Silicon ChipContents - January 2019 SILICON CHIP
  1. Outer Front Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Publisher's Letter: It's getting hard to avoid tiny SMDs
  4. Feature: From body parts to houses: the latest in 3D Printing by Dr David Maddison
  5. Project: DAB+ Tuner with FM & AM and a touchscreen interface! by Duraid Madina & Nicholas Vinen
  6. Feature: A quick primer on stepper motors by Jim Rowe
  7. Project: ATtiny816 Breakout and Development Board with capacitive touch by Tim Blythman
  8. Product Showcase
  9. Serviceman's Log: Chasing wild geese isn't as fun as it sounds by Dave Thompson
  10. Subscriptions
  11. Project: Zero Risk Serial Link by Tim Blythman
  12. Review: “CircuitMaker” PCB software. It’s FREE! by Tim Blythman
  13. Project: The PicoPi Pro Robot by Bao Smith
  14. Vintage Radio: 1958 Stromberg-Carlson Baby Grand Radio by Associate Professor Graham Parslow
  15. PartShop
  16. Market Centre
  17. Advertising Index
  18. Notes & Errata: USB digital and SPI interface board, November 2018; GPS-synched Frequency Reference, October-November 2018; Automatic Reverse Loop Controller, October 2012

This is only a preview of the January 2019 issue of Silicon Chip.

You can view 40 of the 112 pages in the full issue, including the advertisments.

For full access, purchase the issue for $10.00 or subscribe for access to the latest issues.

Items relevant to "DAB+ Tuner with FM & AM and a touchscreen interface!":
  • DAB+/FM/AM Radio main PCB [06112181] (AUD $15.00)
  • Dual Horizontal PCB-mounting RCA sockets (white/red) [RCA-210] (Component, AUD $2.50)
  • PCB-mount right-angle SMA socket (Component, AUD $3.00)
  • 465mm extendable VHF whip antenna with SMA connector (Component, AUD $10.00)
  • 700mm extendable VHF whip antenna with SMA connector (Component, AUD $15.00)
  • PCB-mount right-angle PAL socket (Component, AUD $5.00)
  • Short Form Kit for the Micromite Plus Explore 100 (Component, AUD $75.00)
  • Case pieces for the DAB+/FM/AM Tuner (PCB, AUD $20.00)
  • Firmware (BAS and HEX) files for the DAB+/FM/AM Radio project (Software, Free)
  • DAB+/FM/AM Radio main PCB pattern (PDF download) [06112181 RevC] (Free)
Articles in this series:
  • DAB+ Tuner with FM & AM and a touchscreen interface! (January 2019)
  • DAB+ Tuner with FM & AM and a touchscreen interface! (January 2019)
  • Build-it-yourself DAB+/FM/AM radio (February 2019)
  • Build-it-yourself DAB+/FM/AM radio (February 2019)
  • Our new DAB+ Tuner with FM and AM – Part 3 (March 2019)
  • Our new DAB+ Tuner with FM and AM – Part 3 (March 2019)
Items relevant to "ATtiny816 Breakout and Development Board with capacitive touch":
  • ATtiny816 Development/Breakout Board PCB [24110181] (AUD $5.00)
  • ATtiny816-SFR programmed for the ATtiny816 Development/Breakout Board [2411018A.HEX] (Programmed Microcontroller, AUD $10.00)
  • Software for the ATtiny816 Development/Breakout Board [2411018A.HEX] (Free)
  • ATtiny816 Development/Breakout Board PCB pattern (PDF download) [24110181] (Free)
Items relevant to "Zero Risk Serial Link":
  • Isolated Serial Link PCB [24107181] (AUD $5.00)
  • CP2102-based USB/TTL serial converter with microUSB socket and 6-pin right-angle header (Component, AUD $5.00)
  • MCP1700 3.3V LDO (TO-92) (Component, AUD $2.00)
  • CP2102-based USB/TTL serial converter with microUSB socket and 6-pin right-angle header (clone version) (Component, AUD $3.00)
  • Isolated Serial Link PCB pattern (PDF download) [24107181] (Free)
Items relevant to "The PicoPi Pro Robot":
  • Sample programs for the PicoKit PicoPi Pro line-following robot (Software, Free)

Purchase a printed copy of this issue for $10.00.

Contents Vol.32, No.1; January 2019 Features & Reviews 12 From body parts to houses: the latest in 3D Printing Since we last looked at 3D Printing, it’s come a long way! Now there’s virtually nothing that’s off limits – and new fields are developing every day. We examine the latest developments and try to gaze into the future – by Dr David Maddison SILICON CHIP www.siliconchip.com.au Yes, it’s a human bladder, 3D printed and ready for placing inside a real live human – Page 12 38 What do you know about Stepper Motors? If it involves movement, it probably involves a stepper motor. They’re used by the millions in everything from kid’s toys to precision control devices. But do you know how they work, or more importantly how to use them? – by Jim Rowe 78 Review: “CircuitMaker” PCB software. It’s FREE! If you’ve ever wanted to design pro-quality printed circuit boards, it’s hard to go past CircuitMaker, which comes from the same people who make Altium (which costs $$$!). Most manufacturers will accept CircuitMaker files – by Tim Blythman Constructional Projects 28 SILICON CHIP World Beater: a DAB+ Tuner with FM and AM! DAB+ radio is now available in all capital cities and they’re planning to expand it to regionals. This advanced DIY tuner is different to any others – along with DAB+, it features AM reception as well as the usual FM – by Duraid Madina 44 When AVR and PIC marry, the offspring are . . . WOW! Atmel and Microchip are now one and we’re starting to see new devices which feature the best of both families. Here we look at the ATtiny816 and to use its many features we’ve designed a breakout/development board – by Tim Blythman 68 Isolated serial link: the no-risk way to connect micros Need to connect two micros together? Maybe a micro and your computer? Now there’s no need to cross your fingers when you do it because this serial link will keep them electrically separated – by Tim Blythman 86 School holiday project: build a line-follower robot Kids love building stuff that actually does something – and this Pico Pi Pro line-following robot from PicoKit sure fits that genre! We take you (and them) step-by-step to build the robot and get it going – by Bao Smith Your Favourite Columns 62 Serviceman’s Log Chasing wild geese isn’t as fun as it sounds – by Dave Thompson 94 Circuit Notebook (1) Using a DC Stepper Motor for star tracking with a telescope (2) Switchable AC voltage source with unregulated DC supply (3) Using a touch-tone telephone to send coded radio signals (4) Flashing LEDs in time with music 100 Vintage Radio 1958 Stromberg-Carlson Baby Grand Radio – by Graham Parslow Everything Else! 2 Editorial Viewpoint   106 4 Mailbag – Your Feedback    111 siliconchip.com.au 52 Product Showcase    112 104 SILICON CHIP Online Shop    112 Ask SILICON CHIP Market Centre Advertising Index Notes and Errata Other DAB+ tuners include FM but not AM. Our new DAB+ tuner gives you the best of all three worlds! Build it yourself and $ave – Page 28 Ever looked inside a stepper motor? Ever wondered how they work? Wonder no more! – Page 38 We take a close look at the ATtiny816 and even made this breakout/development board with “push buttons” and a “slider” built in – Page 44 Do you hold your breath when connecting two micro boards together? This isolated serial link keeps them apart – Page 68 You might expect FREE PCB software to be pretty useless . . . but you’d be wrong! CircuitMaker is great for those oneoff PCB files – Page 78 No more “I’m bored” during the summer holidays! Get them to build this PicoKit Robot for summer holiday fun . . . and learning! – Page 86 www.facebook.com/siliconchipmagazine