Build An MP3 Player Platform - Part 1
October 2005
Ever have the desire to build your own embedded MP3 player? Maybe you just like to listen to music and want to do it with a gizmo you built yourself, or maybe you don’t like the user interface on your commercial MP3 player and are sure you could design a better one. Or maybe you want the ultimate recorded voice for your robot project, or how about a fancy doorbell that plays an entire song? Or record an assortment of different dogs barking and connect it to your burglar alarm?
Build An MP3 Player Platform - Part 2
November 2005
Last month, we looked at the hardware and software for our MP3 player project and presented the schematics. This month, we’ll talk about the actual construction, testing, operation, and possible modifications.
Elf Turns 30 - Part 1
August 2006
It was 30 years ago this month that Popular Electronics magazine ran their “COSMAC Elf” construction project. Unlike its more famous cousin — the Altair 8800, which appeared just a year before — the Elf was a microcomputer project that anybody could afford. In the days when an 8080A chip alone cost $300, the entire Elf could be assembled for something like $80. That made the COSMAC Elf the first microcomputer for many experimenters, especially poor high school students like me...
Elf Turns 30 - Part 2
September 2006
Welcome back! Last month, we printed the schematics for the Elf 2000 and discussed the operation of every part of the circuit. This month, we’ll print the parts list, talk about the construction and testing of your Elf 2000, say a few words about the available software, and then finish up with ideas for expansion...
