BuffaloFeeds » Hack A Day » January 28, 2011

Hack A Day (9 unread)

Building linear amplifier prototypes

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 2:00pm MST by Mike Szczys

We know way too little about this subject but hopefully [Bob4analog] helped us learn a little bit more this time around. He’s building his own linear amplifiers on what looks like sheets of MDF. This is an evolving design and the two videos after the break show two different iterations. He’s salvaged several components, like [...]
The OpenServo Project

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 1:00pm MST by James Munns

When it comes to using servos in projects, there is a definite distinction between the cheap ones and the expensive high power and precision models. The OpenServo project gives you a couple options for enhancing your servo experience. By replacing the control board with a new one based on a familiar microcontroller, a whole new [...]
Simple sensors to calculate RPM

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 12:00pm MST by Mike Szczys

Ever wonder how to calculate revolutions per minute using a microcontroller? This project shows you how by purposing an IR emitter and detector and a computer fan. As the fan blades spin they disrupt the beam of infrared light between the emitter and the receiver. This results in a waveform on the receiver’s circuit which [...]
Take your PS3 on world tour

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 11:00am MST by Mike Szczys

[Lossfresnos65] must be planning to do a lot of travelling because he’s entombed his PlayStation 3 in a Pelican case. Inside you’ll find some diamond-plate bezel to cover the console itself and used to surround the 19-inch high-definition television that is mounted to the lid of the case. In the picture above you see the door that [...]
SIM card carrying traffic lights

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 10:00am MST by Mike Szczys

Apparently some of the traffic lights in Johannesburg, South Africa have SIM cards in them to help maintain the network without a physical connection. Now that’s some and not all, but apparently thieves have learned that the SIMs can be used in cell phones to make anonymous and unlimited calls. Officials are convinced that the [...]
Patching into an optical mouse with a PIC

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 9:00am MST by Mike Szczys

[MikyMouse] cracked open a couple different optical mice (or is it mouses?) in order to play with the data communications coming off of the chips inside. Once he figured out the protocol, it wasn’t too hard to grab the data for use in his own projects. The chip that controls the mouse is one of [...]
Reminder: Santa-Pede challenge ending soon

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 8:30am MST by Caleb Kraft

This is just a friendly reminder that our Santa-Pede challenge will be ending soon. Please send your submissions to us by emailing them to bbb@hackaday.com or by posting them in the projects section of our forum (did we mention we have a forum now?) by the end of January to be considered. We don’t care [...]
Monitoring the Engine Control Unit

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 8:10am MST by Mike Szczys

Is there a place in the dashboard of your high performance automobile for this Engine Control Unit feedback panel? There’s several methods of showing information at work here. The row of LEDs at the top of the bezel provide RPM feedback. The two red LEDs with chrome bezels are alarm indicators. But that big OLED [...]
Touch screen jukebox

Posted: January 28th, 2011, 5:39am MST by Caleb Kraft

We went “live” with our forums less than 24 hours ago and we already have our first project ready for the front page. [Elementix] has shown us his touch screen jukebox build. Using an assortment of car audio speakers and amplifiers hooked up to an old Pentium 4 PC with 120 Gigs of storage, he [...]