Since deluxe versions of variacs can run $500 and up, many hobbyists can not afford or justify buying a new one. But rather than do without, this article presents a high grade, DIY, alternative to a commercial unit, that should fit any budget.
I’ll show you two examples of circuits that don't use a micro but are often built with one, and explain some of the logic and theory behind these circuits.
The goal of this series is to introduce you to the world of control electronics. Practical examples will be presented and the math will be kept to an absolute minimum. This is not to say that the math is not important. Quite the opposite — control systems may be modeled and analyzed mathematically. The mathematics is nothing short of amazing and I would encourage you to peruse it.
After years of fumbling with capacitors and signal generators, it’s extremely gratifying to be able to touch any old inductor to the contact pads and have the meter tell me its value. I hope you’ll find this device as useful as I do.
The Perceptron circuit provides a hands-on way to demonstrate the principles of neuron operation, and also allows you to explore basic Boolean logic functions. Last but not least, it is a cool gadget to have sitting on your desk to impress your hacker and/or nerdy friends.
Every bench needs a power supply to fully complement the rest of its test equipment. This dual channel, regulated, supply may be just what you need for design and repair of low and mid-power circuitry.
Okay, you’ve wired up the latest whiz-bang sensor to your processor-controlled project. The sensor has been connected to the 12-bit A/D and now the moment of truth. You apply power and look at the data ... Hmmmm, the numbers don’t look quite right.
A logic analyzer — like so many electronic test and measurement tools — provides a solution to a particular class of problems. These include digital hardware debugging, design verification, and embedded software debugging...
Part 1 gave you an overview of logic analyzer basics. Now, let's concentrate on actually using this instrument. We'll examine some of its limitations and its numerous, powerful features that make it so useful in the lab.
What kind of home project has 82 legs, horns, and will never have all of the "bugs" worked out of it? The answer is "H-2-Opus," a BASIC Stamp driven musical water fountain.
