We had a blast going live for our exciting Christmas quiz! We started by whipping up some suspense, dealing with a few technical glitches, a tiny bit of trippy feedback, and some legendary guests. We had James, Brian, Pat, and Desi – the real stars of live streaming! With the rules set out - not questioning Santa, we navigated through a wave of Christmas and science-themed questions. From 1980s computers and the first SMS message to hormones, physics, electronics, and space exploration – we had it all. We even added a splash of math and popular culture into the mix....
So, I got this nifty 2x2 meter 400 LED curtain and immediately went to work dismantling it. The LED strands are tapped off the main wire, rather than daisy-chained, which is a departure from the norm. Turns out, these LEDs are pre-programmed, allowing them to intelligently latch onto the right serial data. Unraveling the control unit, we see an IR receiver and other key components responsible for driving the LED strings. Despite my misgivings about deciphering in-built Bluetooth characteristics, I hooked the circuit back up with our dependable WLED software and got some amazing grid patterns. Interestingly, the LEDs operated...
In this video, I've decided to dive deep into the ESP32-S3, a module ruling my lab recently due to its plug-in-and-play functionality, and the flexibility offered by its GPIO matrix. However, working with it requires vigilance, especially with regard to the strapping pins and USB data pins, among others. Discovering such quirks, I've encountered unexpected values, short glitches and the occasional code crash. To help you avoid these bumps, I've documented everything I've learned on my GitHub repo, where I'm inviting you, my fellow makers and engineers, to contribute your valuable experiences and findings. After a minor hiccup with my...
Buckle up folks, this video is a thrilling one! There's everything from unboxing my new ESP32 TV boards that arrived from PCB Way to discovering some hidden issues. We're talking about some pesky problems, surprises, and even a potential catastrophic error that could've led to a disaster. The main dish is the high-speed SD card access over USB - ultimately achieving a whooping transfer rate! But, the journey is a roller-coaster ride, from the project completely failing initially, to some smart hacks and triumphant moments. All the peripherals worked well, from the display to the sound amplifier and even the...
In today's captivating episode, I take a shot at home printed PCBs rather than buying from our faithful PCBWay, leading to some riveting discoveries. Using a stunning Voltera machine, my single-sided print echoed a glistening marshmallow-like texture that was cured just lovely in the oven. Encountering limitations, such as weak conductive ink bonds and layout tricks, brought on new challenges but also widened my horizon for potential improvements, such as considering a direct USB connection experiment. Despite issues, our creation came to life through intriguing stages of soldering, placement, and reflow, resulting in a successful quick prototype with operational LEDs...
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With my growing list of USB-C powered devices and just one cable, I found myself underpowered on my bench. My solution? Scouring the depths of AliExpress for USB-C power delivery, QC2, and QC3 step-down converters. After initially purchasing individual boards, I struck gold with an ultra-convenient 4-in-one board. Paired with a Meanwell power supply, I enjoyed pushing my new setup to its limits with the MiniWare electronic load tester. Although managing to pull a decent 65W, I'm dreaming up a 3D printed enclosure and eyeing up MiniWare's display modules for future improvements. I reckon, while I'm battling delayed PCBs and...
In this DIY assembly venture, I decided to tackle the challenge of designing a safer casing for the bare, open mains connections on my LRS-200-24 power supply. To add to the challenge, the connector size was surprisingly wide and deep, which created hurdles in 3D printing the perfect box. I tried several renditions, from printing in separate parts to changing the design into a tubular construction, but these ventures resulted in a bit of a printing scrap heap. After discovering a sturdy, push-fit, slimmer connector online, my 3D printing journey went a little smoother, resulting in a front panel that...
In this video, we explore the disappointingly slow data writing speed of the ESP32 when reading and writing to an SD card in our TinyTV project. With 500 kilobytes/sec reading and a dismal 270 kilobytes/sec writing, we embark on an adventure to find a solution. After ditching the Arduino code in favor of IDF functions, we discover incredible improvements. Seeing potential risks, I propose a truly bonkers plan: using a IC to interface SD cards with USB with a USB multiplexer switch and another switch to alternate between ESP32 and the GL823. This could be a total disaster, but I'm...
In my exploration for the fastest JPEG decoder for the ESP32, I trod a path from the original JPEG decoder library at 109 milliseconds, to the accelerated TJPEG decoder at 55 milliseconds, and finally the impressive JPEG dec library at 32 milliseconds. But wait, there's more. Along came a GitHub issue suggesting decoding JPEG with SIMD, efficiently working wonders at a decoding speed of just 20 milliseconds. However, it threw a curveball when it came to drawing. The decoding process doesn't overlap with the pixel transfer making it slower than expected. It does bring great benefits for streaming JPEGs though,...
In this video, we successfully navigated the convoluted process of setting up movie file playback from an ESP32 with an SD card. There were a few bumps along the way, such as confusing USB data pins and the intricacies of various video container formats, but our quirky PCBWay board came through. Discussed an ingenious method of creating a simple custom video container format with ffmpeg that can be effortlessly parsed by the ESP32. And yes, even though the tiny TV guys use AVI files, we pushed boundaries and learned a thing or two about list chunks, sub formats, and hex...
In this video, we dive into a hardware hack combining several components to create my version of the TinyTV, complete with a remote control, and video streaming over Wi-Fi. We challenge the speed of image display, using different libraries and tweaking performance for optimal results. We explore Motion JPEG or MJPEG to decode and draw images quickly, and even reach about 28 frames per second. We also catered audio using 8-bit PCM data at 16kHz, and deal with syncing both video and audio streams. Finally, we add some interactive elements allowing us to change channels and control volumes, with a...
In this exciting video, we're making progress on our miniature television project, having perfected sound and making strides with vision. We delve into the audio aspect, utilizing Mini esp32 S3 boards with 3-watt class D amplifiers based on the versatile max 98357ic. Fascinating features like class D amplifiers' efficiency and the easy PWM signal creation process are explored. We also play around with speakers of varying sizes, check out the temperature of the amplifier, and fiddle with animated gifs on our square display. Lots to come in future videos, including Version 2 of our boards and potential video playing methods!...
So in this video, I had a fun time experimenting with the cool gadgets sent over to me by Fury. I unwrapped this awesome USB soldering iron that looks quite promising and useful. The tiny solder stand, a Galium nitri power supply and a collection of soldering iron bits that they sent over were quite appreciable. The video took a spin when I introduced the novel 3in1 oscilloscope. This tool bundles an oscilloscope, a transistor tester and a signal generator. Well, that's a triple threat! I went on to test the soldering iron and it showed some remarkable results. The...
In this enlightening video, I delve into the deep and fascinating world of image processing. Forget everything you thought you knew about pixels – they’re not squares or rectangles and they definitely aren’t discs. All pixels are, my friends, are point samples, each capturing brightness or color at a particular position. Curious to know how to manipulate them? I also unravel this mysterious tapestry, familiarizing you with the technicalities of grayscale, RGB, HSB, YUV, and a fleeting mention of CMYK. And if you think that's all, hold tight! Did you know we could apply Fourier transforms, akin to graphic equalisers...
An insightful iteration on my Arduino Nano esp32 video. Despite criticism regarding the slow display update speed, a solution was found thanks to the helpful fellow, Nick. Turns out, the software SPI was the cause of the issue. A quick tweak in the code and voilà, we've got ourselves an SPI clock whizzing at 80 megahertz. Quite the speed boost for just a few lines of code alteration!
In this video, I took a deep dive into the Arduino Nano ESP32 and compared it with other available boards in the market. Despite its seemingly high cost as compared to the options on AliExpress, its overall quality, fantastic documentation, and the fact that it fits neatly into the Arduino ecosystem makes it a good buy, especially if you've already invested in the Arduino Nano and its shields. The board has a few interesting peculiarity, including the use of a NORA-W106 module, a switch mode step-down converter for power, and an RGB LED. However, I was disappointed to find out...
In this video, I test out the new hot air rework station I just got to solder my Mini esp32 S3 boards. I dissect the hot air gun, encountering an Australian plug and a couple of interesting quirks inside the control PCB. I attempt to understand the circuit, welcome your thoughts on the build quality, and then solder on a new, hopefully safer, UK-compliant plug. Post-assembly, I apply way too much solder paste thanks to these tricky solder syringes, before setting the station to 300 degrees C for some hands-on rework. After some trials, I successfully fix some solder bridges...
Just when we thought we'd done with our mailbag, some exciting new stuff tips up. This time, we've got a soldering kit, a fun-looking Dash, and extra bonus, an ink plate 10, which is a cool e-paper display from Soldered. We've unboxed it, pulling out a board with an esp32 module, an SD card, and a battery connector. One of the major selling points is its open-source nature, you can download all the schematics from GitHub, and for those inclined, learn about how to build pcbs. Also showcased a Simon Says game soldering kit, despite my modest soldering skills (we...
In this video, I explore the functions of my newly arrived little boards - essentially a PCB that an esp32 S3 room module can be connected to. I put the board's voltage regulator, battery charger, and a 3 watt class D amplifier to the test, and damn, they work perfectly! I even use breadboards, connecting them together to facilitate a wider workspace. I gave the pcbs a spin, conducting sanity checks to ensure full functionality. With a successful battery charge and impressive voltage measurements, my PCB's are up to the challenge. I also dabble in some circuit jargon, explaining schematics,...
In today's episode, I'm unboxing some goodies from PCB way - my super tiny esp32 breakout boards, which I'm planning to use to recreate a mini TV complete with speakers and a display. Also received some convenient adapter boards for easier testing. Excited to explore a new Arduino Nano esp32 based on a different, tinier module, and contrasting it with other products like the Tiny Pico. Also up for testing is a new mini wear electronic load compared to my old one, and an ATX power adapter for more USB ports. I'll be testing power banks, playing with inexpensive yellow...