MaxiScan MS300 ODB II Reader Teardown
I bought an ODB II code reader to diagnose a check engine light problem of my car. The reader I got was an Autel MaxiScan MS300. This particular model is very popular as it is rather inexpensive, coming in at…
Driving 8-Bit Parallel DAC Using STM32F4-Discovery GPIO
I finally got some time to play with the STM32F4-Discovery board I received last year. As for any microcontrollers, learning how to manipulate GPIO pins is always a good place to get started.
Best Use of Cheap Webcams
A few of weeks ago, I wrote about a couple of cheap webcams I bought from Amazon. Since the focal lengths of those two seemingly identical webcams are different, I could not use them in stereo vision experiments as I…
The Dreaded “Cannot connect to ST-LINK!” Error Message
I got an STM32F4-Discovery board a while ago, but have not had much time to play with it. So the other day I decided to check out the GPIO functions to get myself familiarized with the board.
Code For MCP4821/MCP4822
Microchip‘s MCP4821/MCP4822 is a low budget 12-bit digital-to-analog converter. MCP4821 is the single channel version whereas MCP4822 has two channels that can be latched simultaneously. Both chips have internal band gap references and can be controlled via SPI.
Inoperative By Design
I recently bought two cheap webcams on Amazon and was planning to do some experiments with a dual webcam configuration. These cameras got pretty decent reviews and cost only a few dollars a piece, so I thought what could go…
MSP-EXP430G2 I2C Master Examples
Last week, I mentioned that in order for the I2C bus to function correctly when using the MSP430 Launchpad you might need to remove the jumper on P1.6. This is because P1.6 is the SCL pin and the connected LED…
MSP-EXP430G2 I2C Issue Resolved
I was experimenting with I2C using my TI MSP-EXP430G2 Launchpad and ran into some issues. For a while, I could not get the I2C host and slave to talk. After having verified the coding and the hardware setup, my suspicion…
Digital Metronome — Revisited
Last year, I wrote about a simple digital metronome project. While the device worked pretty well there are a few changes that are to be desired.
SchmartBoard — First Impressions
For a lot of electronics enthusiasts and DIYers, hand-soldering SMT components can be a great challenge. And given the trend of component miniaturization, a lot of ICs no longer come with DIP packaging. Soldering such small components by hand without…
Simple Zener Diode Tester
In this post I will show you a simple Zenner diode tester circuit, when coupled with a PWM generator it can be used to measure the breakdown voltage of Zener diodes. Or more generically, it can be used to measure…
Arduino Library For MCP342X
Last time, I discussed how to interface TI’s ADS1112 16-bit delta-sigma A/D converter with Arduino. Today I am going to introduce you to a set of easy-to-program A/D chips from Microchip. MCP3246/7/8 are a family of 16-bit Delta-Sigma A/D converters…
Interfacing ADS1112 With Arduino
ADS1112 is a 16-bit delta-sigma A/D converter. This A/D chip has an I2C interface, a 2.048V internal voltage reference and performs a self-calibration on each conversion. These characteristics make it very easy to work with an MCU such as ATmega328p.
Featured Engineer on EEWeb
I was interviewed by EEWeb a few weeks ago, and the interview is featured in today’s Featured Engineer column. In that interview, I touched upon many topics, from my background to the projects I that I have been working on.
5A Lab Power Supply With Digital Readout
I got a used 250VA power transformer that was removed from equipment a couple of weeks ago. The transformer has a dual 10V AC output and a few auxiliary voltage outputs. The 10V winding is rated at 10A, I thought…