PIC-plot now goes to USB! A perfect low cost solution to quickly get screen plots of your GPIB instrument on your laptop PC without complex software. It emulates the HP7470A operation on the GPIB side, and outputs the HP-GL data at the USB port to be read and stored on the PC by any capturing software. GPIB addresses and other set-and-forget parameters can be configured by a simple Setup menu, then no Dip-switches are used. Power is taken from the USB port to simplify cabling and get rid of a DC adaptor. The operation of this interface is not just limited to digital plotter emulation: any data intended to be received by a GPIB Device (addressable or listener only) can be captured from the instrument and brought out to the USB port, including raw measurement arrays or rasterized data for a graphic printer. It is based on a PIC16F628 microcontroller and an FT232R chip. PCB size is just 57x64mm.[source]
I want to build high quality preamplifier with built-in DAC from SPDIF or USB for my power amplifier Leachamp. I tried to design DAC from USB with this circuit on one-sided PCB and I was successful.
Schematics is from datasheet of PCM2902. Circuit includes DAC and ADC, SPDIF output and input and HID part with 3 buttons for MUTE, VOL+ and VOL-. I used only DAC part. Other parts are not used. For high quality playback is needed to use external low-drop voltage stabiliser for DAC part. I used LP2951CM which was available at local store. Output voltage is set to about 3.7V with two resistors. Circuit board is designed regarding to good ground placement and separating of analog and digital ground. These ground are connected in one point at USB connector.
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If you want to build non Contact Thermometer, you can try to use MLX90614. It will reduce your electronic project complexity. Outputs of this module is continuous data flow with an active alarm running in the background, 16-bit digital temperature output data that ranging from -70 °C to 380 °C and Serial data (Auto-baud detection (2400, 4800, 9600, 19.2K, 38.4K)) for microcontroller-to-MLX90614 communications.
tags: Electonic Module, Infrared Thermometer (src)
We can build ourselves Lux meter using electronic components. At the detection of light we use photo diode. However, there is a difference between the spectra simple answer photo diode silicon and the naked eye, it can not be used for lux meter. Some photo diodes for lighting have a sensor compensation color filter on the window to correct its response spectra.
In this project, Photo-diode current results light that is well proportional to the light input power when used in short fashion. In this lux meters, the output current is converted into a voltage converter with an IV, he is caught by a micrcontroller AVR and displayed in terms of lux. The ppamp U1 in the circuit diagram that acts IV conversion circuit and its conversion becomes 50mV / μ A, in accordance with a record of comments R5. The capacitor C5 is to obtain the correction, it cancels Ct of the photo diode (about 200 pF). In this case, greater capacity in May rather be 220 pF because the high frequency signal is not necessary. The lux meter is powered by a 9V battery.
Download schematic, document, firmware (zip) here
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The circuit makes possible to realize a small MIDI expander using an old ISA-BUS soundcard. This microcontroller project based on micro PIC18F4320. Emilio, project designer, has tested on 2 different cards, and it should work for any card ADLIB OPL3 compatible (the I/O address MUST be 0x388).
The software responds to MIDI commands on Channel 1. The sounds are generated by the FM synthesizer built in the soundcard. The power is derived from two low-cost wall transformers (see picture) with variable output, set to 9V (the output is close to 12V).
Download :
Source code and schematic
search term : Midi expander, ISA BUS, Microcontroller PIC project (src)
This project combines a GPS receiver module, a Microchip PIC microcontroller and a Secure Digital memory card to make a GPS data logger. With a large capacity and reasonably long battery life it is a very useful device for logging GPS position for example for mapping with OpenStreetMap.
The data from the GPS is logged every second with the raw NMEA sentences being written to the SD card. The data written to the card is the GSA, GGA, RMC and GSV sentences which by excluding the carriage returns this should never exceed 512 bytes per second. The data contains:
- GGA - 78 bytes - time, fix, lat, long, altitude, horizontal dilution of precision.
- GSA - 69 bytes - fix (none, 2D, 3D), satellites used, dilution of precision.
- RMC - 78 bytes - time, lat, long, speed, course, date.
- GSV - 74 bytes - satellite information (4 messages).
The total active power consumption is about 40mA to 45mA when active which in theory should give 48 hours on rechargeable batteries with 2000mAh capacity. In practice I have measured a time of 40 hours.
Download : schematic and source code
related serch : Microcontroller Circuit Project, GPS, SD Card, Data Logger, PIC (src)
John Peterson, project designer, said that the display is completely reconfigurable. If the pieces are left in the tray, the animation can be updated continuously over the Ethernet connection. If the tiles are removed from the tray, they’ll display the animation for several hours with their own re-chargeable battery power. Once the animation is synchronized and running on the tiles, user can pick them up and place them anywhere.
Download:
Project Documentation, Source Code and Schematic(zip)
tag : Display, LED, project, PIC, PIC24FJ64GA002, animation, puzzle
The MiniTron is a high end vacuum tube stereo amplifier with efficiency, distortion, and power output enhancements provided by some unique circuitry featuring a dsPIC30F2023 controller IC. The dsPIC is used in this project to create a tracking buck converter whose output voltage tracks the audio signal. The unique SMPS resources in these IC’s do most of the "hard stuff" usually required in an SMPS design, leaving ample processing power available for other activities.
These IC’s and the Avago galvanic isolators are truly the "enabling technology" for this project. The controller IC is also used to perform system health checks, and set the operating points of the individual vacuum tubes. This allows total system programmability, offering several possible preset operating modes.
© George Anderson
Download
Project Documentation
tag : Tube Stereo Amplifier, Audio, dsPIC projec
This dsPIC30F4011-based servo (position) controller receives commands via a CAN. If a DC motor does not have a rotary encoder, you can plug a contactless magnetic rotary encoder (CMRE) module into the board (via two SIL connectors) and provide (in a self-contained unit) rotary encoder and position control.
Mariano Lizarraga Fernandez, the designer, explains that the board in this project also fully configurable via a CAN network and no power-cycle is necessary for any change to take effect. The board has programmed PID controllers with selectable parameter from user. The controller gains, maximum and minimum pwm commands, and device ID are also configurable. All configuration values are stored in the dsPIC's EEPROM so once it is configured at the full contempt of the end-user, no more changes are required.
Download:
Project Documentation and Schematic (zip)
The project allow you streaming your radio broadcast wirelessly over internet. The wifi radio built using an Asus WL-520gu wireless router, an old USB audio headset, AVR ATmega8 and other part. If you are interested to build Wireless Streaming Radio, here is the requirement you need to prepare : Wireless connectivity through existing Wifi network; Audio output (preferably 44kHz, 16 bit stereo); Shoutcast/MP3 streaming audio decode; A display to indicate the station and currently playing song; An integrated amplifier and speaker(s); Several built in station presets; and Simple user interface, using standard radio controls (volume, tune, etc).
Gary Dion said that the radio can be controlled over Ethernet and also IR transmitter. The firmware in the project is written in C. You can download the source code here and router shell script. The project inspiration come from Jeff Keyzer.
This Humidor project was designed with a Peltier module and Sensirion SHT1X series sensors. The project built to keep cigars in perfect condition by maintain preferred level of moisture and keep the temperature around 70 degrees. The core of system is based on a microcontroller ATMEGA-16 programmed with BASCOM-AVR. The application is broken into two sections the Menu system that allows configuration of the desired humidity and temperature and what units for temperature you would like to use and display. The Hardware consists of an ATMEGA-16 controller, 7 Tip120 Transistors, 1 DPDT Relay, MC78T12 Regulator, LM7805 Regulator, a few passive components, a 16*2 lcd, and a few connectors.
Tag : Humidity Project, Temperature controller, AVR project source
This embedded automatic timed plant feeder system can regularly feed water to your plants for a specified amount of water and also be used as an alarm clock. The project contains the several major blocks: ATmega 323 based CPU system.
To display the time and system states, it use 24x2 LCD. A speaker is used for alarming and making sounds. While push buttons used to change the system states by user. A relay is used to control the AC of the water pump with a DC signal from the processor. For feed pattern, You can setting it up any time.
Tags: Plant feeder, Automatic, MCU project src
This small PIC based GPS logger used San Jose Navigation FV-M8 GPS module. It allow you to stores coordinates, altitude, and speed into an EEPROM. Then a Delphi based windows software converts EEPROM stored data into .kml (Google Earth format). The system equipped with MCU PIC 16F876 to control FV-M8 GPS module, EEPROM, and interfacing to PC. You can use this project for snowboarding, FPV flights, trial bike and hiking logger.
Download : hex (16F876) | Windows GPS Logger | Schematic (eagle)
Project description:
A universal remote is a common everyday household appliance. Used to do everything from TV/Video/Cable to ceiling fan control, this project is a extremely versatile product. We planned to have a 32-button remote that could replicate the IR characteristics of a VCR & TV remote control.
Link : Universal Remote using Microcontroller AVR AT90S8535
If you learn a music instrument, definetely you know about metronome. A metronome is a device musicians use to maintain tempo. It generates a clicking sound at a steady rate that is set the user. Traditional mechanical metronomes use a windup spring and a dual-pendulum arm to produce the clicks. Michael Kirkhart from U.S. has design Electronic metronomes that offer additional functionality, such as programmable beats per measure, measure counting, and distinctive sounds for the first beat of the measure. But the sound of electronic metronomes can be grating. The ATmega16 microcontroller-based AVR Electronic Metronome improves upon the commercial competition with a rich set of sophisticated features and tuneful digital sound options.Editorial by BizonLink : Abstrak | source
Project Description :
The easy-to-use ATmega32-based Automatic Egg Incubator facilitates the proper hatching of healthy birds. This idea implemented by Niyaz K. Zubair from India. Two digital thermometer chips serve as dry and wet electronic thermometers. The LCD shows the real-time status of the system, which rotates the eggs and monitors variables such as temperature, aeration, and humidity. This project got HONORABLE MENTION category in AVR 2004 Design Contest.
Editorial by Bizon
Link : Abstrak | Source
Project Description:
John Orlando and Brent Taylor from US has made a extradionary application based on AVR microcontroller that is The ATmega8 microcontroller-based AVRcam. It is a stand-alone image-processing engine that's well suited for robotics applications. The impressive AVRcam can track eight objects of eight different user-defined colors at 27 frames per second. The compact, low-power design provides a high-performance system that enables you to see your mobile robot's environment.
A user interface displays the following image information in real time: the number of currently tracked objects as well as the color, center point, and bounding box of each object. A PC-based application provides a platform to configure the system. In addition, the application allows you to take photographs with the AVRcam. No wonder if This Application won AVR 2004 Design Contest.
Link : Abstrak | Email | source
Steven Savage
from Us has winned AVR 2006 Design Contest held by circuit cellar.The well-designed ATtiny45-based ATir interface device offers a convenient cross platform solution to interface an IR remote control to type keyboard macros to a PC. In addition to the microcontroller (from Atmel), the compact system features an infrared receiver/demodulator and a few discreet components. The interface plugs into a PS2 keyboard port on the PC and accepts commands from the infrared remote. this extraordinary application only take cost $10.
Link : ATir AVR IR Keyboard Interface
