Project Page

I have decided to move all my project from my hackaday to here as a change of scenery.  Should have realized that it is a wrong place for my projects.  This is a big move and it is going to take a while and lots of updates and tweaks.

I am a big believer in doing upfront work in my designs over quick and lazy hacks. My new site's name reflects that.  This is not your typical Instructable kind of site to be spoon-fed a step by step template to make the same exact widget that everyone else has.  I am trying to show my thought process on how I designed things.

It is hard to pick the difficulty level for projects.  If they weren't hard, they wouldn't be challenging enough to force myself to grow.  When they are too difficult, I sometimes get stuck on a few small things and loses interest.  However, they are not complete failures if you or I have learnt something from them.

Power Supply related pages:

Adjustable Power Supply Design:

• Adjustable Linear Bench Supply in 1k  0V - 10V with digital control using common discrete parts.
• Smart bench supply.html - a much upgrade version. Low priority work in progress. Long wait for Chinese parts

Power supply modules

• Discrete 3.3v buck converter - Reddit contest and follow up 10A sync buck design (not tested)
• Power supply modules - Various types of switch mode converters that I have used in my projects.

LED Driver

• 1. Discrete inverter for LED,
  2. IC Boost Converter Next Generation
• Charleplex Xmas Tree without uC - who needs a microcontroller?

ATX PSU

• DIY Mini-ITX Supply (12V Input) for my low spec Mini-ITX

Misc

• Modding type K thermometer to use AA - Switch cap converter
• Hello Sparky! - high voltage DC from disposable camera flash circuit

Microcontroller related pages:

ARM

• Misc ARM Projects
• STM32f030f4 quick reference
• Low cost VGA terminal module project - STM32F030
• Automatic audio source switching - STM32F030
• STM32F103 breakout board
• Portable STM32F103 - work in progress
• GDB-debugwire - Work in progress

STM8

• Misc 8-bit u projects
• STM8 Development Environment - Cosmic C bugs!
• Low cost kvm switch
• Single servo for propulsion and steering
• STM8 Timer, part 2, part 3
• STM8 LED Clock - part 1, Part2
• USB Meter Modding part 1, part 2, part 3

AVR

• Adjustable Linear Bench Supply in 1k
• HID Multimedia Dial

8051 core

• TUSB Blaster -  Obsoleted..
  Altera USB Blaster based on TI TUSB3410 with my USB stack, level translation

I/O

• 1. Using Rotary Encoder,  2.  Rotary encoder knob/case from junk

FPGA/CPLD related pages:

• XVCD rev2 - part 1 DMA SPI for generating JTAG signal (Work in progress)
• Cheap Xilinx Virtual Cable Alternative?
• TUSB Blaster - Obsoleted.. Altera USB Blaster based on TI TUSB3410.  Slow, better off getting a $3 clone

Work on accessibility:

• Project Swiftlet - Sonar for visually impaired (incomplete)

Miscellaneous:

Computer Mods

• Adding Tachometric output to cheap PC Fan,  Fixing rattling in cheap bushing fans
• Fixing Displayport to VGA adapter
• Impromptu Xbox 360 Controller Battery Charger hack
• Corsair 100R Hotswap style drive bay upgrade
• Adding serial console port to dockstar
• Low cost kvm switch - DIY USB/HDMI 1.4 KVM with off the shelf parts
• Sharp PC-1401 memory-mod  4kB to 10kB!  Back in the days, that was a lot of memory.
• Fixing cheap usb Ethernet dongles Don't rely on the isolation to save you even after the mod.
• Fixing my Weller WESD51 soldering iron - quality not found Replace the temperature control knob

Multimedia

• HID Multimedia Dial
• Automatic audio source switching

LED hacks

• Modding 220V LED for 110V - LED rectrofitting

Misc

• RTt5350 3g router firmware - Obsoleted.

Something blew

• Saving Mr Food Saver - Part 1, Saving Mr Food Saver - Part 2
• Superglue and baking soda trick for fixing small parts
• (Unsuccessful) Resetting EEEPC Li-ion battery pack
• Fixing my scope - It has been 3 years now, so I guess this fix works.

Preparedness/Zombie Apocalypse

• Making a kerosene burner in the dark
• Cooking with candles
• Emergency Backup Power and Wallwarts Eliminator
• Urban window garden

Wacky hacks

• Single servo for propulsion and steering - Not the most graceful.  Do more for less.

Basic tricks:

SMT Assembly

• SMT Assembly on the cheap - This is part of the common assembly instruction for my projects
• Some like it hot - Hot air rework tool - One soldering tool to rule them all

PCB

• Masks and other useful tricks in Eagle

Circuit Ideas

• Bootstrapping old comparators for rail to rail

Scope/test equipment

• Scope Probe Ground Spring - A must have for doing any serious measurement on a scope.
• Home made press fit programming connector - Reusable programming connector
• Dual row header plug for prototyping
• 1. Component Tester, 2. Component Tester - alternative boost circuit
• USB Meter Modding part 1, part 2, part 3

Opinions:

Canada Post sux (TM) - one reason why trying to do small business here in Canada isn't going to work.
Canada Post sux (TM) - not the first time they try to fold/squeeze packages 

Martial Arts - It's All About The Basics - The first 3 paragraph applies to hardware design as well.  If you are only bother to learn the flashy stuff without basics, then you can't be a good designer.

Links:

• Useful links
• My github:https://github.com/FPGA-Computer