Tuesday, May 14th, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_q_Tg0ZiSI&[/embed] This week we are visiting the Bay Area Maker Faire, so here is a video to explain how we prepare for Maker Faires. You can also check out our Maker Faire tips post, or the wiki version. We'll have regular updates form the Faire on our blog, and Twitter...Tags: Bay Area Maker Faire 2013, Workshop Video
Posted in Maker Faire, Videos | 2 Comments »
Thursday, February 28th, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvI6s9dVdvU[/embed] This week we explain the process of loading reels into the inexpensive TM220A pick and place machine. We also share the stack of components we'll have permanently mounted on the machine.Tags: Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 8 Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxcYO0nuD8[/embed] Today we take a look at an inexpensive pick 'n' place machine found on the Chinese auction site Taobao for 22800RMB (about $3,600). A pick and place is a machine that puts electronic components onto a circuit board that has been coated with solder paste. To complete the prototype...Tags: pick and place, TM220A, TM240A, Workshop Video
Posted in tools, Videos | 90 Comments »
Thursday, February 14th, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIRLY3VNNVw[/embed] After you've dispensed solder paste it's time to reflow all that solder. This is where the reflow oven comes in. It seems like reflow hot plates are a more popular choice in most small shops because they're smaller, cheaper, and it's easier to monitor the reflow process. A reflow...Tags: infrared reflow oven, qinsi, qs-5100, reflow oven, tools, Workshop Video
Posted in tools, Videos | 23 Comments »
Thursday, February 7th, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3-y1RjxD1E[/embed] Without a doubt the solder paste dispenser is a cool tool. Compressed air hisses and solenoids crackle while precise amounts of solder paste extrude into beautiful droplets on a PCB. A few minutes with a paste dispenser saves $15-$25 (or more) on stencils, a life saver if you want...Tags: tools, Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 38 Comments »
Thursday, January 31st, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i_sLIvSaKw[/embed] Unboxing a shipment of tools we sent back from hua qiang bei electronics market in Shenzhen, China. We got a test rig which will help us standardize manufacture testing for our boards. We got two tools for solderpaste reflowing, one is a digitally controlled hot plate, and the other...Tags: shippment, tools, Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 11 Comments »
Thursday, January 17th, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOaHGS69Xsg[/embed] This week some musing over a Bus Pirate educational/learning kit, and we received the PCBs for the VFD tube module of the Nixie Tube thing. ARDX is an extremely popular electronics learning kit based on the Arduino. It has an Arduino, breadboard, motors, servos, ICs, and jumper wires. Enough...Tags: Bus Pirate, Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 29 Comments »
Thursday, January 10th, 2013
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBMxaaYItMU[/embed] Teardown of a fake USB flash drive from India and a USB charger from China. A look at the new xQFP protoboard v2 PCB, and a new filing system for free PCBs. We've been doing workshop videos for more than a year now, so we look back on the...Tags: Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 16 Comments »
Thursday, December 27th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoiIup5gnno[/embed] Akiba at FreakLabs brings wireless tech to the open hardware community. Recent geek credits include the Safecast radiation measurement project, and designing wireless EL wire controllers for Wrecking Crew Orchestra. You also saw him in our tour of Akihabara parts market last year. Recently he welcomed us into his...Tags: Prototypes, Tokyo, Workshop Video, workshop visit
Posted in Videos | 10 Comments »
Thursday, December 13th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BncntLpdiAw[/embed] Tayken, from the forum and the Akihabara video, takes us on a tour of Tokyo Hackerspace's new location. The shop was in a frenzy preparing for the Tokyo Maker Faire during our filming.Tags: Tokyo Global Geek Tour 2012, Tokyo Hackerspace, Workshop Video
Posted in Global Geek, Hackerspace, Videos | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXJ0wWXyOus[/embed] Last week we met with Dimitri, designer of the Smartduino, in Shenzhen, China. Dimitri is a 6 year veteran of the Huaqiangbei electronics wholesale market. He first arrived 6 years ago, and quickly opened his own stand because it seemed like the best way to make deals in the...Tags: Huaqiangbei, smARtDUINO, Workshop Video
Posted in Global Geek, Videos | 27 Comments »
Thursday, November 15th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJMb5aavF1o[/embed] Our Global Geek Tour of India ends in Kochi where we visit India's largest open hardware manufacturer rhydoLABZ. Thushar takes us on a tour of the company's offices and production lines. rhydoLABZ started as distributors for SparkFun and Arduino, but now produce mostly their own custom open hardware designs....Tags: Global Geek Tour India 2012, Workshop Video
Posted in Global Geek, Videos | 12 Comments »
Thursday, November 1st, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BkVc8mVUmI[/embed] Sorry: the post went live before we finished the video...Should be working in a second. Originally we weren't going to tour Mumbai, but some scheduling issues left us there for an extra day. This gave us this amazing opportunity to visit Manish and Lamington Road electronics markets in Mumbai....Tags: India Global Geek Tour 2012, Workshop Video
Posted in Global Geek, Videos | 6 Comments »
Thursday, October 18th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2-NiBBzyIg[/embed] Bus Blaster v3 design overview, programming and self-test. We also thank Microchip for sending us 2 tubes of scratch 'n' dent 23LC1024 marked 23K1024. Read about the Bus Blaster v3 and how it came to be, below. Update: new video with correct sound mixing (more…)Tags: 23K1024, 23LC1024, Bus Blaster, JTAG, microchip, prototype, Workshop Video
Posted in Bus Blaster, Videos | 6 Comments »
Friday, October 5th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IzLiNJ4FJE[/embed] New York Global Geek Tour 2012 is presented in the video above. We follow our fearless leader as he finds his place in the Big Apple. There's food, toys, and geeks aplenty. The tour starts with the East Village food crawl. Watch a merry band of hackers battle good...Tags: New York, New York Global Geek Tour 2012, Workshop Video
Posted in Global Geek, Videos | 32 Comments »
Thursday, September 20th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX4WvRVXJjs[embed] We're getting ready for the Global Geek Tour of New York. For those of you who can't join us at the World Maker Faire, here's a quick logic analyzer demo using a single block of the Magnificent Nixie Thing we're tinkering with. Each nixie module has 2 tubes and...Tags: Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 19 Comments »
Thursday, September 13th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29tT2knWV7Y[embed] This week we try out the IN12 Nixie tube blocks we've been working on. They'll be on display in the new workshop studio and at Maker Faire New York. We also light up a mini VFD we scored in Akihabara in Tokyo last year. Sorry about the poor lighting,...Tags: high voltage, Nixie tube, VFD tube, Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 10 Comments »
Thursday, September 6th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwqXwFJwvMU[/embed] Today we visit Sjaak's workshop and talk about a USB 1.8″ TFT Backpack he's been working on, as well as some history behind the popular ATX Breakout Board. Sjaak describes the USB 1.8'' TFT Backpack which features: 1.8'' 160x128 pixel TFT, with 18bit color depth Micro SD card holder...Tags: USB 1.8" TFT Backpack, Workshop Video
Posted in Videos | 21 Comments »
Thursday, August 30th, 2012
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhQOzABOUuE[/embed] This workshop video is an absolute first run-through of our USB & Open Source presentation for the Open Hardware Summit 2012. All comments are off the cuff. The final presentation needs to be just under 10 minutes. Don't worry, there will be many changes: Explain the USB Implementers Forum...Tags: Open Hardware Summit 2012, Workshop Video
Posted in kit biz, open source, Videos | 21 Comments »
