Signal generators are a handy thing to have around the lab. In recent years these lab tools have not only decreased in size but also in cost and the result has been a plethora of portable versions that now exist on the market. In addition to full equipment it is nowadays possible to use a →
USB Fume Extractor project combines a small craft box, 12v case fan, aquarium carbon filter, dc boost converter and some basic electronic components to create a USB powered fume extractor which treats your lungs to some clean air when soldering. Check the USB Fume Extractor video how the project works: USB Fume Extractor was designed →
Fiber-optic testing: Keeping it simple in the field article tells in the telecommunications industry today, testing is one of the most confusing and misunderstood phases of installing a fiber-optic system. While misunderstood, optical-fiber testing is one of the final and most important procedures in installing optical networks. →
An electromagnetic field (also EMF or EM field) is a physical field produced by moving electrically charged objects. It affects the behavior of charged objects in the vicinity of the field. The electromagnetic field extends indefinitely throughout space and describes the electromagnetic interaction. It is one of the four fundamental forces of nature. EMF measurement →
Logic Sniffer Java client is an alternative OLS-client provides a software client for the Open Bench Logic Sniffer logic analyser hardware (that is based on ideas from open source SUMP analyzer). Software works also with SUMP compatible devices and Bus Pirate hardware. When tested with the demonstration data the software seemed to work quite well →
Reverse engineering salvaged part footprints article mentioned an interesting idea to use a microscope software to process an image of the board. Measuring with Software article mentions an interesting free computer-based microscopy software MiCam. MiCam software allows (once you have calibrated it) you to draw more lines on the photos and calculate and display the →
RS-232 serial interface is still quite widely used in many applications. Usually RS-232 Mini Tester with LEDs for indicating state of different signals is all that is needed to make things work. But sometimes seeing signals with your eyes is not enough for troubleshooting and testing. There are nowadays cheap logic analyzers (like Saleae Logic →
One way to test electrolytic capacitors is to measure their capacitance. It does not tell the whole story of capacitor condition. Another usually more useful way to measure electrolytic capacitor condition is to use an ESR meter. EEVblog #365 – ESR Meter Bad Cap Monitor Repair video gives you tips how to use ESR meter →
I write some time ago about USBEE AX clone. tubbutec blog writer got the remark about the bidirectional driver gave and investigated this a little bit further. It turned out you can modify this logic analyzer pretty easily to provide output capabilities. Adding output capability to a 10€ logic analyser article tells how you can →
In Internet there seems to be many plans for DIY logic analyzers: Open source logic analyzer OpenBench Logic Sniffer Openbench Logic Sniffer SUMP FPGA Based Logic Analyzer FLASH – PLAICE: Programmer, Logic Analyzer and In-Circuit Emulator Project A logic analyzer using the PC’s parallel port A logic analyzer using the PC’s parallel port MiniLA – →