05 November 2009

Interesting circuit ideas which we have checked but not built and tested. Contributions from readers are welcome and will be paid for at standard rates.

01 November 2009

Now that HDMI sockets are standard on a wide range of LCD and plasma TV sets, set top boxes, DVD players and many computers, there is a need for a standard HDMI test source that can test this equipment. The Quantumdata 780 Handheld Test Instrument is a comprehensive solution which also provides digital audio test signals for DACs and Home Theatre receivers.

23 October 2009

This hardware I/O board will let you drive a host of digital and analog I/O (input/outputs) via the USB interface on your laptop or desktop computer. Based on an Atmel Atmega32 microprocessor and not much else, it works on Windows, Linux and Macs.

19 October 2009

Last month, we introduced our new Wideband Oxygen Sensor Controller and described the circuit. This month, we show you how to build it and give the test and installation details.

17 October 2009

FLIR Systems' new i5 camera is a compact handheld instrument weighing only 340g. You just aim and shoot with it and the result is a false colour picture showing the temperature gradients of a building, machinery, electrical equipment, a human body or whatever. You can use it as a precise non-contact thermometer which will also show the full temperature range of everything in the camera's view.

15 October 2009

Interesting circuit ideas which we have checked but not built and tested. Contributions from readers are welcome and will be paid for at standard rates.

13 October 2009

Looking for an electronic megohm and leakage current meter, for quick and easy testing of insulation in wiring and equipment? Here's a new design which allows testing at either 500V or 1000V. It can measure insulation resistances up to 999MΩ and leakage currents to below 1μA. It uses a PIC microcontroller and displays the results on a 2-line LCD panel.

08 October 2009

Last month, we introduced our new high-quality Stereo Digital-To-Analog Converter (DAC) and described the circuit. This month, we show you how to build the various modules and make the header cables.

06 October 2009

Ever wondered how scope probes really work? Most textbooks treat scope probes as a combination of a resistive divider in combination with capacitors to provide an extended frequency response. But as will be revealed, the reality is that they are much more complex in principle. Read on.

02 October 2009

Provided you have the correct tools and a syringe of no-clean flux paste, soldering very small SMDs (eg, TSSOP devices) into place is easier than you think. Here's how to do it.