Switching over to SMPS for Efficiency
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/switching-over-to-smps-for-efficiency/
[Hesam Moshiri] has built a variable switch-mode power supply over on hackaday.io. When prototyping a new circuit, often the goal is to get a proof-of-concept working as soon as possible to iron out all of the bugs it might have. The power supply can easily be an afterthought, and for …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/switching-over-to-smps-for-efficiency/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/switching-over-to-smps-for-efficiency/
[Hesam Moshiri] has built a variable switch-mode power supply over on hackaday.io. When prototyping a new circuit, often the goal is to get a proof-of-concept working as soon as possible to iron out all of the bugs it might have. The power supply can easily be an afterthought, and for …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/switching-over-to-smps-for-efficiency/)
NanoVNA is a $50 Vector Network Analyzer
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/nanovna-is-a-50-vector-network-analyzer/
There was a time when oscilloscopes were big and expensive. Now you can get scopes of various sizes and capabilities on nearly any budget. Vector network analyzers — VNAs — haven’t had quite the same proliferation, but NanoVNA may change that. [IMSAI Guy] bought one for about $50 and made …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/nanovna-is-a-50-vector-network-analyzer/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/nanovna-is-a-50-vector-network-analyzer/
There was a time when oscilloscopes were big and expensive. Now you can get scopes of various sizes and capabilities on nearly any budget. Vector network analyzers — VNAs — haven’t had quite the same proliferation, but NanoVNA may change that. [IMSAI Guy] bought one for about $50 and made …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/nanovna-is-a-50-vector-network-analyzer/)
ESP8266 Controls TiVo Over the Network
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/esp8266-controls-tivo-over-the-network/
Remember the TiVo? The set-top DVR that was once so popular of a hacking target that Hackaday had a dedicated subdomain for it has today largely faded into obscurity as time-shifted viewing has given way to Internet streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. But make no mistake, while the TiVo …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/esp8266-controls-tivo-over-the-network/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/esp8266-controls-tivo-over-the-network/
Remember the TiVo? The set-top DVR that was once so popular of a hacking target that Hackaday had a dedicated subdomain for it has today largely faded into obscurity as time-shifted viewing has given way to Internet streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. But make no mistake, while the TiVo …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/esp8266-controls-tivo-over-the-network/)
Hackaday Links: August 11, 2019
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/hackaday-links-august-11-2019/
By the time this goes to press, DEFCON 27 will pretty much be history. But badgelife continues, and it’d be nice to have a way of keeping track of all the badges offered. Martin Lebel stepped up to the challenge with a DEF CON 27 badgelife tracker. He’s been tracking …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/hackaday-links-august-11-2019/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/hackaday-links-august-11-2019/
By the time this goes to press, DEFCON 27 will pretty much be history. But badgelife continues, and it’d be nice to have a way of keeping track of all the badges offered. Martin Lebel stepped up to the challenge with a DEF CON 27 badgelife tracker. He’s been tracking …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/hackaday-links-august-11-2019/)
Bearing-reinforced Stepper Tackles Hefty Axial Loads
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/bearing-reinforced-stepper-tackles-hefty-axial-loads/
These days, it’s common among us hackers to load a stepper motor with forces in-line with their shaft–especially when we couple them to leadscrews or worm gears. Unfortunately, steppers aren’t really intended for this sort of loading, and doing so with high forces can destroy the motor. Fear not, though. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/bearing-reinforced-stepper-tackles-hefty-axial-loads/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/bearing-reinforced-stepper-tackles-hefty-axial-loads/
These days, it’s common among us hackers to load a stepper motor with forces in-line with their shaft–especially when we couple them to leadscrews or worm gears. Unfortunately, steppers aren’t really intended for this sort of loading, and doing so with high forces can destroy the motor. Fear not, though. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/bearing-reinforced-stepper-tackles-hefty-axial-loads/)
Fitness Trackers Don’t Have To Be Proprietary
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/fitness-trackers-dont-have-to-be-proprietary/
Fitness trackers have become a popular piece of consumer electronic equipment, with a range of models from a variety of manufacturers. Many of these commercial offerings, however, leave the consumer with the prospect of their data being drawn off to a cloud server and sold to the highest bidder, trading …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/fitness-trackers-dont-have-to-be-proprietary/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/fitness-trackers-dont-have-to-be-proprietary/
Fitness trackers have become a popular piece of consumer electronic equipment, with a range of models from a variety of manufacturers. Many of these commercial offerings, however, leave the consumer with the prospect of their data being drawn off to a cloud server and sold to the highest bidder, trading …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/11/fitness-trackers-dont-have-to-be-proprietary/)
An MSX With A Nintendo Controller
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/an-msx-with-a-nintendo-controller/
Console owners inhabit their own individual tribes depending upon their manufacturer of choice, and so often never the twain shall meet. But sometimes there are those what-if moments, could Mario have saved the princess more quickly through PlayStation buttons, or how would Sonic the Hedgehog have been with a Nintendo …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/an-msx-with-a-nintendo-controller/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/an-msx-with-a-nintendo-controller/
Console owners inhabit their own individual tribes depending upon their manufacturer of choice, and so often never the twain shall meet. But sometimes there are those what-if moments, could Mario have saved the princess more quickly through PlayStation buttons, or how would Sonic the Hedgehog have been with a Nintendo …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/an-msx-with-a-nintendo-controller/)
Latex Bellows from Scratch
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/latex-bellows-from-scratch/
You would be forgiven for thinking that the semi-spherical bulb [Len], from the Bellowphone channel, is holding is a toilet bowl float. It is a bellows of his design that is similar to the squeezable part of a bike horn but is more substantial and less irritating at six in …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/latex-bellows-from-scratch/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/latex-bellows-from-scratch/
You would be forgiven for thinking that the semi-spherical bulb [Len], from the Bellowphone channel, is holding is a toilet bowl float. It is a bellows of his design that is similar to the squeezable part of a bike horn but is more substantial and less irritating at six in …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/latex-bellows-from-scratch/)
What Happens to Tesla When the Sleeping Auto Giants Awake?
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/what-happens-to-tesla-when-the-sleeping-auto-giants-awake/
The history of automotive production is littered with the fallen badges of car companies that shone brightly but fell by the wayside in the face of competition from the industry’s giants. Whether you pine for an AMC, a Studebaker, or a Saab, it’s a Ford or a Honda you’ll be …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/what-happens-to-tesla-when-the-sleeping-auto-giants-awake/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/what-happens-to-tesla-when-the-sleeping-auto-giants-awake/
The history of automotive production is littered with the fallen badges of car companies that shone brightly but fell by the wayside in the face of competition from the industry’s giants. Whether you pine for an AMC, a Studebaker, or a Saab, it’s a Ford or a Honda you’ll be …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/what-happens-to-tesla-when-the-sleeping-auto-giants-awake/)
Locating Targets With Charm Courtesy Of A Life Size Portal Turret
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/locating-targets-with-charm-courtesy-of-a-life-size-portal-turret/
What better way to count down the last 7 weeks to a big hacker camp like SHA2017 than by embarking on a last-minute, frantic build? That was [Yvo]’s thought when he decided to make a life-sized version of the adorably lethal turrets from the Valve’s Portal video games. Since that …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/locating-targets-with-charm-courtesy-of-a-life-size-portal-turret/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/locating-targets-with-charm-courtesy-of-a-life-size-portal-turret/
What better way to count down the last 7 weeks to a big hacker camp like SHA2017 than by embarking on a last-minute, frantic build? That was [Yvo]’s thought when he decided to make a life-sized version of the adorably lethal turrets from the Valve’s Portal video games. Since that …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/locating-targets-with-charm-courtesy-of-a-life-size-portal-turret/)
Homemade Integrated Circuits Hack Chat
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/homemade-integrated-circuits-hack-chat/
Join us on Wednesday, August 14th at noon Pacific for the Homemade Integrated Circuits Hack Chat with Sam Zeloof!
While most of us are content to buy the chips we need to build our projects, there’s a small group of hackers more interested in making the chips themselves. What it …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/homemade-integrated-circuits-hack-chat/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/homemade-integrated-circuits-hack-chat/
Join us on Wednesday, August 14th at noon Pacific for the Homemade Integrated Circuits Hack Chat with Sam Zeloof!
While most of us are content to buy the chips we need to build our projects, there’s a small group of hackers more interested in making the chips themselves. What it …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/homemade-integrated-circuits-hack-chat/)
The Death of a Weather Satellite as Seen by SDR
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/the-death-of-a-weather-satellite-as-seen-by-sdr/
What is this world coming to when a weather satellite that was designed for a two-year mission starts to fail 21 years after launch? I mean, really — where’s the pride these days?
All kidding aside, it seems like NOAA-15, a satellite launched in 1998 to monitor surface temperatures and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/the-death-of-a-weather-satellite-as-seen-by-sdr/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/the-death-of-a-weather-satellite-as-seen-by-sdr/
What is this world coming to when a weather satellite that was designed for a two-year mission starts to fail 21 years after launch? I mean, really — where’s the pride these days?
All kidding aside, it seems like NOAA-15, a satellite launched in 1998 to monitor surface temperatures and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/the-death-of-a-weather-satellite-as-seen-by-sdr/)
PaperLedger: An e-Ink Cryptocurrency Ticker
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/paperledger-an-e-ink-cryptocurrency-ticker/
For a long time it seemed like e-ink displays were outside the reach of us lowly hackers, as beyond the handful of repurposed Kindles that graced these pages, we saw precious few projects utilizing this relatively exotic display. But that’s changed over the last couple of years, and we’re thrilled …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/paperledger-an-e-ink-cryptocurrency-ticker/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/paperledger-an-e-ink-cryptocurrency-ticker/
For a long time it seemed like e-ink displays were outside the reach of us lowly hackers, as beyond the handful of repurposed Kindles that graced these pages, we saw precious few projects utilizing this relatively exotic display. But that’s changed over the last couple of years, and we’re thrilled …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/paperledger-an-e-ink-cryptocurrency-ticker/)
That E-Cig Battery Probably Fits Into Sunglasses
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/that-e-cig-battery-probably-fits-into-sunglasses/
E-cigarettes use electrical power to rapidly heat and vaporize a base liquid such as propylene glycol, and that power comes from a battery. These devices are functionally straightforward but it can be a messy process on the inside. Thankfully though the batteries can be salvaged once components like heating elements …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/that-e-cig-battery-probably-fits-into-sunglasses/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/that-e-cig-battery-probably-fits-into-sunglasses/
E-cigarettes use electrical power to rapidly heat and vaporize a base liquid such as propylene glycol, and that power comes from a battery. These devices are functionally straightforward but it can be a messy process on the inside. Thankfully though the batteries can be salvaged once components like heating elements …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/that-e-cig-battery-probably-fits-into-sunglasses/)
EL Wire Makes For A Great Faux-Neon Sign
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/el-wire-makes-for-a-great-faux-neon-sign/
Neon signs are attractive, but require specialised tools and skills for their manufacture. If you don’t have time to learn glass blowing and source the right gasses, you’re pretty much out of luck. However, EL wire can give a similar aesthetic, and with an off-the-shelf power supply it is easy …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/el-wire-makes-for-a-great-faux-neon-sign/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/el-wire-makes-for-a-great-faux-neon-sign/
Neon signs are attractive, but require specialised tools and skills for their manufacture. If you don’t have time to learn glass blowing and source the right gasses, you’re pretty much out of luck. However, EL wire can give a similar aesthetic, and with an off-the-shelf power supply it is easy …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/el-wire-makes-for-a-great-faux-neon-sign/)
KVM Foot Switch In A Few Steps
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/kvm-foot-switch-in-a-few-steps/
[Radishmouse], despite the handle, is not a mouse guy. Give him a keyboard and he will get around just fine in any OS or program. As it is, he’s got a handful of ThinkPads, each running a different OS. He wanted to be able to switch his nice mechanical keyboard …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/kvm-foot-switch-in-a-few-steps/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/kvm-foot-switch-in-a-few-steps/
[Radishmouse], despite the handle, is not a mouse guy. Give him a keyboard and he will get around just fine in any OS or program. As it is, he’s got a handful of ThinkPads, each running a different OS. He wanted to be able to switch his nice mechanical keyboard …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/kvm-foot-switch-in-a-few-steps/)
Giving The Amstrad CPC A Voice And A Drum Kit
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/giving-the-amstrad-cpc-a-voice-and-a-drum-kit/
Back in the ’80s, home computers weren’t capable of much in terms of audio or multimedia as a whole. Arguably, it wasn’t until the advent of 16-bit computers such as the Amiga that musicians could make soundtrack-quality music without having to plug actual studio gear up to their machines. [Michael …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/giving-the-amstrad-cpc-a-voice-and-a-drum-kit/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/giving-the-amstrad-cpc-a-voice-and-a-drum-kit/
Back in the ’80s, home computers weren’t capable of much in terms of audio or multimedia as a whole. Arguably, it wasn’t until the advent of 16-bit computers such as the Amiga that musicians could make soundtrack-quality music without having to plug actual studio gear up to their machines. [Michael …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/12/giving-the-amstrad-cpc-a-voice-and-a-drum-kit/)
Shop-Made Tools Turn Cheap Steel into Telescoping Tubes
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/shop-made-tools-turn-cheap-steel-into-telescoping-tubes/
Beginning metalworkers are often surprised at just how cheap steel can be. It’s a commodity made by the gigaton, and there are always plenty of extra pieces and scraps left over from big projects that are available for pennies a pound. But what you’ve got is often not what you …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/shop-made-tools-turn-cheap-steel-into-telescoping-tubes/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/shop-made-tools-turn-cheap-steel-into-telescoping-tubes/
Beginning metalworkers are often surprised at just how cheap steel can be. It’s a commodity made by the gigaton, and there are always plenty of extra pieces and scraps left over from big projects that are available for pennies a pound. But what you’ve got is often not what you …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/shop-made-tools-turn-cheap-steel-into-telescoping-tubes/)
Spin Me Right Round, Baby: Generator Building Experiments for Mere Mortals
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/spin-me-right-round-baby-generator-building-experiments-for-mere-mortals/
How many of you plan to build a wind-powered generator in the next year? Okay, both of you can put your hands down. Even if you don’t want to wind your coils manually, learning about the principles in an electric generator might spark your interest. There is a lot of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/spin-me-right-round-baby-generator-building-experiments-for-mere-mortals/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/spin-me-right-round-baby-generator-building-experiments-for-mere-mortals/
How many of you plan to build a wind-powered generator in the next year? Okay, both of you can put your hands down. Even if you don’t want to wind your coils manually, learning about the principles in an electric generator might spark your interest. There is a lot of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/spin-me-right-round-baby-generator-building-experiments-for-mere-mortals/)
Automate the Freight: Platooning
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/automate-the-freight-platooning/
On yet another one of those long, pointless road trips that seemed to punctuate my life starting when I got my license, I was plying the roads somewhere in eastern Pennsylvania with a friend. He told me that on long trips he’d often relieve the boredom by finding another car …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/automate-the-freight-platooning/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/automate-the-freight-platooning/
On yet another one of those long, pointless road trips that seemed to punctuate my life starting when I got my license, I was plying the roads somewhere in eastern Pennsylvania with a friend. He told me that on long trips he’d often relieve the boredom by finding another car …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/13/automate-the-freight-platooning/)