Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast

StephenMidi WoesAtleast the Teensy is fastParkerDAC testing updateInteresting results looking at the spectrum analysis of the DACsFilm caps suppress harmonics better but let more low end frequency through"Audio" grade parts have a higher response over the frequency bandAll the DAC load outs have a flat frequency responseBlind testing resulted in listeners picking the cheaper passive load out for the DAC saying it sounded more "spacious"/"open"/"dynamic" compared to the film caps.Rapid Fire Opinion R.F.O.Discrete Pong Project Goes Big, Adds a Player Two-player color Pong game with audio completely from discrete componentsEEVBlog build threadStealth Winners of the new iPhoneX PCB SandwichmSAP modified semi-additive processes for PCB assemblyCan get traces down to .6 to .4milsPDF with good diagrams on how mSAP worksIs coding required for Electrical Engineering? Get on our Slack channel and join the conversation!Tags: Coding in Electrical Engineering, electronics podcast, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, MIDI, mSAP, PCB Sandwich, PCM5122, Podcast, Pong, Teensy

21 Helmi 201859min

StephenMelted Solid State Relay in electric brewery setup "Finally gave up the smoke"New SSR is rated for 40AInstalled a blower fan on the heatsink for extra protectionGFCI Breakers Monitors current on both legs of the circuit and makes sure they are within 5mA of each otherParker is going to use a SPA 240V 50A GFCI setup for his brewery setupParkerDAC board update PCM5122 based DAC designSame chip as what is on the HiFiberry DAC+Had to change out the in series resistors from 1K Ohm to 27 Ohm resistors to get the communication to workDigital Logic Analyzer Verse OscilloscopeSoldering Iron ownership historyR.F.O.PCM2912A USB microphone chip USB Interface, Mono Microphone Input and Stereo Headphone OutputFound in a Datasheet for LAN9514 pg 15When disabling port power, the driver will actively drive a ‘0’The BenHeck show is losing its hostAdventures in Autorouting/r/electronics threadIt is definitely written by a software personThey do not take in account RF noise, stability, power return and ground loops“Imagine today’s standard 4 layer boards routinely being fit into 2 layers without any human effort.”Tags: electronics podcast, GFCI Breakers, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, PCM2912A, PCM5122, Podcast

14 Helmi 20181h 1min

John TeelFounder of Predictable Designs, a company which helps startups, makers, and small companies develop new electronic productsAn award-winning design engineer for Texas Instruments (TI) where John designed numerous successful microchips which are found inside millions of popular tech productsPredictable Designs Making product development process as predictable as possiblePredicting the pitfalls and costs, with a focus on the initial stages of product developmentCommon questions people ask How much will it cost to develop and manufacture my electronics product?How long will it take to get my product on the market?I don't have tons of money, so how can I get my product to market?I don't have any product development experience, so how can I get my product to market?Common mistakes made by new hardware entrepreneurs Underestimating the complexity and time to develop a manufacturable productScalability of a product from prototype to mass production.Jumping head first into full product design without an understanding of the steps and costs that lie aheadOver focus on product development without enough early focus on marketingTags: electronics podcast, John Teel, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, Podcast, Predictable Designs

7 Helmi 201843min

StephenCommunity Dice Matt Parker - Standup Maths ThingiverseShapeways What’s the highest frequency signal a home gamer can generate? (square and sin waves?)ParkerNew Engineering Article 3 Steps to Planning Parts Selection for Your Next Electronic Hardware ProductRaspberry Pi Compute Module Motherboard Continuation from the Compute Module board from last yearAdded the PCM5122 audio DACLearning about USB HUB design TUSB2046BTPS2044 for overcurrent protection Only rated for 500mAUSB spec says only 120uF cap per hub required but 100uF per port is recommended with low ESRUSB DM/DP signals require around 27 ohm termination resistorsOptional filter of 22pF recommended for EMI suppressionThis creates a “low pass” filter with a cut off of 267.9 MHz 12M bit/sec full Speed USB 12MHz, well under this cut offRapid Fire Opinion (R.F.O.)Mouser now Authorized Distributor for EspressifThey make the ESP8266 Wifi stuffFPGA Dev boards Arrows $30 FPGA BoardAltera MAX 10Built in USB programmingTinyFPGA Lattice$12  but requires a $9 programmerMacroFab is Hiring!Apply hereTags: electronics podcast, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, MOSFET, Podcast, TinyFPGA

31 Tammi 201835min

StephenPCB Design - Hexa Precision Converts MIDI codes to constant voltageWhat about using constant current to control functions and signals?Teensy 3.6Pro-Level BreadboardParkerPCM5122 I2S Audio DAC Prototyped with a PiFi DAC+ v2.0SMT film caps are hard to find for lead free reflow tempsECH-U1C222JX53 Different Versions Cost difference of $5 per unit in QTYWima capacitorsPinHeck REV8 Prototypes being builtFuture of the Pinheck Platform?Rapid Fire Opinion (R.F.O.)PT8A2514AToaster ControllerHas Defrost, Reheat and BAGEL functionIf you could have a chip that does a specific function what would you pick? Stephen: “Nothing super magical, like a bagel function”“Microwave with butter softening function”MacroFab is Hiring!Apply hereTags: Bagel Function, ECH-U1C222JX5, electronics podcast, Hexa Precision, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, PCM5122, PiFi DAC+, PinHeck REV8, Podcast, PT8A2514A, Teensy 3.6, Wima

24 Tammi 201849min

Derek BrodeurApplications engineer involved in writing control software for atmospheric and vacuum robotics used in the semiconductor robotics industryRuns a YouTube channel called "The Current Source" where the primary focus is around electronicsWhat made you want to go start a Youtube channel?Favorite old Project that you have completed? Most difficult video was the Doppler ShiftSERs and PIN DiodesProjects that you are currently working on David Kronstein is letting Derek borrow one of his high speed Chronos cameras, so Derek is going to use an High Voltage capacitor and giant SCR to fry some electronic components and hopefully get some good footageContact bounce in high speed using the camera (and ways to mitigate bounce)16-bit flip dot array for demonstrations (instead of boring LEDs)Build a TEM cell from aluminum scrapTags: Derek Brodeur, electronics podcast, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, PIN Diodes, Podcast, TEM Cell, The Current Source, YouTube

15 Tammi 201842min

StephenAlternative uses for assembly layers Assembly, document, and mechanical layers“It’s a way for us electrical engineers to feel like a mechanical engineer”ParkerHackADay IO talkFriday, January 12, 2018 12:00 pm PST“The moment they invent smell-o-vision, this podcast would be done”MEP101 DSO138 Update STM32F103Widely clonedIf your cocktail of silicone is a little off, you’ll be okaySilicon actually change as the year goes around (according to a professor of stephen) “The chip just decides only to run on saturdays”Legit STM32F103's are $2.36 in QTY Can get “questionably sourced “ units for under $1OctoPrintUse a Raspberry Pi to control your 3D printerYou can load gcode wirelessly up to the Pi with SSH tunnel on browserBest open source project parker has come acrossMonoprice Ultimate 3D printer Had to set up bod rate manuallyWebcam setup Printoid Access OctoPrint over the internetR.F.O.Dragonfly 2020 ProAdditive PCB printingGoogle shuts down its CES booth because it’s not waterproofPeople said it was one of the better booths thereVishay VOR High Performance Solid State RelaysLow turn-on current at 0.25 mA Does both AC and DC only400V 140mAWhat is the application to maximize this part?MacroFab Hiring!Apply hereTags: Assembly Layers, Dragonfly 2020 Pro, DSO138, electronics podcast, HackADay IO Talk, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MEP, OctoPrint, Podcast, Printoid, solid state relays, STM32F103, Vishay, VOR, Wet CES Google

10 Tammi 201849min

StephenDSO138 OscilloscopeComes as a kit (just through hole) but can be purchased assembledThe "true" version can be had for ~$30 Counterfeit versions exist for $4Open Source Firmware!Analog bandwidth: 0 - 200KHzSampling rate: 1Msps maxSensitivity: 10mV/Div - 5V/DivSensitivity error: < 5%Vertical resolution: 12-bitTimebase: 10us/Div - 500s/DivRecord length: 1024 pointsBuilt-in 1KHz/3.3V test signalWaveform frozen (HOLD) function available Save/recall waveformIn short - it’ll getcha through collegeParkerPinheck REV 8 is routed Finishing silkscreen after the podcastPlacing an order for prototypes this week!Switched from standard SD card to microSD cardNext board is the I2S Audio Amp TAS5755MWorking with the  TAS5755MEVM So far it kinda worksNeed to generate a clock for it?R.F.O.Making A Classic Chip From DiscretesMotorola MC1466 - voltage regulatorStephen has made opamps with Discretes before - that was a project we finished! MacroFab EP11Apple says sorryiPhone Batteries and PerformanceZapp from the Slack Channel asks "If my MCU has internal pullups on an IO why would they recommend additional pull up resistors externally?"MacroFab Hiring!Apply hereTags: Apple Says Sorry, donut transformers, DSO138, eagle autodesk, electronics podcast, MacroFab, macrofab engineering podcast, MC1466, MCU Pullups, MEP, miller capacitance, PinHeck REV8, Podcast, pull-up resistors, TAS5755M

4 Tammi 201834min