Bus Pirate support in Python3 for I2C scripting

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Steve aka hwstar writes, “I just wanted to let you know that I modified the python Buspirate Bitbang.py file and the I2C.py file to support Python 3.4 for a project I’m working on, and wanted to share these files with the community as they are open source. I uploaded the modified files to Github.
These files have been tested in Linux, but not Windows. The interface is the basically the same, except the result string returned is now a byte string instead of a plain string.
By modifying the Bus Pirate files to run on Python3, you get a access to a much improved tkinter code base as well as other things that Python3 has to offer.”

Via the contact form.

Get an assembled Bus Pirate for $30, including world-wide shipping. Also available from our friendly distributors.

Nokia phone Arduino shield

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Charles Pax is making an Arduino shield for the old Nokia phone:

The cheapest and most common old phone we’ve seen is the Nokia 3100. There’s no camera, no Bluetooth, no WiFi, no frills at all. Perfect! We can pick it up in the market for just a few dollars.
This is a pretty old phone and there is no guarantee it will work on a modern mobile phone network. Our test phones are confirmed to send text messages on the China Mobile network in Shenzhen. We will have to do more tests around the world. If you have tested the Nokia 3100 or similar phone in your area, please post in the comments below.
Before we design a PCB we’ll have to determine how everything should be connected and slap it on a breadboard.

Via the contact form.

Project info at  Pax Instruments.

FM430 – A MSP430 and TEA5767 project that lets you listen to clear digital FM

FM430_-_A_MSP430_and_TEA5767_project

From the comments on our earlier FM radio receiver post.  Rohit Gupta shows off his digital FM Receiver on MSP430 using TEA5767:

I completed one yesterday using the MSP430 and TEA5767 Chip. Gave it a minimalist switch to toggle the channels stored in an array. Gives realtime channel strength and transmission quality values too over serial.

Code is shared on Github.
Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading “FM430 – A MSP430 and TEA5767 project that lets you listen to clear digital FM”

12-minute Mandelbrot: fractals on a 50 year old IBM 1401 mainframe

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Ken Shirriff writes:

When I found out that the Computer History Museum has a working IBM 1401 computer[1], I wondered if it could generate the Mandelbrot fractal. I wrote a fractal program in assembly language and the computer chugged away for 12 minutes to create the Mandelbrot image on its line printer. In the process I learned a bunch of interesting things about the IBM 1401, which I discuss in this article.

Details at Ken Shirriff’s blog.

#FreePCB via Twitter to 2 random RTs

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Every Tuesday we give away two coupons for the free PCB drawer via Twitter. This post was announced on Twitter, and in 24 hours we’ll send coupon codes to two random retweeters. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times a every week:

  • Hate Twitter and Facebook? Free PCB Sunday is the classic PCB giveaway. Catch it every Sunday, right here on the blog
  • Tweet-a-PCB Tuesday. Follow us and get boards in 144 characters or less
  • Facebook PCB Friday. Free PCBs will be your friend for the weekend

Some stuff:

  • Yes, we’ll mail it anywhere in the world!
  • Check out how we mail PCBs worldwide video.
  • We’ll contact you via Twitter with a coupon code for the PCB drawer.
  • Limit one PCB per address per month please.
  • Like everything else on this site, PCBs are offered without warranty.

We try to stagger free PCB posts so every time zone has a chance to participate, but the best way to see it first is to subscribe to the RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook.

Low noise amplifier – 100MHz to 300MHz

In this video Hpux735 demonstrates his Sky67015 LNA breakout board:

A Low noise amplifier (or LNA) is a special amplifier that is designed to be the first amplifier in a receiver. It is vital that the first amplifier of a receiver has low noise, because the noise of the whole system is dominated by the first amplifier.

For more information visit the project’s Tindie page here.

CD2003 – yet another simple FM radio receiver

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Dilshan Jayakody writes:

In last few days we are looking for some simple FM radio receiver to integrate into one of our ongoing project. For that we try several FM radio receiver ICs including TDA7000, CD2003/TA2003/TA8164, CXA1019 and KA22429. Out of all those chips we select CD2003 (or TA2003/TA8164) based receiver for our project because of its simplicity and outstanding performance. Except to CD2003, Sony CXA1019 also perform well but we drop it because of its higher component count.
We design our receiver based on Toshiba TA2003 datasheet and later we try TA8164 and CD2003 with same circuit. Either CD2003 or TA8164 can directly replace TA2003 IC, and as per our observations TA8164 gives excellent results out of those 3 chips.

Project details at Dilshan’s blog. All files are avaialble at elect.wikispaces.com.

TinyK20 open source ARM debug/universal board

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Erich has posted an update on his open source ARM debug/universal board project. We wrote about it previously:

After the proof of concept phase (see “Proof of Concept: Open Source ARM SWD Debug and General Purpose Board“), the first prototypes are ready
I had the first prototypes of the board we have produced internally in my hands.
A different USB connector can be populated on the backside of the board, so it can directly be plugged into a USB port. Additionally the board can be placed into a small USB thumb drive case that way (I don’t have one for a picture now, but we use them for a different project).

Project details at MCUonEclipse project page.

Wavewatch, a soundcard oscilloscope and waveform generator

ww_gui D4p0up shared his open source soundcard oscilloscope in the project log forum:

Here is a tool that might help some of you in your DIY activities : WaveWatch, a soundcard oscilloscope 100% made with Processing.
I’ve just released the 1.3 version, making it a very credible, user friendly and totally open source alternative to existing soundcard scope systems, so that it’s worth sharing it !
It’s got all the features you’d expect from a standard scope,

  • dual channel,
  • configurable Triggering (single/Auto),
  • time and voltage measurement,
  • frequency calculation,
  • markers with delta calculation
  • voltage calibration

Project info at Banson project page. All files are available on Github.

Via the forum.

App note: Miniature motor driver resource

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Here’s a great resources of motor drivers from Precision Microdrives. Link is here.

Whilst most DC motors are essentially driven with the same principle (by applying a DC voltage), these chips boast a host of different features. Some accept analogue inputs, others PWM or I2C, H-bridges will enable you to easily change the direction of rotation and haptic drivers are specially designed for haptic feedback applications.

Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB

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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 two random commenters will get a coupon code for the free PCB drawer tomorrow morning. Pick your own PCB. You get unlimited free PCBs now – finish one and we’ll send you another! Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times every week:

Continue reading “Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB”

App note: Introductory gear equations

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In using motors, we may tackle on coupling these little mechanical devices to something to move or maybe we might need more torque but paying for speed, Precision Microdrives’ app note gives us basics in gear calculation. Link is here.

For quickly experimenting or prototyping, you may wish to build your own cheap gear chain. Here we’ll take a look at a couple of basic calculations to get you started and which should provide an easy reference to return to as you need.

App note: 400MHz, 2500V/µs, 9mA single/dual operational amplifiers

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400MHz, 2500V/µs, 9mA single/dual operational amplifiers (PDF!) application note from Linear Technology:

FEATURES

  • 400MHz Gain Bandwidth Product
  • 2500V/μs Slew Rate
  • –85dBc Distortion at 5MHz
  • 9mA Supply Current Per Amplifier
  • 6nV/√Hz Input Noise Voltage
  • Unity-Gain Stable
  • 1.5mV Maximum Input Offset Voltage
  • 8μA Maximum Input Bias Current
  • 800nA Maximum Input Offset Current
  • 40mA Minimum Output Current, VOUT = ±3V
  • ±3.5V Minimum Input CMR, VS = ±5V
  • Specifi ed at ±5V, Single 5V Supplies
  • Operating Temperature Range: –40°C to 85°C
  • Low Profi le (1mm) TSOT-23 (ThinSOT™) Package

The LT®1818/LT1819 are single/dual wide bandwidth, high
slew rate, low noise and distortion operational amplifi ers
with excellent DC performance. The LT1818/LT1819 have
been designed for wider bandwidth and slew rate, much
lower input offset voltage and lower noise and distortion
than devices with comparable supply current. The circuit
topology is a voltage feedback amplifi er with the excellent
slewing characteristics of a current feedback amplifi er

A real-time table tennis score keeper

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A real-time automatic table tennis score keeper by Pol, Frank, and Taylor from Cornell University, built as a final project:

The primary goal of this project is to use digital signal processing on a video feed to track a ping-pong ball in a game of table tennis. We propose that by tracking the movement of a ball, a processing system is able to maintain the state of the game, and determine the score in real time with no direct user input. This allows players to focus on their performance, without breaking the flow of the game to recall the score, or determine who should be serving.
The system that we have designed uses this type of ball tracking and understanding of gamestate, and superimposes the score of the game on top of a video stream of the game in action, so players can easily see it while playing. Additionally, it provides an indication to players of who should be serving, and provides audio feedback for certain states of gameplay– such as scoring or serving– to provide an augmented table tennis experience.

Via the contact form.

Check out the video after the break. Continue reading “A real-time table tennis score keeper”

ESP8266 WiFi touch screen thermostat

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An instructables on how to build WiFi touch screen thermostat by EasyIoT:

In this tutorial we will show how to build WiFi controlled thermostat with ESP8266, Arduino and touch screen display. Thermostat will also show other info, like weather forecast and temperature outside. Total cost for thermostat is about 40EUR, which is price for basic commercial thermostat in shop.
Basic features:

  • 6 modes – Auto, Off, LOLO, LO, HI, HIHI
  • Touch screen
  • WiFi connected
  • Four set temperatures (LOLO, LO, HI, HIHI) and weekly schedule
  • Time display
  • Additional data display – temperature in other room, air pressure and weather forecast

Project info at iot-playground.com.

Check out the video after the break. Continue reading “ESP8266 WiFi touch screen thermostat”

Free PCB coupon via Facebook to 2 random commenters

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Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. This post was announced on Facebook, and on Monday we’ll send coupon codes to two random commenters.  The coupon code usually go to Facebook ‘Other’ Messages Folder .  More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday. Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times every week:

Continue reading “Free PCB coupon via Facebook to 2 random commenters”

Universal soldering controller

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sparkybg shared his universal soldering controller in the project log forum:

The intention was to build the most universal soldering controller I can think of. It can drive any low voltage (upto 24V) iron with thermocouple or resistive sensor, in series with the heater, or separate.
Here is a short list of features:
– power: 9-28V, AC or DC
– 2 separate heater control channels
– 2 independent sensor inputs
– current source on any sensor input 3uA – 12mA, wuth 2 bands (x1, x16) and 256 steps per band
– flexible differential amplifier input selection
– amplifier gain from 0 to 750 in 256 steps
– negative offset selection in 1024 steps
– resistive instrument identification (upto 625 different instruments can be identified by 2 resistors on the connector)
– polynomial floating point voltage/resistance to temperature calculation
– wave shaping to filter out the inductive peaks from series sensor signal
– PID control with power limit
– isolated USB port for firmware updates and live data
– 128×64 OLED display with rich user interface.

Via the forum.

ESP8266 Breadboard adapter

ESP-Breakout

Baoshi of DigitalMe wrote an article detailing his ESP8266 (ESP-07/12) Full I/O Breadboard adapter, that is available at Github:

The rise of the ESP8266 WiFi chip was almost overnight with Espressif’s open approach and pushing from Hackaday. While no ground-breaking product has yet emerged, the development on the chip are phenomenon. However due to an unknown reason the ESP8266 modules manufacture seems to prefer non-standard 2.0mm pitch connector, which gives a lot of headache to breadboarding lovers like me. This forced me to make a breadboard friendly ESP8266 breakout board.
The modules I’m targeting are ESP-07 and ESP-12, both having identical pinout but only differ in antenna type. I choose these two because they have all the I/O available, and using same edge castellation (half vias) connectors which is easy to work with.

Project info at DigitalMe site.  It’s also up on Tindie.