simple light pen input device for use with the Arduino (Atmega328). The hardware consists of a CDS photocell connected between +5 volts and Analog 0, and the code uses the TVout library for video output through several resistors to an RCA plug. To increase the pen’s sensitivity or adjust response, […]
Arduino: more LUFA hacks
LUFA (Lightweight USB Framework for AVRs) is an open-source complete USB stack for the USB-enabled Atmel AT90USBxxxx and ATMEGAxxUx AVR microcontroller series, released under the MIT License. Darran from Arduino Hacking has released the source, hex files, and sample sketches for his Arduino LUFA hacks for Keyboard HID, Mouse HID, and USB MIDI drivers for […]
Microchip’s RE46C190 programmable photoelectric smoke-detector IC
Microchip has announced that its RE46C190 smoke detector IC has received UL certification. According to the datasheet: The RE46C190 is a low power, low voltage CMOS photoelectric type smoke detector IC. With minimal external components, this circuit will provide all the required features for a photoelectric-type smoke detector. The design incorporates a gain-selectable photo amplifier […]
Architecture of FPGAs and CPLDs: a tutorial
Stephen Brown and Jonathan Rose of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, authored this paper providing a tutorial survey of architectures of commercially available high-capacity field-programmable devices (FPDs). They first define the relevant terminology in the field and then describe the evolution of FPDs. The three main categories of FPDs are […]
JeeLabs JeeNode combines Arduino, RF
JeeLabs has a product known as the JeeNode v5, which is essentially a miniature Arduino (Atmega328p) board with an onboard RFM12B wireless module. Boards are available with the serial interface (shown above) as well as USB. You can buy the kit directly from JeeLabs, or build your own using the schematic and documentation provided. While […]
Soldering Is Easy comic book
Here’s a cool resource for teaching soldering basics to anyone. Mitch Altman, Jeff “Mightyohm” Keyzer, and Andie Nordgren just released their “Soldering is Easy” comic book. It’s part of a book they are working on that will be published later this year. Download your own PDF copy at the MightyOhm website. Via MAKE.
FCC launches beta of new website
The FCC has launched the beta version of its newly redesigned website. New tools for exploring spectrum allocation, radio frequency licenses, rules and more. According to their press release:This beta launch isn’t a beta in a traditional sense. FCC.gov will change again — and quickly. It’s an approach that’s fairly foreign to the way most […]
Bell System Technical Journal online
Drone sends this link to a digitized version of the Bell System technical journal, 1922-1983. It’s searchable by title and author. Looks like a great resource for retro tech phreaks. Thanks Drone! Via contact form.
Android / Arduino controlled remote wall socket
Mario Böhmer has informed us of his latest project, an Android/Arduino controlled wall socket. Mario writes: To show the basic principal I used a remote wall socket which normally is switched with a remote via a radio frequency of 433 MHz. What I wanted was to have an Arduino controlling the remote switch to turn […]
ARISSat-1 on the air this week (temporarily)
As previously posted, the ARISSat-1 amateur radio satellite remains inside the International Space Station awaiting its anticipated release into orbit this July. According to the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) website, the ARISSat-1 satellite aboard the International Space Station will be on the air using the station’s external antenna, starting on Monday, April 11, at […]
Degate reverse engineering tool
Degate is a graphical reverse engineering tool for Ubuntu and OS X. Degates’ purpose is to aid reverse engineering of digital electronics in integrated circuits (ICs). Degate helps you to explore images from ICs. It matches logic gates on the imagery given by graphical templates and it assists you in tracing circuit paths. Degate is […]
MSP430 LaunchPad Firmware Update 2.0 Released.
TI has released MSP430 LaunchPad firmware update 2.0. TI’s download is a GUI-based utility to update the emulator firmware of the MSP430 Value Line LaunchPad kit (MSP-EXP430G2). With this update, TI says your LaunchPad will be able to support all new and future MSP430G2xx Value Line devices. NOTE: Before you consider updating, read the caveats […]
Open Compute Project provides Facebook blueprint
Want to examine the tech behind Facebook? Well, now you can. The Open Compute Project was first released by Facebook in 2011. In addition to open software tools, the project also makes available plans for servers and data centers. Technical specifications and CAD drawings (DXF and SolidWorks parts/assemblies) are provided for the servers and data […]
Commodore announces new Commodore 64, VIC Computer
Anyone who remembers computing “back in the day” might be interested to know that Commodore has opened a Web store where consumers can buy a modernized Commodore 64 and two new versions of the VIC, now redesigned as a “keyboard computer”. The new Commodore 64 costs anywhere from $250 for a “barebones” configuration for modders, […]
Reverse engineering the HRD remote serial protocol
Sivan Toledo likes to use Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD), a free program that serves as a user interface to radio transceivers. Modern transceivers can be controlled either from their front panel controls (if they have a front panel), or from a computer through a serial or USB connection. He writes: One cool and useful feature […]
Sparkfun IOIO Android interface
SparkFun has announced the upcoming release of their IOIO for Android Board. The IOIO (pronounced “yo-yo”) is a board specially designed to work with your Android device (OS versions 1.5 and greater). The board provides extensive and robust connectivity to an Android device via a USB connection. The IOIO is fully controllable from within an […]
Other CPLD dev boards
Kamani Development Tools has the ZL4PLD_9572 dev board, which features an onboard voltage regulator and ISP connector. The preassembled board is designed in a 40 pin DIP breadboard compatible form, and sells for €13.36, plus €30 for shipping to EU countries. AWC sells the PBX84 Xilinx Prototyping Board, in several different configurations beginning at $49.95 […]
FPGA startups: a brief history
The FPGA manufacturing business has seen many players come and go over its brief history. Unlike the microcontroller industry, where many of the early manufacturers are still in business, the PLD arena has been whittled down to just a few of its early competitors. This article by Eric Esteve posted on SemiWiki chronicles the business […]