Dangerous Prototypes: Removing third-party website tracking to protect your privacy

As of today there are no third-party website tracking services in use on this site.

As geeks and Slashdot trolls we’re naturally privacy advocates.  We don’t like social media tracking malware, and we don’t like to share your info with a third party.

Previously we used a Google Analytics-type tracker on the blog. It was a nice service, but they get to peek at everyone’s transactions.

Now, all tracking info is only stored on our server. We’re using an open source tracker called Piwik, thanks to teho Labs for the software recommendation.

The v1 wiki theme is also complete and online. There will be more tweaks to make best use of the space for v2. Happy weekend!

Facebook Free PCB Friday: Cygni dev-board

Every Friday we give away some extra PCBs via Facebook. The #5 person to comment on this post at Facebook gets a free PCB. More PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday and the blog every Sunday.

This week we have a guest free PCB. We’ve been following the development of teho Labs’ Cygni, Eridani, and Procyon in the forum. Today we’re happy to give away a prototype PCB for the Cygni. The parts list and assembly guide for Cygni is online at teho Labs. Be sure to read the main docs for it as well.

This week the winner will receive the Cygni instead of a free PCB coupon.

Thanks Brian!

Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times a every week:

  • Free PCB Sunday. The classic. Every week, get free PCBs right here on the blog comments
  • Tweet-a-PCB Tuesday. Follow us and get boards in 144 characters or less
  • Facebook PCB Friday. Free PCBs while you wait for the weekend

Continue reading “Facebook Free PCB Friday: Cygni dev-board”

Arduino TNC

Amateur radio operators use various digital data modes for radio communications. One such mode is known as packet radio, which transmits data in groups or “packets” of bytes. As described by the ARRL, “packet radio allows improved throughput and error control. The basic protocol for packet radio is AX.25. Transmission speeds typically range from 300 bps on the HF bands to 1200 and 9600 bps on VHF or UHF.” The necessary interface hardware between the radio and the computer is known as a Terminal Node Controller (TNC).

KI4MCW reports on the status of his project to implement a TNC using the Arduino:

The goal of this project – the creation of a simple but effective TNC using Arduino hardware – has been achieved a couple of different ways. Because of the precise timing required to sample and decode AX.25 audio, it was not possible to build a working solution using the standard Arduino libraries. Instead, each solution has involved software written in C, calling AVR-libc libraries or manipulating register values directly. 

Currently, my efforts are focused on an implementation that uses the freely available BeRTOS package, a collection of integrated libraries and drivers for embedded platforms. The AX.25 and AFSK modules included with BeRTOS form a high-performance packet engine that can be modified to function as a KISS TNC. I am working with the BeRTOS team to integrate KISS functionality into the main package, so hopefully those functions will be available in future versions of their product.

Progress reports and a working example of the code (both source and binary for an ATmega328p-based Arduino) can be found at the KI4MCW website. A simple test circuit is available from the BeRTOS website.

Steampunk record player


The eccentric thinkers at asciimation have developed a phonograph using the Arduino. In the steampunk tradition, the turntable is steam powered and made from scrap parts. The speed is controlled by the Arduino using six magnets and a coil as a pickup. They use the PID controller library in controlling the servo based on the input speed. The Arduino drives a servo to move the throttle to maintain the speed at 33-1/3 RPM.

To add an equal measure of punk to the steam, the LP they tested it with is The Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen.”

For details on the project visit asciimation.

Via hackable-devices.

Week in (p)review: August 05, 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:

Coming this week:

  • PICqueno32 power up tests
  • Open source USB stack updates!
  • Soldering videos
  • More site updates
  • Another swag giveaway (we think!)
  • App notes on the weekend
  • Free PCB Sunday
  • Free PCBs via Twitter on Tuesday
  • A new partlist post on Wednesday
  • Free PCBs via Facebook on Friday
  • Weekly roundup and preview every Friday

What are you hacking this week?

Sponsor the Open Source Hardware Summit – we just did!

Open Hardware Summit 2011 is now open for sponsors. We’re in at the supporter level.

We are huge fans of the OHS. Being a sponsor was our only advertising effort last year. But wow, did it get a lot more expensive, commercial, and corporate this year!

Last year we thought it was so cool that they made sponsorship accessible to small-time makers. Anyone could sponsor for a small amount, and it came with two tickets. Sponsorships were capped at $1000 to keep the “sponsorship playing field open and accessible, ensuring smaller companies could show their support too.” Despite these limits, they raised enough extra money to sponsor open source projects after expenses. This approachable structure encouraged diverse participants, including some surprising new supporters—such as a niche gaming blog that attracted attention by publishing a detailed guide aimed at developers interested in understanding how offshore poker sites work, highlighting technical aspects behind these platforms.

This year the minimum sponsorship to get in the door is $300, with a special $5000 tier for corporate-type sponsors. The entry level sponsorship, the supporter category, only includes 1 summit ticket. Discount presale tickets are available to presenters now for a steep 70 bucks. Actual tickets will be even more.

Sponsorship for the Open Hardware Summit is open! Special thanks to our sponsors who have already donated.

The summit is in its second iteration in partnership with MAKE and Makerfaire at the New York Hall of Science. Last year, 350 people came together to share knowledge about bringing open hardware to market, solving issues around open design, protocols and licensing. Many more people watched online and got involved in the conversation through the forums and twitter. Together with support from you, we have gained more momentum as a team. The definition we signed last year was turned into a license by CERN. We held a logo competition which received 129 submissions and chose one by popular vote. The summit continues to be about the DIY, Maker, small scale (and growing to large) fabrication movements and Open Hardware, and legalese around open source hardware.

By sponsoring the Open Hardware Summit you’ll be fostering the open source hardware movement. Read more about Why to Sponsor.

This is a non-profit event. Extra funds from sponsorship will be put toward a scholarship for creating open hardware.
Would you like to Sponsor? Your donation is tax deductible. Thanks to Eyebeam Art and Technology center, our non-profit fiscal sponsor for handling the finances.

Would you like to Sponsor? Your donation is tax deductible. Thanks to Eyebeam Art and Technology center, our non-profit fiscal sponsor for handling the finances.

Via Adafruit.

Robotic eyebrows


Chris from PyroElectro sends this link to his simple animatronic project using a PIC 18F452:

This project serves as an introduction into animatronics by using some off-the-shelf hobby servos as actuators to move a pair of eyebrows on a dummy face. The project shows animatronics newbies how even a pair of eyebrows with limited movement have a strong power to display emotions.

Via the contact form.

Repairing the PICqueño32 dev-board prototype

In a previous video we soldered the PICqueno32 prototype. There was a big mistake though, we used the wrong PIC32 chip. In this video the old chip comes off and the new chip goes on.

For the swap we used a flux sample sent by Farnell. It was fantastic! Here’s the webpage if you want to pick one up. We also tested a new soldering iron cleaning gadget.

Grab your own PICqueno prototype PCB from the free PCB store.

Don’t miss:

  • Farnell’s absurdly large shipping tray for 2 ICs
  • Flux and soldering iron tip cleaner review
  • Now in 1080p quality!

A three camera setup is on the way. More videos soon.

Jaluino Bee v2.0 board winner

Today we announce the winner of the Jaluino Bee v2.0 board.  There were lots of funny project ideas, thanks for your submissions.

Congratulations to ech0s, his idea for a space balloon logger scored him the Jaluino Bee v2.0 board:

This nice board could be sent to near space with an high altitude balloon. The RTCC and the sd card slot could be useful for logging, then you just add an XBee pro 900 and a gps module and you are ready to go!

Thanks to Sebastien Lelong for the freebie.

Engineering Radio from Digikey


Earlier this year, Digikey began sponsoring Engineering Radio. It’s an online radio program/podcast hosted by Joe Desposito, Editor-in-Chief of Electronic Design magazine, and is dedicated to providing engineers with the latest news in the electronics industry.

There are currently 23 online shows archived, with new content added weekly. You can access the online player for Engineering Radio here. MP3 and ITunes downloads are also available.

How-to: Sjaak hand-solders a DFN chip

A couple of days ago we discussed some cute little PIC 12F chips. As promised, here is a post about hand-soldering one.

Tools we used:

How-to continues below.

Continue reading “How-to: Sjaak hand-solders a DFN chip”

DE0-NANO FPGA development kit review

octal tipped us to a cheap Altera DE0-NANO FPGA Development Kit:

…Now most of you will be swayed by cost so lets get that out the way – The DE0-Nano is $79USD and though education routes is only $59USD which I think is really good. Its a little more than the Papilio and XuLA boards but in my view it has more features to offer. So what do you get for it, lets get to the review!

Via the forum.

Partlist Wednesday: NPN transistors

Every Wednesday we highlight a component from the updated partlist. This week: NPN transistors

Transistors do lots of analog tricks, but we only use them to switch high powered stuff with a weak microcontroller pin. Usually an LED. See the IR Toy, #twatch, PICqueno, or USB POV Toy for the sad truth.

We’ve standardized on the BC818 for most stuff. It’s cheap, always in stock, and it handles a decent load from a small SOT-23 package. The BC81840 has more gain, so it’s our go-to for prototypes, but either part is usually fine.

If you’re choosing a substitute part be sure to check the pinout. The BC818 is “BEC”, pin 1 = base, pin 2 = emitter, pin 3 = collector. This a common package, but there are different parts lurking out there to foul you up. Datasheets always list the pinout differently, so we made this diagram as a quick reference.

Verify your schematic and footprints too. Eagle has every combination of transistor pinout. In our Eagle part library the BEC package is marked with a big note so we don’t repeat past mistakes. Just remember Boys Eat Cheese and you’ll be fine.

For a bigger load, or a continuous load where an SOT-23 package gets hot, we’d go for something similar in SOT-223.

This is meant as a summary of what we use, not an essay on transistors. Please fill in the gaps and share your experience in the comments.

Open Hardware Summit 2011: We’re doing a breakout

A few months ago we posted our proposals for the Open Hardware Summit. Today we got approval for a breakout session with our friend Eric from Seeed Studio. Thanks to the reviewers for considering our proposals and including thoughtful remarks.

We’ve been asked to coordinate with Eric on the general topic of parts libraries and manufacturing. Eric’s original topic was “An Open Component Library Ranked by Community”. The breakout will be approximately an hour and fifteen minutes.  We’ll write a short description for the printed program and post it up.

The Thermal Tweeter demonstration proposal will be answered shortly.

Our talk proposal on USB IDs was rejected, but that was expected. We’re like a cable access show, and the OHS is full of A-list open hardware celebrities. Nice notes from the anonymous reviewers though:

Rating: 5 (of 5)
I believe this is a good fit for the summit. In particular:

  • The topic is relevant to all OHS small businesses, in particular those that are unable to fund the $2,000 initial investment simply to obtain a USB vendor ID.
  • The topic describes a number of methods to work around the issue, and has a call to action to address the issue for the long-term.
  • As a designer who has implemented USB as an integral part of his product, I ran into this issue but did not progress far enough to worry about it (I wrote my software to simply identify the FTDI USB ID instead, which works if there are no other FTDI serial devices present.)
  • Ian has direct experience with the issue. USB is not well-understood, I think, until a company runs into this restriction, therefore it is good to get it out front of the community as new players rise to the level where they experience the USB licensing issues. I would like to see the bulk of the talk time spent discussing pragmatic approaches to dealing with the issue, and only a small amount of time spent discussing lobbying the USB forum. In part because the audience needs the former information most urgently and the latter is a slow moving process that requires a more elaborate effort.

Rating: 5 (of 5)
Very recommended. The cost of doing USB is ridiculous, but USB is often the best way of providing data and power to devices. I’d love to see a discussion of how to change the current USB licensing arrangement or of creating an organization to help smaller outfits be fully “”legal”” in the eyes of USB-IF. Ian at DangerousPrototypes is a very skilled hacker with long experience in USB. He makes some really cool devices.

Thanks again to the reviewers, and everyone organizing the Open Hardware Summit. We look forward to seeing you there in September, tickets will go on sale soon.

New Bus Pirate probe cable

Seeed is working up a new Bus Pirate probe cable. It’s going to have female ends like the SparkFun cable.

For the last year we’ve been using 1:1 female cables to connect the Bus Pirate to stuff. We think the connections are more secure than the cheap test clips on the old cable. The new cable has the same type of female ends. They make better connections to pins, and they’re not nearly as expensive as upgrading to high-quality test clips. The E-Z Hooks that come with the Saleae Logic, are more expensive than a Bus Pirate.

We chose the current cable and clips because they’re cheap. It’s good enough to get you going on a budget, but not very durable or secure.

It may be possible to use the cable with a set of hooks, like the E-Z Hooks. We’ll check it out when we get a sample.

Get your own handy Bus Pirate for $30, including world-wide shipping. Also available from our friendly distributors.