Blog
Panelizing PCB & Assembly: prepping the boards… If you want to send out PCBs for manufacture you can save a lot of money by tiling them, here’s a nice walkthru of using the open source gerbmerge tool to tile your PCBs.. [via]
Panelizing PCB & Assembly: prepping the boards - [Link]
A cheap manual suction pen for handling SMD parts: [via]
Ah and wrt “suction pen” – I made the syringe with vacuum pump and it works but I don’t like it, I found then for 3.5$ a working device that does not require power and works like a charm
I strongly suggest everyone get one
Vacuum sucking pen for SMD parts – [Link]
NBitWonder built a class-D amplifier. [via]
Class-D amplifier is a highly efficient amplifier that operates its output devices as switches instead of as variable resistors. We posted a highly experimental version of this project last November, and it met with a surprising amount of positive feedback from the DIY community. Therefore, we developed it as a formal project
Class D amplifier assembled – [Link]
tinkeringetc.blogspot.com writes:
My first electronics project of the summer is now finished. Overall, it didn’t take me too long to complete, and I’m very pleased with the results. Watch this video overview and check after the break for all the juicy details.
Linksys LED Matrix – [Link]
dangerousprototypes.com writes:
effledger wrote this Instructable detailing his construction of a retro-style microcomputer using a Parallax Propeller Multicore Startup Special dev kit (any Propeller board should work), an RCA Ultimate TV IR keyboard, 38 kHz IR receiver module, resistor and micro SD card with adapter.
The result is a mockup of a retro computer on which you can write programs, play games and music just like back in the day. The Propeller runs Jeff’s PropDOS in EEPROM, and he promises to release many additional retro style programs to run on this machine.
Retro style microcomputer on Parallax Propeller - [Link]
viswesr writes: [via]
Cypress has a new USB 3.0 peripheral controller EZ-USB FX3 – CYUSB3014 with ARM926EJS core. It has an architecture which enables data transfers of 320 MBps from GPIF II (a 32bit Port) to USB 3.0 interface.This value includes protocol overheads. This is a promising device for Open Logic analyzers, DSOs and any data acquisition system based on USB 3.0 streaming interface. The associated promo video mentions about support of ARM GCC toolchain, ideal for Open Hardware project. With availability of PCIe USB 3.0 expansion cards costing just $22, we could easily use USB 3.0 devices.
The downside :
1) at present they are only sampling with FBGA footprint, might require 4 layer PCB
. 2) Require costly USB VID 3)No price info is available
USB 3.0 peripheral controller EZ-USB FX – [Link]
dangerousprototypes.com writes:
Siliconfish used to build IR cameras for a living, so he knows something about the effects light of various IR wavelengths can have on a camera. When his town installed photo cameras on the traffic lights, he decided to experiment with an array of IR LEDs mounted on a license plate frame to see what effect this would have on traffic light cameras. He presents his project details here for educational and research purposes only.
IR LED speed camera license plate blocker – [Link]
Micrel has announced the availability of the MIC4811 High Current 6 Channel Linear WLED Driver with DAM™ and Ultra Fast PWM™ Control.
The MIC4811/MIC4812 are high efficiency linear White LED (WLED) drivers designed to drive up to six high current WLEDs for signage lighting. The MIC4811/MIC4812 provide the highest possible efficiency at low source voltages as this architecture has no switching losses present in traditional charge pumps or inductive boost circuits. These linear drivers maintain constant current for up to six WLEDs and feature a typical dropout of 100mV at 50mA (MIC4811) and 190mV at 100mA (MIC4812).
The MIC4811/MIC4812 feature Dynamic Average Matching™ (DAM™) which is specifically designed to provide optimum matching across all WLEDs.
The datasheet and evaluation board schematic can be found on the Micrel website.
MIC4811: High Current 6 Channel Linear WLED Driver with DAM™ and Ultra Fast PWM™ Control - [Link]
MickM built flat cable to header converter adapters : [via]
I was using some character LCD displays and realised that the cables were impossible to plug into the displays that I actually had. My PCB was single row of 16, the LCD was 2×7, no backlight. So I made an adapter for it.
Flat cable to header converter adapters – [Link]
