VMware API on Windows supports serial ports, but the guest doesn’ implement them without additional configuration. Aurimas wrote a guide to installing Socat, a utility that helps with serial communication between host OS and guest OS, and even creates a serial to TCP Bridge. Via the Contact form.
Category Archives: how-to
Lampduino 8×8 RGB matrix floor lamp
Lincomatic documented his Lampduino, an 8×8 RGB Matrix Floor lamp build. This past weekend, I finally finished building my 8×8 RGB matrix floor lamp. I call it Lampduino. A Processing sketch running on a host computer controls Lampduino via a USB connection. When turned on without a computer, it automatically displays a soothing plasma simulation. […]
Serial EEPROM bitbang Launchpad interface
Rob from the 43oh blog has posted his method to interface a 24LC32A serial EEPROM interface to the Launchpad. The 24LC32A is a 32Kb PROM with a 2 wire serial interface or I2C compatible, and since it can be clocked @400kHz @3.6V bit banging seemed like it would be easy. External pull up should be […]
595 shift register simulator
Stepping through this 595 shift register simulator is a good way to learn some logic chip fundamentals like shift registers and serial interfaces. Via Hack a Day
DIY piezoelectric materials
Make has a video on DIY piezoelectric materials: Piezoelectric materials are about as close to magic as you can get. They turn physical pressure into electricity and can even turn electricity into physical pressure – an amazing sort of bidirectional converter for mechanical and electrical energies. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that you […]
Voltage divider calculator
If you need to interface a higher voltage sensor output with a lower voltage chip the simplest solution is the good old fashioned voltage divider. Here’s an online calculator to help you compute the necessary resistance values courtesy of Raltron.com.
Operational Amplifier howtos
The operational amplifier is one of the most useful analog ICs available, and one of the most daunting for beginners and experienced engineers. Above is a diagram of an op-amp in a closed loop non inverting configuration. Probably the most used configuration. Lets assume this is an ideal amplifier. R1 is the input and R2 […]
Arduino varies LCD contrast using PWM
We’ve seen a number of tutorials explaining the use of LCD displays with Arduino. In most the display contrast is varied by use of a potentionmeter. Here’s a tutorial from Hobbytronics which varies the contrast using PWM. A 100uF capacitor is connected between the PWM output and ground to smooth the signal. Using this technique […]
1.5 to 10 volt inverter
If you need a 5 to 10 volt DC power source and only have a couple AA batteries, here’s a simple solution from CoolCircuits. It uses four transistors and a handful of passive components to produce an adjustable 5 to 10 volt output from 1.5 to 4.5 volt input.
Five cheap breadboard prototyping tips and tricks – list #2
Following up on their first list of tips, 43oh.com presents this second list of cheap breadboard prototyping tricks. SD card headers, LED diffusers and more. Thanks opcode! Via the contact form.
Display custom characters on 16×2 LCDs
Chris from PyroElectro informs us of his tutorial on designing custom characters for display on a 16×2 HD44780 compatible LCD. This tutorial shows how to use the advanced functionality of HD44780 16×2 LCD’s where you can create your own characters instead of using the built-in character set, and includes a simple demonstration of animation on […]
RULAV treehouse with microcontrollers, PCBs, and more
The RULAV isn’t just an ordinary treehouse: Rarely does building a treehouse require welding, grinding, painting, riveting, bending, crimping, plumbing, brazing, laser cutting, sound design, printed circuit board fabrication, thousands of lines of C code, distributed network protocols, sewing and embroidery. Thanks Jeremy! Via the contact form.
Trivia game punishes failure with electric shocks
Do you like games the fight back? Always wanted to be on a Japanese game show? israelff documented a Flash-based game that delivers electrical shocks to the players. Use with care! Via the tips line.
Light controlled screamer with 555s
Makerdino shared his light controlled screamer with 555 chips in the project log forum: Here’s a fun project to make with the 555 chip. It can be built as a stand alone circuit or you can put it inside a doll, toy or whatever! I’m entering this one in the 555 Contest in the Art […]
Model rocket GPS altimeter using Picaxe 18X
For his USC Rocket Propulsion Lab, Chris Fenton designed this project using a Picaxe 18X microcontroller which accepts a GPS NMEA data stream, pulls out the altitude and logs it to a 24LC512 external EEPROM. Upon recovery the data is then read from the EEPROM. Source code for the Picaxe and hand drawn schematic for […]
Arduino and TFT LCD tutorial
LCD displays of the 2×16 variety are a good way of getting feedback from your Arduino project. If you want a more enhanced visual experience, a thin-film transistor (TFT) LCD is the superior way to go. This tutorial by Tronixstuff describes a way use the the 4D Systems 1.44″ TFT serial interface LCD with Arduino. […]
Arduino magnetic levitation project
mekonik has published complete details on his Arduino magnetic levitation project. Not content to settle for a typical “hello world” LED blinker as his first project, he supplemented the Arduino with an electromagnet, Honeywell SS19 Hall effect sensor, MC3401P op amp, NPN transistor and 1N4001 rectifier. The circuit essentially uses the small Hall effect sensor […]
MSP430 debugging with IAR
kphlight was working on a simple Pomodoro timer project using the MSP430 Launchpad, and wrote this Instructable on debugging using the IAR Embedded Workshop Kickstart, including the ability to make on the fly memory changes.
ATtiny861 sound generator
This project by elm chan produces sound using an ATtiny861. A MicroSD card is used as storage media and also SD and MMC can be used with proper socket conversion. It is controlled in SPI mode via USI. The audio signal is output in PWM and it can drive loudspeakers directly. Supported sound file format […]
PIC 12F675 battery monitor using a diode/LED and resistor
Here’s a circuit by Joe Desbonnet’s Random Tech Stuff that’s designed to monitor battery voltage. It uses one resistor, one diode (or LED), one microcontroller ADC input and one digital output. A practical application using a PIC 12F675 is presented. This allows you to monitor battery voltage under load, allowing sufficient time to replace the […]