Electronics Design

Saleae Logic Analyzer

If you’ve ever had a problem getting two chips to talk, or wanted to reverse engineer a protocol, a logic analyzer is the right tool for this. Logic analyzer only detects digital high and low digital states, it records many signals simultaneously and allows to dump data to a computer for analysis. Logic analyzers can

Accurately simulate an LED

Solid-state-lighting applications are quickly moving into the mainstream. Testing the driver circuit using LEDs, although easy, yields only typical results. Accurately simulate an LED article shows a circuit that you can use to test your LED drive circuit with worst-case LED parameters. You can easily tune this one transistor test circuit for any LED voltage.

Amplifier design books

Renowned audio design guru Douglas Self has published many audio related articles and books. Some of them can be read on the web. Self on Audio book consists of collected works from 30 years of magazine writing: all the classic preamplifier and power amplifier designs. This is really worth to read collection of articles to

LED lighting teardowns

LED-based lighting is still far from a mainstream technology, and its designs are in flux. Early SSL products are making their way onto store shelves and into inventory. LED lighting teardowns: Five lighting designs that illuminate the future of lighting article shows product examples that can indicate what direction SSL design will take, at least

Cable Construction Guide

Many sizes, shapes and constructions have been tried on Hifi cables. Electrical conductors have been made in many sizes, shapes and geometries. But as the dust has settled, a few design parameters have proven to be essential and several pattern has emerged. Cable Construction Guide gives a description of the general principles, pros and cons

TDR kit built

My Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) circuit has been available as kit made by Far Circuits. The kit consists only of circuit board and components needed to build the circuit in a small plastic bag (you need to download the building instructions). The original circuit design is from my web page and Far Circuits added 5V

LED lamp lifetime

LED light manufacturers are often claiming 50,000 hours or more for lighting lifetime. Unfortunately many times those lifetime expectations are not met. Usually the makers of those high those lifetime promises forget to include the lifetime and reliability of all components, and the real-world thermal conditions the LEDs are subjected too. Just a few years

Audio equipment design analysis

I really like those electronics manufacturers that have the schematics of their devices on their data-sheets or manuals down-loadable from their site. Those schematics can aid in deciding if the equipment is well built, help in repair, designing possible modification and can be aid when you need to make your own designs that have similar

Weekend Projects

Weekend Project: Make a Simple Laser Communicator – Secretly shoot your voice across the room in stealth mode on the beam of a laser! Looks like an interesting project. Weekend Project: Make a Talking Booby Trap – Having trouble with people snatching your stuff? Here is an inexpensive, sneaky gizmo you can make to keep

Multimeter safety

Safety must always remain priority number one when doing measurements with multimeters. Working safely, while making electrical measurements, is not rocket science. It’s a simple combination of careful planning, safe practices and using the right tools in the right way. The more voltage and current is present in the circuit, more careful you have to