I enjoyed this presentation by Ted Yapo about his DIY sampling scope.
Writeup on an effort to design and produce 200 little flyback converters (meant for powering Nixie tubes).
Successfully executing a replay attack against a wireless key fob using inexpensive hardware and GNU Radio (based on Samy Kamkar's original hack).
This is an entire PC-compatible single-board computer implemented with an 8051 microcontroller (!) running an x86 emulator.
I've been able to find very little about the Appotech AX-2005 System-on-chip, just the first page of its datasheet (it runs at 125Mhz):
This TTL computer looks like an interesting design:
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It implements an 8-bit RISC CPU with an 8-instruction CPU using a surprisingly small number of chips: just 36 standard TTL chips, a ROM, and an SRAM chip.
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The VGA output is generated entirely in software with no additional graphics hardware (other than a resistor DAC). User code runs only during the hsync and vsync periods.
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The ROM kernel takes care of all the VGA timing and runs a virtual machine which presents itself as a 16-bit CPU and includes an interpreter so programs can be written in a high level language.
A very nice project report on the design and build of a simple Nixie tube clock including an unexpectedly in-depth section on the design of the custom flyback boost converter. The tubes are driven by individual transistors, controlled by an stm32 uC, powered and programmed over USB-C, and housed in a custom machined stainless steel case.
This review makes me want to play with these microcontrollers.
Arduino started as a fork of a microcontroller library/IDE/dev board called Wiring. Here the creator of Wiring weighs in a bit on the origins of and some of the drama surrounding Arduino.
A comparison 21 different microcontrollers — all less than $1.
A concise writeup of a homebrew z80 game console which uses two Atmega1284 uC as a double-buffered graphics accelerator.
I'm not sure where this came from (some class handout?) but it is a very nice guide to hand-drawing Bode plots.
Educational electronics weblog with a good name I came across today.
Two little boost converters from a single 8-pin ATtiny uC.
Robert Baruch is getting custom LCDs manufactured in China at surprisingly low quantities and total cost.
See also his video about the project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8-HfGTCcCk
These low-cost 8051 microcontrollers with USB look interesting.
This guy has many elegant AVR projects.
I like the chassis/enclosure design of this little 2-wheel WiFi-controlled car.
Nice overview of hobbyist-friendly e-ink displays.