Search found 616 matches

by parkview
Thu Feb 13, 2025 9:13 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: Introduction to the WCH CH32V003 microprocessor
Replies: 0
Views: 154

Introduction to the WCH CH32V003 microprocessor

In September 2024 I started exploring the cheap WCH and Puya microprocessors (MCU). At first I had very little clue what I was doing, their product ranges and how to program them. I bought a bunch of different Puya and WCH based Dev boards to explore and try and see what I could get working. Blindly...
by parkview
Thu Feb 13, 2025 2:50 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: CH32V003 Haptic Controller-Breakout Board
Replies: 0
Views: 44

CH32V003 Haptic Controller-Breakout Board

In January 2025 I was leading a tour of the famous Shenzhen Electronics market (HQB) last January with some Korean professors. One of them was into haptics, so we went looking for some second hand Apple Taptic modules. We found an iPhone 11 (P/N: 610-00316) module for ¥3.00/ea in the huge communicat...
by parkview
Thu Feb 13, 2025 2:29 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: STM32F407 Based W5500 Ethernet Controller CAN Bus Board and Testing
Replies: 1
Views: 46

Re: STM32F407 based W5500 Ethernet Controller CAN Bus board

So we could test the CAN Bus under a data load, I designed up a small STM32F407 board that up to 25 of them could be plugged into a 600mm long CAN Bus PCB. Each computing module board had a few LEDs, and if needed, some inputs etc. These where all assembled by JLCPCB as I didn't want to have to hand...
by parkview
Thu Feb 13, 2025 2:07 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: STM32F407 Based W5500 Ethernet Controller CAN Bus Board and Testing
Replies: 1
Views: 46

STM32F407 Based W5500 Ethernet Controller CAN Bus Board and Testing

None of us at the Uni had had much experience of working with a CAN Bus. We wanted to use this Comms technology to transfer data back and forth from a laptop to up to 25 motor modules. Could the data be transferred fast enough for our needs? We determined that we could use Ethernet as the main Comms...
by parkview
Thu Feb 13, 2025 1:41 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: TPS5450 2A DC-DC Buck Power Supply Breakout Board
Replies: 0
Views: 34

TPS5450 2A DC-DC Buck Power Supply Breakout Board

This DC-DC Buck converter has an input voltage range between 5.5V to 36V and can output up to 5A. The project this was going into changed direction a bit so we upgraded to the more powerful XR76208-DC-DC converter . Due to the SOP form factor, It easy to solder and replace, but it is a bit old schoo...
by parkview
Thu Feb 13, 2025 1:30 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: DRV8428 Motor Driver Breakout Board
Replies: 0
Views: 29

DRV8428 Motor Driver Breakout Board

I designed up this simple motor driver board so I could evaluate the capabilities of the DRV8428 driver IC and a bunch of stepper motors we had lying around. This board worked out really well and it was comforting to know there where some better higher capability driver IC's in the DRV84xx family if...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 5:46 pm
Forum: Product Reviews
Topic: Review: DL150W Electronic Load
Replies: 0
Views: 246

Review: DL150W Electronic Load

If your designing up a power supply and various electronic devices, it's handy to be able to test them out by placing a load of some kind on the output. While back in 2015 I designed up a special battery monitor and load and it worked well, I had to program the settings in each time. While in Shenzh...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 5:22 pm
Forum: Product Reviews
Topic: Review: NanoDLA V1.3 Logic Analyser
Replies: 0
Views: 42

Review: NanoDLA V1.3 Logic Analyser

A friend in Shenzhen needed a simple logic analyser and asked for my advice, I mentioned the common cheap one that I picked up some years ago. Due to the age of it, it came with a USB Mini connector, so I mentioned that it would be good to search for something that has a USB-C connector. He found th...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 4:54 pm
Forum: Product Reviews
Topic: Review: Riden RD6024 Bench Power Supply
Replies: 0
Views: 45

Review: Riden RD6024 Bench Power Supply

While in China last year (2024), I needed a bench power supply that could output more than 18A and operate up to 48V, plus I wanted to be able to record current flow. I looked at a few different models on line, but it was difficult to find the specs on the recording frequency, eg: how often would it...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 3:25 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: RP2040 SAO Controller
Replies: 0
Views: 125

RP2040 SAO Controller

So I have previously designed up a ESP32-C3 based SAO Controller board . This is nice and works well, BUT the MCU costs ¥23.7934 (around A$5.40) which is getting a bit pricey. I had volunteered to design up a Simple Add On (SAO) board for the 2024 KiCad Asia conference and run an assembly workshop a...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 3:13 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: CH32V003 SAO Controller
Replies: 0
Views: 40

CH32V003 SAO Controller

Not to be outdone by the RP2040 SAO Controller , I thought I would have a go at designing a SAO Controller based around the very cheap CH32V003 RISK-V based MCU. This is only ¥1.791 or about A$0.39 each. Plus I don't need a crystal or flash memory IC that the RP2040 does. Sure this is no where as po...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 2:47 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: XR76208 DC-DC Converter Breakout PCB
Replies: 0
Views: 61

XR76208 DC-DC Converter Breakout PCB

Last year I spent six months playing around with designing motor boards. I needed a 24V to 6.4V buck converter that could output at least 5-7 Amps. As my motor boards cost around A$250/ea, I thought it might be prudent to quickly design up a breakout PCB so I could test the efficiency of the DC-DC c...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 2:15 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: STM32C011F4 Breakout PCB
Replies: 0
Views: 66

STM32C011F4 Breakout PCB

Cedric a good friend who I met in Shenzhen years ago, recently put me onto the new range of STM32 MCUs. These are meant to eventually replace their STM8 8-bit MCU range. One of them is only 1.4mmx1.4mm in size. However to get access to the center BGA pins, you need currently to pay a steep manufactu...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 1:45 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: IP2721 USB-C PD Power Board
Replies: 0
Views: 53

IP2721 USB-C PD Power Board

I seem to be on the road quite a bit these days. I have a trusty 10 year old light (weight) Toshiba laptop (original Li-ion battery) that is still going strong. It's amazing that a lot of their laptop use a 2.1mm barrel jack connector for power input. None of this fancy proprietary connector rubbish...
by parkview
Wed Feb 12, 2025 1:31 pm
Forum: Projects
Topic: LED Travel Board
Replies: 0
Views: 48

LED Travel Board

Recently I was doing some work from a hotel room for a few days. I was trying to figure out how to get Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) working on a very cheap CH32V003 microprocessor. I didn't have any LEDs with me, so it was difficult to see what was going on. I ended up trying to use a multimeter to ...
by parkview
Tue Dec 19, 2023 10:36 am
Forum: Projects
Topic: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB
Replies: 3
Views: 23190

Re: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB

Hawk volunteered to design up the the conference badge and is based around the Nations Tech: N32L406 MCU, something like this: https://www.lcsc.com/product-detail/Microcontroller-Units-MCUs-MPUs-SOCs_Nations-Technologies-Inc-N32L406CBL7_C2981444.html This is a low power MCU and in fact the board ran...
by parkview
Tue Dec 19, 2023 10:30 am
Forum: Projects
Topic: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB
Replies: 3
Views: 23190

Re: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB

I have now designed three SAO hat boards, so initially I designed my SAO Tester PCB with three SAO connectors. In the initial version of the Tester I had one socket configured with a MOSFET switchable power. I think that was so i could test the power side of things, but I never ended up using that f...
by parkview
Tue Dec 19, 2023 10:16 am
Forum: Projects
Topic: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB
Replies: 3
Views: 23190

Re: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB

Since I was on a SAO Hat making mode, I thought I would have a go at making one for the Shenzhen based TroubleMaker makerspace and a koala for myself: TM_front-working.jpg koala-front.jpg I wanted the front side to be a clean as possible, so I used 0805 0 ohm resistors on the back side as track jump...
by parkview
Tue Dec 19, 2023 10:10 am
Forum: Projects
Topic: Simple-Add-On Tester PCB
Replies: 3
Views: 23190

Simple-Add-On Tester PCB

In June 2023 I was chatting with a friend about my idea to lead a tour of the electronics scene in Shenzhen China and he suggested that we make and assemble a PCB as part of the tour. Since a bunch of us where attending the tour I thought it would be fun to hold a KiCad conference as well. We decide...
by parkview
Fri Dec 15, 2023 1:19 pm
Forum: Product Reviews
Topic: Review: Pinecil v2 Soldering Iron
Replies: 0
Views: 21598

Review: Pinecil v2 Soldering Iron

I have been traveling a lot and luggage space is sometimes at a premium. A few years ago I purchased a smallish 240V temperature controlled soldering iron and that has been my handy travel companion. But I know I can go smaller. I recently purchased the Pinecil v2 USB-C based soldering iron and oh y...