Any Electronics DIYers Here?

[clepsydrae]

Nice. That's some classic husband-geek DIY action right there. Tennis ball on a string? Not for my spouse!

Does the IR feed some kind of relay or transistor to control power to the arduino, then?

I take it those patterns in the LEDs something you programmed via the arduino?

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

Nice. That's some classic husband-geek DIY action right there. Tennis ball on a string? Not for my spouse!

A 3D printer and some microcontrollers takes Honey-Do lists to a whole new level.

Does the IR feed some kind of relay or transistor to control power to the arduino, then?

I just shut the display off when there is no motion for 2 minutes. Since the Arduino is also the thing reading the IR output, can't really shut it down per se. The IR unit is just a voltage divider and it has it's own circuitry that throws the data pin to 5V (HIGH) if there is motion 0V (LOW) if no motion. That means it will light up if you walk by but no biggie, it will still time out and go dark.

Geek alert: I could use two ESP8266s in tandem, one a WiFi client of the other where the other talks directly to the Arduino via serial.

The client would be hidden in the car and run off the car power - then it would only activate when the car pulled in and/or cranked; it would then connect to the master unit over WiFi which would essentially result sensing when the car needed it to operate.

Maybe next time I'm super bored.

I take it those patterns in the LEDs something you programmed via the arduino?

The animated ones were in one of the samples for the matrix - the solid color one (green) and the X and the little flashing square I did by just turning those individual LEDs on.

The code is here, all I did was hack the sample with my code. A tad sloppy since this was getting things done in a hurry. I started with a loop to do the X but for some reason that exact code in loop turned on the wrong LEDs so I just hardcoded. Code is here..

https://github.com/karbomusic/Garage...ParkAssist.ino

[Allybye]

My friend has a much easier solution, still DIY, but just mechanics.
Suspend tennis balls on strings from the ceiling. One to aim at left of car, one to aim right of car (ensuring correct lateral position!) and one that just touches the windscreen when driven in far enough.

Time to prepare 10 mins to drill holes in balls, thread string, five to screw in hooks, a couple to tie up the strings.

Just now need something to get the car into position to ensure your balls just touch where they should.......

[Fex]

karbomusic will survive the zombie apocalypse.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Allybye

My friend has a much easier solution, still DIY, but just mechanics.

Yea, that's what Clepsydrae mentioned but that's super-boring in this household. Only took an afternoon really.

I'm trading my car in and getting a Tesla Model 3 in a few weeks, can't wait to add it to the geek/hack list.

[clepsydrae]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I'm trading my car in and getting a Tesla Model 3 in a few weeks, can't wait to add it to the geek/hack list.

Are you gonna hack the mainframe? I've heard about people rooting their cars but I thought it was sorta touchy with Tesla?

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

Are you gonna hack the mainframe? I've heard about people rooting their cars but I thought it was sorta touchy with Tesla?

Nah, it was more in jest being such a techy vehicle. It will fit right into the family though.

[Fex]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

It will fit right into the family though.

You're doing it wrong. You want the family to fit into it.

[lucas_LCS]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I wanted wifeypoo, who just got a different car to park further back so we have more room between car/wall in the garage. Car is new to her, she was worried she couldn't easily tell the position so garage door wouldn't close on car.

That's pretty cool.
My sister used to hang a tennis ball from the ceiling so it touched the windshield when she was in the right spot.

::

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Fex

You're doing it wrong. You want the family to fit into it.

I'm tired of waiting for it to show up.

Originally Posted by lucas_LCS

That's pretty cool.
My sister used to hang a tennis ball from the ceiling so it touched the windshield when she was in the right spot.

::

That's a popular option, would likely drive me nuts seeing it there.

[clepsydrae]

If this product doesn't already exist I'd say you have a hit on your hands. Of course that would pit you against Big Tennis Ball, which has clearly already infiltrated this thread.

[Fex]

I'd like to recommend hanging a tennis ball from the ceiling. I know this is somewhat redundant at this point, but everybody else was doing it, and I was feeling left out.

[lucas_LCS]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

That's a popular option, would likely drive me nuts seeing it there.

Me too.
I had to ask her what it was for when I first saw it.
I never realized her depth perception was off enough that she would need something like that.

your solution is definitely more fun

Originally Posted by Allybye

Suspend tennis balls on strings from the ceiling. One to aim at left of car, one to aim right of car (ensuring correct lateral position!) and one that just touches the windscreen when driven in far enough.

That seems unnnecessarily complex.
My brother-in-law just set up one to touch the windshield where the rear-view mirror was mounted.
That gives both depth and center for the car.

::

[Allybye]

......but only once you get in there.
Left and right guides to line you up before you hit the big boxes of electronics and of sensors etc on the floor and those in the flight cases on wheels might just have moved!

As balls are now far too common, suggest Karbo could hang up redundant mics instead.

.......or for better quality buy some new Neumanns..... super duper cardiods of course!

connect up to your spare PA via Reaper (switched on via an Arduino to save power only when the car is running), add just a tad of equalisation and normalisation....


And get a very satisfying feeling in your guts when you make a 'hit'

[clepsydrae]

Hey all -- weird one for you: I desire a small, spring-loaded terminal block, akin to how you might connect a home speaker to a stereo, but I need a small version of it. Ideally it would be maybe 1/4 the size of that and require no tools to insert/clamp the wire, and require no special end on the wire itself. I.e. a miniature version of the above, or some similar variation.

Any ideas? Maybe "terminal block" isn't the right search term? Thanks!

EDIT: Ok, "screwless terminal block" seems to be the magic. This is the search i'm working with now. I think I'll find something in there that works.

[jiff 41]

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

Hey all -- weird one for you: I desire a small, spring-loaded terminal block, akin to how you might connect a home speaker to a stereo, but I need a small version of it. Ideally it would be maybe 1/4 the size of that and require no tools to insert/clamp the wire, and require no special end on the wire itself. I.e. a miniature version of the above, or some similar variation.

Any ideas? Maybe "terminal block" isn't the right search term? Thanks!

EDIT: Ok, "screwless terminal block" seems to be the magic. This is the search i'm working with now. I think I'll find something in there that works.

What about this kind of thing, any good; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-Qu....c100010.m2109

[clepsydrae]

Thanks -- I think I'm sorted now; I was looking more for this kind of thing: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/...R-2OR/10238365

...it'd be great if it had solder lugs instead of PCB pins, but I can deal...

[Tone Deft]

that's really cool Carbo! I've been into Raspberry Pis but damnit they do not have a direct simple audio input!!!!

classically trained electrical engineer here. we pursued making our own pedals in college but when you can get an entry level pedal for $100 it wasn't worth our time (insane amount of studying, for me at least) and I didn't have the money for play parts. once I had a career I didn't want to touch a soldering iron after work after wrenching and banging my head on circuits all day.

IMO peghole breadboards get flaky after a while, parts and pins jiggle lose all the time, IMO. step up and solder that #$%^ down!

I'm a big fan of JHS pedals, watched this interview yesterday with JHS analyzing what it means now that Amazon is selling guitar pedals as part of their Home Basics collection
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o7g-74cip4
GREAT sign for the industry.

related to that is That Pedal Show on youtube, the best show EVER!!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnU...oHt0e6ItuTs10w


the basic circuits for guitar pedals are all well known. it's up to the builder to add in the extra circuits to make it something speacial. as an individual builder it's only a matter of what your time is worth. I can take $30 of parts and say... spend 10 hours tuning up the circuit by hand, do a pretty paintjob and packaging, but is it worth my time for a box that I only make $10 off of.

if someone's really game to make something I have the time to collab, just to have something to do. I'm well versed in Digikey and mouser searches FWIW, just crap I've learned along the years that's useless now.

a $100 handheld oscilloscope
https://www.sainsmart.com/products/d...l-oscilloscope

albeit deals can be found at swap meets etc. bought a 400MHz scope, just fun to have.

a really fun very simple circuit simulator
https://www.falstad.com/circuit/

just play around and see what works. it's a lot easier to play around than to follow a book where everything just frigging works! I've been using circuit simulators since they came out and the modern ones like LTSpice, feature rich but set up takes a LOT longer.

electrons... love 'em, hate 'em.

my $0.02.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by clepsydrae

Are you gonna hack the mainframe? I've heard about people rooting their cars but I thought it was sorta touchy with Tesla?

To follow up, I got it back in mid-September. So far all good, didn't have any of the early reported QC issues, everything seems rock solid. I really love not dealing with gas, oil, water, transmission, fan/alternator belts or pretty much everything else on an ICE car.

[karbomusic]

@Tone Deft:

Welcome! I only build circuits for myself mostly these days. I was building an OD for an amp builder for a couple years but I didn't really have the time to keep up with production needs since I already have a day job + gigging schedule - so I gave him the schematics/BOM and taught him how to build them himself. I occasionally build something for forum members but as of late, I just don't have the time.

Reg breadboards. Needs to be high quality and experience of knowing what might be a breadboard problem or a circuit problem. 99% of the time I breadboard and fully test any circuit I copy, tweak or design to make sure it works. Then, I design and etch my own PCB because unlike computers "undo" is a PIA with a soldering iron.

[clepsydrae]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I really love not dealing with gas, oil, water, transmission, fan/alternator belts or pretty much everything else on an ICE car.

1990 diesel Jetta over here. 46-48mpg, which is great, but on every other point you mention above: I feel that and envy you. :-)

[Tone Deft]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I gave him the schematics/BOM and taught him how to build them himself.

that's awesome man. teach a man to fish, on a topic like this?! that's empowerment.

I love demystifying electronics for people. I remember when it did to me and then I went into it, poor life decisions hehe ouch. it's made me a better EE by really nailing down the basics, it's all fundamental. but Moore's law is sputtering out, hardware is easier, cheaper and very feature rich and it's all about the software. anyone can write software but you have to be a good problem solver from the moment you install the Tools. lots of patience, a fun sense of curiosity but be academic about it, whatever that means to you. I'm not a great EE just seen lots of stuff.



FWIW I found this uController via LinkedIn, I bought 5 for $20.
https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com...smartbond-tiny

haven't started playing with it yet. gotta install the software and bluetooth into it with a few batteries attached.


I watch this youtube channel to study for EE interviews.
www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ0yBou72Lz9fqeMXh9mkog
the presentations give you a gentle caress while the pretty balls show Mongo how electron work. explain like I'm five. then I'll make the same circuit in that java simulator, hope it works and try to add on parts.

[karbomusic]

Concerning the controller, have you considered an Expressif ESP-32? You can easily program it with the Arduino IDE.

I'm far more well versed in the ESP-8266 variants, I have a few 32s lying around but have not yet had a project where I needed one.

[Tone Deft]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Concerning the controller, have you considered an Expressif ESP-32? You can easily program it with the Arduino IDE.

I'm far more well versed in the ESP-8266 variants, I have a few 32s lying around but have not yet had a project where I needed one.

I hadn't seen the ESP series, very cool to hear that it's approachable and a staple.

I found mine via LinkedIn, it caught my eye and thought it'd be a good goal for me to just set it up and 'hello world' the chip. it's really easy to be fascinated by shiny hammers. it's better to define the feature set then pick the chip, from those that you already know.

I can look at the 8266's spec sheet and see what that chip's features are, I like that. I also read the front end of the spec sheet.


the ESP looks a bit power needy with a 500mA need for the power supply, I suspect that's to prevent peak current brownouts beyond their guarantee. I didn't check the spec sheet because power can be mitigated, I do audio.

Quadrature decoder with 3 channels

4 channel 11-bit ENOB ADC

2 general purpose timers with PWM

9 GPIOs

SPI, 2x UART, 1wire UART support, I2C

you can do a lot with just those. I'd search the interweb for schematics that have this device installed to see what could be done. seems to me now that they'd be out there, probably user groups too.

based off of this processor:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensilica

bought out by Cadence (good news). their chip set (in its most expensive variant I assume) supports

"a software library of over 225 codecs from Cadence and over 100 software partners; Vision DSPs that handle complex algorithms in imaging, video, computer vision, and neural networks"

it has up to 3Mb of RAM to play with. that's a lot of compiled code.

it's all about how good the IDE is, to hear that you've been using it for years is great news. I assume it's C or Python (3 I hope!!)

here are the training materials for the IDE that should get someone started
https://www.cadence.com/en_US/home/t...ses/86037.html

what do you want to make? muahuahua!!



I do have an idea for a product that I could do digitally but I think there's inherent value in this one being analog. PM me if you'd like to read a pitch. I have free sweat equity that I can use to create margins in the right thing people want to buy. handmade.

[karbomusic]

The 500ma should be for short spikes such as Wi-Fi scanning for networks, there are ways using it's sleep mode to get it down to a few microamps and it's normal current, well I don't have one up right now but it should be well below 100ma. I prefer the ESP-8266 but it doesn't do BT. On a side note something I like about the 32 and the 8266 is they can be a Wi-Fi client, a Wi-Fi access point or both at the same time IIRC. Which means you can get them to talk to each other over their built-in Wi-Fi. Much of my home automation is ESP-8266 due to it's Wi-Fi capabilities.

For the one you mentioned, I'd use what you think is best. But I would look at what has the most end-user consumption/usage/support on the net, libraries, IDE, forums, APIs etc. This vastly reduces looking at a spec sheet and/or oscilloscope and scratching one's head. ESP-8266 has a ton of online resources, ESP-32 a bit less. I get nervous if there is some component I like but no one seems to be using.

All of these devices are low-level enough they can have anomalies that sometimes require tribal knowledge to solve - hence the check to see resource availability of particular components.

[Tone Deft]

I get nervous if there is some component I like but no one seems to be using.

All of these devices are low-level enough they can have anomalies that sometimes require tribal knowledge to solve - hence the check to see resource availability of particular components.

https://www.siliconexpert.com/ is what I've seen the Pros use.

intermediaries who sell parts will offer parts listing cross references. often families of parts aren't that different you just have to know what to read. (shortcut to spec sheets, only read the right column and look for units.) if you don't know what a spec means, a mfg like TI have outstanding reference materials. competitors will make obvious cross-reference parts because the two know they're the only two sources in that pin configuration. lots of mfgs will just change the pin cfg to be dicks about it for all we could tell- respin the PCB, no bueno, mucho paperwork for no progress.

stay away from Tantalum and other conflict, ROHS/WEEE materials, they're not popular and should be avoided anyway. tantalum is tempting, use AE and eat the design cost hit.


that's a side responsibility to my last career that goes without saying. now apply that nervousness to every possible temperature range, humidity and electric shock variation the most abusive ape of a customer would do and bitch about it. if a product ships in the thousands a month for an organization and that's your capacitor on the board sitting there... (and we all know it's way out of spec because you weren't allowed a rev 4 PCB spin but even the team knew it, gulp.)

many nights I drove home laaate at night assuring myself that our QA guys have beat up on the software and we should pass EMI by a few half decibels this time, I need sleep.



the 500mA is there so that if you're on contract with these guys and you ask for their help with the design and the power supply rail ever hits that rating even on their first powerup on their or your bench they will stop their interest and call the case closed. not to mention lose reputation.

I've thought of things like pet trackers, one on the owner to track play time, when they eat, poop, play, hide, (could do the same for humans or dumptrucks for that matter) put them in toys to make them intelligent, track whatever and put it on an iThing. maybe I would say that I spent a career with software people telling me what chip to use and marketing people telling me what the product has to do and making all. the. rest. happen. no power, just bosses.


when I play my guitar what do I want?

[ashcat_lt]

The last thing I tried to build was a fully buffered feedback looper pedal with independent volume controls for in>send, receive>send, in>out, receive>out. I promised it to a friend like 5 years ago. Had the box drilled and parts sourced for like 3. Soldered it all together last year, but it didn't work and I couldn't finger out why. It's sitting over there mocking me right now.

Edit - No I lied. I actually did make him a basic passive true bypass feedback looper. That prick gave me more trouble than it should have, too, honestly! It's four jacks, a pot, and a switch FFS! He almost broke himself the first time he played with it. I'm still disappointed about the whole thing, though.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Tone Deft

the 500mA is there so that if you're on contract with these guys and you ask for their help with the design and the power supply rail ever hits that rating even on their first powerup on their or your bench they will stop their interest and call the case closed. not to mention lose reputation.

You had mentioned it being needy but since it only rarely needs that much, it's not very significant other than being able to deliver it when it's needed.

I can tell you what happens when it needs it and doesn't get it, the program code constantly crashes or does really weird stuff, like thinking a pin is high when it isn't, memory corruption etc. Been there but that's true with any digital device with power issues.

We have to build the PSU ourselves anyway, so just we design it to handle the job. Give me a few and I'll find one of the ones I designed for the 8266.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by ashcat_lt

The last thing I tried to build was a fully buffered feedback looper pedal with independent volume controls for in>send, receive>send, in>out, receive>out. I promised it to a friend like 5 years ago. Had the box drilled and parts sourced for like 3. Soldered it all together last year, but it didn't work and I couldn't finger out why. It's sitting over there mocking me right now.

Edit - No I lied. I actually did make him a basic passive true bypass feedback looper. That prick gave me more trouble than it should have, too, honestly! It's four jacks, a pot, and a switch FFS! He almost broke himself the first time he played with it. I'm still disappointed about the whole thing, though.

I know that feeling.

[ashcat_lt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD_1...neu6g&index=18

[Tone Deft]

Originally Posted by ashcat_lt

The last thing I tried to build was a fully buffered feedback looper pedal with independent volume controls for in>send, receive>send, in>out, receive>out. I promised it to a friend like 5 years ago. Had the box drilled and parts sourced for like 3. Soldered it all together last year, but it didn't work and I couldn't finger out why. It's sitting over there mocking me right now.

Edit - No I lied. I actually did make him a basic passive true bypass feedback looper. That prick gave me more trouble than it should have, too, honestly! It's four jacks, a pot, and a switch FFS! He almost broke himself the first time he played with it. I'm still disappointed about the whole thing, though.

never EVER tell a Burning Man camp that you know electronics.

the master has failed more times than the student has tried. holds true for me. I used to love sourcing and making my own cables until 5 years later. then it cost me all over again.

I was about to fail a college lab midterm because the bug in MY circuit was due to the guy over the riser from me flipping his power on and off. the TA did the bench wiring and the exam. the exam was to make a discrete DIP 7000 logic family clocked logic state machine on a breadboard, from a blank sheet of paper (some doable problem to solve I'm sure), no schematic, just a parts bin, breadboard and wires. shook my confidence so hard...

[Tone Deft]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

the program code constantly crashes or does really weird stuff, like thinking a pin is high when it isn't, memory corruption etc. Been there but that's true with any digital device with power issues.

can a luthier never fix a guitar? it's like any other skill or trade. if they were handled carefully-ish and don't smell like smoke I could probably resolve your design issues.

I call that a prototype and hope to holy freaking hell the shipping deadline does not fall on your vacation plans.

you ship on rev 3 or 4. earlier and you went too fast with the team. later and the team has to learn from their mistakes.

it takes planning to get this right ahead of time from lots of embarrassments. from building and fixing you learn what completely sometimes wonderfully odd things electronics can do to a product.

truth is that drawing schematics are the boring part because that doesn't happen until AFTER all these details are hashed out in a whiteboard meeting. you have to focus on the drafting.

over time ya see stuff and are around stuff. problem is knowing which stories to take on as your own.


pardon if I repeat myself, I try to edit beforehand and lose my train of thought. doing too many things at once.

[numberthirty]

Originally Posted by Tone Deft

...

related to that is That Pedal Show on youtube, the best show EVER!!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnU...oHt0e6ItuTs10w

...

Politely, that would be Demovids(RIP?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnWTxfBeV8c

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Tone Deft

can a luthier never fix a guitar? it's like any other skill or trade. if they were handled carefully-ish and don't smell like smoke I could probably resolve your design issues.

Don't have any design issues, just explaining what comes with the territory with microprocessors.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Give me a few and I'll find one of the ones I designed for the 8266.

ESP-8266-12...

Copper/gold are PCBs I etched myself, purple are some production PCBs I had manufactured. PSU is most of the bottom section except for the LDR. These are SMDs which I switched to for most of the microprocessor stuff. All of them work, I just had a batch made so that when I have a need, I can grab one, solder it up and go. LDR1 is there because I initially used it for light automation but otherwise it's just an analog pin I can connect whatever to as needed and works very well.





Most of this is already in the thread so not much need in reposting.

[vanceen]

I've built and modded a few tube amps.

Personally, it works much better for me to get the sound from my amp to be close to what I want and perhaps add some effects within the computer, rather than using pedals. Much of the reason is that I get surprises too often when using pedals - it's hard to be sure the volume or timbre are going to be what I want when I activate a pedal, especially in a pedalboard with a half dozen or more devices. That's my shortcoming, of course, not an inherent shortcoming of pedals. I've just had weird sounds come out too often in live situations.

[karbomusic]

99% of my pedal use is at gigs but I've done it for so many years, it's kind of second nature.

[Tone Deft]

any suggestions on a cheap LED based guitar tuner to base my own guitar tuner off of?

I wanna make a better guitar tuner.

I've studied the SW algorithms, I can make a 'color organ' from op amps and parts etc. I can do all that but it's been done and packaged by other people. I just want to pull the data from the LED outputs. I could do a meter as well if it has an analog output and convert that with op amps. the more LED 'steps' it has the better.

I'd love to do this with a monolithic IC but there doesn't seem to be one. seems odd to me.

is there a guitar tuner that would be fun to work off of? I wanna do this cheap.

[karbomusic]

I'm not sure, to me there is already the better tuner IMHO, sonic research st-300 which is a LED version of a true analog strobe. Don't let that stop you if you are inspired. Just mentioning that tuner solves pretty much every problem tuners have that usually annoy people but that doesn't come with the joy of building stuff. Otherwise maybe search for "guitar tuner schematic"

[clepsydrae]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I'm not sure, to me there is already the better tuner IMHO, sonic research st-300 which is a LED version of a true analog strobe. Don't let that stop you if you are inspired. Just mentioning that tuner solves pretty much every problem tuners have that usually annoy people but that doesn't come with the joy of building stuff. Otherwise maybe search for "guitar tuner schematic"

I don't own one but just from checking those things out I know karbo's right. I asked them three years ago if they were ever going to make a clip-on that tuned via conduction or microphone... they said they had one on the drafting board but that the energy usage of their circuitry was too high for reasonable battery life, and that they checked in on the available tech every so often to see if things had become efficient enough to make it practical. Apparently it hasn't gotten there yet (or they gave up? I hope not!). If I'm not projecting too much, I feel like they would clean house if they put out a mini clip-on one of those things for all the acoustic folk like me that don't use cables or want to use clip-on mics for tuning, etc. I know I would be first in line.