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Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast
Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast episodes
- MEP EP#174: Apply Inspiration Here
MEP EP#174: Apply Inspiration Here
Josh Rozier
- Research and Development of Transformers
- More than meets the eye
- Josh was a guest on EP #152: Third Annual MacroFab Star Wars Christmas Special – Vader’s Fake Fingers
Parker
- DOOM SAO
- Screens arrive this week. Going to Test them with the breakout board.
- Atmel ICE to Tag connect adapter board ordered.
- Wagon Grill complete
- Sodium Hydroxide to remove Anodizing
Stephen
- Removing Cosmoline from M1 Garand Rifle
- Genericized trademark for a common class of brown wax-like petroleum-based corrosion inhibitors, typically conforming to United States Military Standard MIL-C-11796C Class 3
- Material Safety Datasheet
R.F.O.
- Engineer tripped on LSD after touching 1960s synthesizer coated in it
- Does LSD even have a shelf life that long?
- ARM memo tells staff to stop working with China’s tech giant
- The SD Association dropped Huawei from the trade group
- SD card branding
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr 23 min - MEP EP#173: Sidecreeping Gyrations
MEP EP#173: Sidecreeping Gyrations
Parker
- DOOM SAO
- ATSAMD21G18
- Will be Arduino compatible
- Break out the majority of the I/O
- ST7789 LCD
- 1.3” 240x240 resolution
- SPI
- USB Type-C
- EEPROM AND!XOR for SAO reference designs
- Designed some arduino shields boards for the “smart LEDs” for testing
- PinoTaur update
- Software for the ATSAMD21G18 going well
- Lots of SPI and DMA going on to control the shift registers
Stephen
- Macro Amp Differences
- Surface mount tech with high voltage
- Wilkinson Audio Fredman Clip
- Test recording
- Gyrator - Simulated Inductor
R.F.O.
- Glass Enterprise Edition 2: faster and more helpful
- Industrial Augmented Reality
- Safety Glasses Styled
- Kit converts Raspberry Pi into Alexa-type home automation system
- They can be understood by anyone, says the Geek Shop, regardless of education or training.
- Direct link
- A One-Page Guide to Fixing Radiated Emissions
- FCC/CE testing for PCBs.
- Find the Aggressor!
- Nash Reilly
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr 7 min - MEP EP #172: Triode Mode Tariffs
Triode Mode Tariffs
Parker
- ATSAMD21G18A Breakout works!
- Next steps is power design and testing for PinoTaur
- Wagoneer Tach Installed.
- Will get this documented on the Longhorn Engineer blog
Stephen
- Wilkinson Audio Fredman Clip
- Cool technique for removing hiss and fizz from your recordings
- Manufacturing?
- STL that Parker will print
- Fired up one channel of the Macroamp in Triode Mode
- Working great
- Considering a new PCB to clean up the design
- DML speakers
- Don't sound that great
- Working on a "prize" for a future event
R.F.O.
- Tariff Increase on May 10th, 2019
- Section 301 Tariff: List 3
- 8417 Heading: Automatic data processing machines and units
- Google Discontinues ‘Works With Nest’ Program, Tightens Smart Home Privacy Rules
- To increase privacy for users it has removed the Works With Nest program
- Breaks IFTTT: a service that allows people to “glue” different IoT echo systems and function
- Sony MSX-2+ crazy PCB construction
- More pictures
- Why USB3 Type-C Isn’t on More Cases | How Cables Are Made Factory Tour
- Lots of hand made steps
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr 12 min - MEP EP #171: Mayonnaise Drone (And Other War Crimes)
Mayonnaise Drone (And Other War Crimes)
Danny Rankin
- An instructor in the Technology, Arts and Media (TAM) program at the University of Colorado Boulder
- The courses Danny teaches and his individual research reflect a diverse array of expertise, including graphic design, material fabrication, game design, hardware hacking, sustainable agriculture and large-scale installation art
- Co-directs the ATLAS Whaaat!? Lab, a space for experimental game and interaction design
- Cooperative card game Ravine, which began in a TAM game design class, later became one of the most popular card game Kickstarters of 2017
- Mentors in the ATLAS BTU Lab (blow things up)
- Holds a Master of Science from the ATLAS CTD program, and a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies from CU Boulder
Atlas Institute
- What is it? ATLAS is an interdisciplinary institute for radical creativity, design and invention.
- What is Danny's role?
- How is the engineering department involved?
Whaaat!? And BTU lab
- What are they?
- Projects?
- Vacuum drink delivery fridge?
- Who can get involved?
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!52 min - MEP EP #170: Start Getting Crusty
MEP EP #170: Start Getting Crusty
Parker
- PinoTaur
- MCP23S08
- I/O Expanders Verse Shift Registers?
- Wagon Tach Project
- 3D printed the housing
- Need to run the wire from the distributor to inside the cab
- To knock down the distributor signal
- In series diode to prevent negative flyback? voltage from affecting circuit
- Resistor divider
- Zener diode to clamp to 4.7V
- H11L1M - Schmitt Trigger Opto
Stephen
- MacroAmp Testing
- Used a variac to bring the amp up to voltage
- Found some of the resistances were too high
- It can be difficult to determine what a transformer tap will produce - I chose to guesstimate and fix it later...it works
- Higher gain when powered from the transformer. About 100x gain
- Tested into a Power amp - Works
- HUGE ISSUE: MICROPHONIC TUBES
- Next steps - Get everything in the enclosure. Wire the output transformers
R.F.O.
- Chip component gets heat out of tight spots without leaking electrons
- TT Electronics has introduced a surface-mount component designed exclusively to get heat out of tight spots.
- SMD thermal junctions that can be placed with a pick and place
- Can use creative thermal paths instead of more traditional “heat planes”
- Server maker Super Micro to ditch 'made-in-China' parts on spy fears
- Check out Episode 142 of the MEP with Misha and Church
- This a security move or just money due to tariffs?
- Was there something TO the Bloomberg article that caused this to happen behind the scenes?
- On better datasheets
- Suggested alternate reading: https://www.embeddedrelated.com/showarticle/809.php
- Manufacturers could provide a “legend” or “guide” for their family of datasheets
- Don't just photocopy your old datasheet and slap your name on top. Do just a little bit of effort and make a new datasheet. Also if you do photocopy anything AT LEAST DO IT STRAIGHT.
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
56 min - MEP EP #169: Is "I'm an Engineer" a valid defense?
Is "I'm an Engineer" a valid defense?
Parker
- PinoTaur Update
- 12V master voltage input
- Switching psus for the voltage rails
- ATSAMD21G18A Breakout Board
- 32.768KHZ is the external crystal?
- Lead free Smart LEDS?!
- Direct from APA Electronic
- APA-102C-5050 256
- APA-104-260-5050
Stephen
- Macroamp Update
- Tested preamp board
- ~42x gain which is much too high
- Power supply resistance is way too high at 2k
- Did not account for extra current draw from buffer Jfets
- J111 Jfet was bad out of the box - Have replaced with a BJT
- So far very low noise
- Riaa input filter still to be tested however it all works
- Tested Shielded cable footprint from MEP EP 155: Void Copper Donuts
- Was a Success!
R.F.O.
- Hack my House: UL Certification and Turning the lights on with an ESP8266
- What is the legality of IOT and connecting them to Mains?
- Component Shelf Life: How To Use All That Old Junk
- How to know when your parts are bad?
- How old is too old?
- Surplus Stores
- EU bans lead solder for real this time
- Lead has been newly classified by the EU as toxic to reproduction as of March 201
- This means it can no longer be sold to the general public, only to commercial users
- The transitional period ended Feb 28, 2019
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr 29 min - MEP EP #168: Kevin Beller of Seymour Duncan
Kevin Beller of Seymour Duncan
Kevin Beller
- Heads up the Engineering and New Product Development Departments at Seymour Duncan
- Does the electronic and mechanical design, pickup design, tooling and fixture design
- He
has worn a lot of hats in his 40 years at Seymour Duncan by starting outas production supervisor and manufacturing engineer in 1979How does an engineer sell a creative idea?
- Idea generation
- Turning sound into a design. What drives the product?
- Specifications
- Validation
- Audience? Use Case?
- Rigid design vs Playful experimentation
- Design iteration
- Who says go/no go to new designs?
- When or how do you say that you are complete?
- What happens if you just don’t like it?
- How much input is too much on a creative design?
- Trust – engineers/marketing/sales?
Announcements!
KiCon 2019
is a user conference for the popular open source CAD program KiCad.Happening April 26th and 27th 2019 in Chicago IL, this is the first andlargest gathering of hardware developers using KiCad. Talks at theconference will span hardware design, revision control, scripting,manufacturing considerations, proper library management and gettingstarted developing the underlying tools. All announced talks have beenlisted on the conference site.Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr 4 min - MEP EP #167: BenHeck and the PinoTaur
BenHeck and the PinoTaur
Benjamin Heckendorn
- A console modder and famous computer engineer
- Better known as Ben Heck on the Internet
- Independent
filmmaker and he was the star of element14’s The Ben Heck Show, apopular online series, until leaving the show in late 2018- Previous guest on episodes
- EP#23: Interview with Ben Heck of The Ben Heck Show
- EP#75: Does the Simulation Match the Reality?
- EP#153: Discrete Atomic Luffa Control
PinoTaur Pinball Platform
- Plans for PinoTaur
- EP#85: Space Engineers VS Caffeinated Chipmunks
- Reducing the cost of the PinHeck
- Enabling easier programming
- High Def Graphics
- ATSAMD21G18A
- Reducing wiring complexity
- Serial Switches
- Serial Lights
- Connectors
USB Text Adventure Game
- Scope of the project
- Story Ideas?
- Zork messes with you
Epic Game Store
- Is this bad for gamers and the industry?
Announcements!
KiCon 2019
is a user conference for the popular open source CAD program KiCad.Happening April 26th and 27th 2019 in Chicago IL, this is the first andlargest gathering of hardware developers using KiCad. Talks at theconference will span hardware design, revision control, scripting,manufacturing considerations, proper library management and gettingstarted developing the underlying tools. All announced talks have beenlisted on the conference site.Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr - MEP EP #166: Ken and Chip Gracey of Parallax Inc
Ken and Chip Gracey of Parallax Inc
Ken Gracey
- Leader and CEO of Parallax
- UC Davis alumni who lives and breathes Parallax products and has done so around the world
- All about family, working smart, having fun, mountaineering, and riding his unicycle
Chip Gracey
- Parallax founder. He had his first major introduction to programming and electronics when he was 13 years old with the Timex Sinclair computer
- After graduating high school, he and his techy friend from the 7th grade started Parallax at their homes in 1987
- Chip designed the first low-cost tools for the PIC microcontrollers
- Led to the development of the first BASIC Stamp module released in 1993
The Parallax Story
- Starting Products
- Apple IIgs memory cards
- EEPROM emulators for microcontroller development
- PIC Tools
- Basic Stamp
- SX chip
- Propeller
- Parallax Prop 2
- What makes it special compared to other microcontrollers?
- P2 VS P1?
- Feature Set
- Programming Languages?
- What does it take to design semiconductors?
- Software packages
- Simulation
- What document package do you send to the fabricator?
- Process Size?
- What is automated and what is done by hand?
- Testing and validation
- ESD?
- FCC/CE
- When can people get there hands on one?
- Community around the company
- Parallax Forum
- Beta Testing?
- Best story of the Parallax Adventure so far?
Announcements!
KiCon 2019 is a user conference for the popular open source CAD program KiCad. Happening April 26th and 27th 2019 in Chicago IL, this is the first and largest gathering of hardware developers using KiCad. Talks at the conference will span hardware design, revision control, scripting, manufacturing considerations, proper library management and getting started developing the underlying tools. All announced talks have been listed on the conference site.
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
1 hr 19 min - MEP EP #165: Dillon Nichols - Simplified Home Automation
Simplified Home Automation
Dillon Nichols
- Electrical engineer specializing in embedded systems
- Spends his free time designing circuits, writing code, and building physical objects by 3D printing, woodworking, and metal working
- Enjoys trying out new processors and services to build up his engineering knowledge base
Dillon was one of the Winners of the MacroFab Design Contest: Blink an LED
- Pragmatic Blinky Category
- Disintegrated LM3909 - 1.5V LED Flasher
Home Automation
- What do you enjoy about home automation?
- How did you get started automating your life?
- First project?
- Security?
- Favorite platform to design around
- Consolidating everything.
- One system to rule it all?
- Future ideas/projects?
- Hardware that didn’t work out?
Announcements!
KiCon 2019 is a user conference for the popular open source CAD program KiCad. Happening April 26th and 27th 2019 in Chicago IL, this is the first and largest gathering of hardware developers using KiCad. Talks at the conference will span hardware design, revision control, scripting, manufacturing considerations, proper library management and getting started developing the underlying tools. All announced talks have been listed on the conference site.
Visit our Public Slack Channel and join the conversation in between episodes!
40 min
About Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast
From the publisher's feed
Dive into the electrifying world of electrical engineering with Circuit Break, a MacroFab podcast hosted by Parker Dillmann and Stephen Kraig. This dynamic duo, armed with practical experience and a palpable passion for tech, explores the latest innovations, industry news, and practical challenges in the field. From DIY project hurdles to deep dives with industry experts, Parker and Stephen's real-world insights provide an engaging learning experience that bridges theory and practice for engineers at any stage of their career.
Whether you're a student eager to grasp what the job market seeks, or an engineer keen to stay ahead in the fast-paced tech world, Circuit Break is your go-to. The hosts, alongside a vibrant community of engineers, makers, and leaders, dissect product evolutions, demystify the journey of tech from lab to market, and reverse engineer the processes behind groundbreaking advancements. Their candid discussions not only enlighten but also inspire listeners to explore the limitless possibilities within electrical engineering.
Presented by MacroFab, a leader in electronics manufacturing services, Circuit Break connects listeners directly to the forefront of PCB design, assembly, and innovation. MacroFab's platform exemplifies the seamless integration of design and manufacturing, catering to a broad audience from hobbyists to professionals.
About the hosts: Parker, an expert in Embedded System Design and DSP, and Stephen, an aficionado of audio electronics and brewing tech, bring a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective to the show. Their backgrounds in engineering and hands-on projects make each episode a blend of expertise, enthusiasm, and practical advice.
Join the conversation and community at our online engineering forum, where we delve deeper into each episode's content, gather your feedback, and explore the topics you're curious about. Subscribe to Circuit Break on your favorite podcast platform and become part of our journey through the fascinating world of electrical engineering.
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