Logic Sniffer: Version 2.12a windows installer

The Gadget Factory has a new Logic Sniffer upgrader that streamlines the install and upgrade process:

  • Installs the original Sump Java client and Jawi’s excellent alternative Logic Sniffer client.
  • Automatically installs the Windows Device Drivers for the OLS.
  • Places shortcuts on the Start Menu to Documentation, User Guide, and Tutorial Videos.
  • Includes a menu based OLS upgrader that streamlines the upgrade process.

You can order the Logic Sniffer at Seeed Studio for $45, including worldwide shipping. Seeed now has probe cables for $6 each.

Button debounce code

Push buttons don’t give a clean on/off signal to a microcontroller. The value bounces around a little, which can cause a program to see a whole string of button presses instead of one.

There are lots of techniques to clean up the signal and ‘debounce’ the button, both in hardware and software. Hack a Day gathered examples of debounce code in one-post-to-rule-them-all.

These came in handy when we added support for the function button on Bus Pirate v4.

Bus Pirate v4 prototype

This is the first complete working prototype of the Bus Pirate v4. The final header will be shrouded.

In a related development, McZ tipped us to the PicPack open source PIC USB virtual serial firmware. It could be just the thing we need for the Bus Pirate v4 (and the Infrared Toy and Logic Sniffer). We’ll write a test-app that you can try on your IR Toy, look for that tomorrow.

Follow Bus Pirate v4 testing and progress in the development thread.

The Bus Pirate v4 is still in development, but you can get a Bus Pirate v3b for $30, including world-wide shipping. Also available from our friendly distributors Adafruit and Open Source Control Systems. Each purchase supports further development of this open source project.

Free PCB Sunday: Bus Blaster

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 is the first version of the Bus Blaster JTAG programmer. It’s been power-up tested and the FT2232 enumerates on the PC. One of the buffer footprints has mask over pads, so you’ll have to scrape it away before soldering. We have two extra PCBs to give away this week, just ask for one in the comments.

Continue reading “Free PCB Sunday: Bus Blaster”

Christmas postal delays from China

Get your orders in now if you want Christmas gifts from Seeed Studio. The holidays are really busy for Hongkong Post, and mail from China can take up to 7 additional days.

That means your orders from Seeed Studio will not get on the plane as quick as before.You will have to wait 3 – 5 more days to see your tracking info available on Hongkongpost.com. On the airport side, your parcel might held there for another 2 days due to the lack of cargo space. All above reasons will cause about 7 days delay on delivery of your orders.

Bus Pirate on the iPhone

Bus Pirate hacking from a hacked iPhone:

Ok so theres a couple of caveats…

First, this was done with a v2go, this BP has the serial connection broken out to three pads, easy to connect to.  No 5V in pad though, bummer.

Second, you need a level shifter, the phone is 3.3V TTL, the BP is 5V, you don’t want to fry your phone do you?

Third, the phone doesn’t look like it supplies enough juice to run the BP as well.  The phone has 3.3V out, run through a 5V DC-Dc converter it at first appears to be enough, but its not quite.  I used a bench supply to get the 5V I needed.  The USB plug is just there to get the 5V into the BP without soldering directly to the board.  May have to look more into it

Forth, the phone obviously has to be jail broken to get the terminal.

I can confirm this works on my ipad as well. This is the same basic idea as the iphone serial port hack, just done specifically for the BP.

No need for the level shifter. The connection between the Bus Pirate and FT232 USB->serial chip runs at 3.3volts too.

You can get your own handy Bus Pirate for $30, including world-wide shipping. Also available from our friendly distributors Adafruit and Open Source Control Systems.

Via the forum.

USB IR Toy prototype testing

Testing a USB IR Toy update, the infrared light is visible to the camera.

This design uses three LEDs. Two 50degree wide-angle LEDs on the side, and a 25 degree narrow beam LED in the center.

Total current is 100mA, could be pushed to 200mA. Using 3 LEDs let us use a smaller current limiting resistor.

What do you want? One LED or three? Vote in the poll.

Follow our progress in the development thread.

Continue reading “USB IR Toy prototype testing”

USB POV Toy: miniscope v3

We wanted an easy way to see the accelerometer data from the USB POV Toy. We made a simple firmware that works with the miniscope v3 oscilloscope program. Instead of sending voltage readings, it sends the accelerometer data from one axis. This screenshot shows the change in readings while we wave the POV Toy back and forth.

The accelerometer has a mode that generates an interrupt when a threshold measurement is reached. If we reset the POV drawing each on each interrupt is should be possible to sync with the waving speed using minimal power.

Follow our testing and progress in the development thread.

Hack the IM-ME and extract the sprites

Joby used the Bus Pirate SPI sniffer to extra zombie graphics from an IM-ME.

Yesterday, Travis Goodspeed wrote a good post about bitmapped sprites on the IM-me.

As a teaser of his upcoming ZombieGotcha game, he released a binary for a demo and challenged people to extract the images and recreate the startup animation.

And I can’t resist a challenge…

The SPI Sniffer needs some updates. This summer we modded it for maximum speed, but that introduced some glitches in chip select detection. Look for an update soon.

Via Hack a Day.

You can get your own handy Bus Pirate for $30, including world-wide shipping. Also available from our friendly distributors Adafruit and Open Source Control Systems. Each purchase supports further development of this open source project.

USB POV Toy: Soldered prototype

Here’s the soldered prototype of the USB POV Toy.  The first power up exploded a backwards tantalum capacitor with an impressive spark, but after that was sorted everything seems to be ok.

The tiny MMA7455L accelerometer took a few tries to solder, but now we can access it with the Bus Pirate using I2C or SPI. More testing to follow.

Follow our testing and progress in the development thread.