Random electronics projects

[p3lb0x]

So, I recently started Uni and have been doing a bit of this and that with my Atmel prototyping board using a AtMega32 µC. One of things I made with some of the assignments we've gotten so far is a small simple square wave synthesizer like thing. Has anyone else done similar small electronics projects? I am correctly dabbling in buying 6 5X8 LED dot matrixes to redo the charlieplexing display I made in high school. So yeah, any of you guys done similar things?

The small synthesizer like thing I made using the Uni-required STK500 prototyping board (An exercise in assembly):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnco3IvyUh8

My old charlieplexed 8x7 LED display (Written in terrible amateur C):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IZT2XLVnX0

[ewemoa]

Just beginner-level Arduino stuff here -- just connecting LEDs, wires, etc. on breadboards at this stage.

Curious how the following is going to turn out:

  SmartScope

Do you have access to an oscilloscope?

[Edvard]

...
Curious how the following is going to turn out:

 SmartScope

WANT!!

I have an old Heathkit scope I bought at the Goodwill.  It works, but has a time-machine glitch in it (the tops of the waveforms tend backwards) and I haven't found a manual to adjust it yet, but really I would like something to replace it that doesn't cost a million bucks.  Been saving my pennies for this:
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/DSO-Nano-v3-p-1358.html



I never thought that maybe an Arduino with a display could do the basics, but it looks like some folks have done it:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Girino-Fast-Arduino-Oscilloscope/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Oscilloscope-poor-mans-Oscilloscope/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Improved-Poor-Mans-Oscilloscope/

For simple audio signal tracing, I've used Xoscope to good effect:
http://xoscope.sourceforge.net/


I've done audio equipment repair in my youth, and tried my hand at designing guitar sound effects units (stompboxes), but never really went anywhere with that.  I have an arduino, and am fascinated by what others have done with it, but I'm having trouble coming up with my own ideas for it.

[ewemoa]

I have an old Heathkit scope I bought at the Goodwill.  It works, but has a time-machine glitch in it (the tops of the waveforms tend backwards) and I haven't found a manual to adjust it yet,

I don't suppose there's anything relevant here:

  http://www.vintage-radio.info/heathkit/


Thanks for the links -- some interesting stuff there.  Saw something about BitScope on the xoscope page -- might take a look at that later.

[p3lb0x]

I am personally using Digilents Analog Discovery, it's a USB oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator and 5v power supply. It also has like 12 16 I/O ports. It's a bit expensive though, but thinking about how expensive most normal oscilloscopes are, it's pretty affordable.

[ewemoa]

Does this look like it?

[p3lb0x]

Yep, that's the exact oscilloscope I am using. It's working out well so far. The controlling software is a bit slow, but once you set everything up it works flawlessly.

[ewemoa]

Thanks!

Hopefully I'll meet up with an oscilloscope before too long -- may be something simple for starters...

[40hz]

I'm almost exclusively an analog (audio/music) buff, although I have an unopened Arduino starter kit I keep trying to find time/energy to get down with.

My last project was this dynamite little FET audio preamp. I think I've built a dozen or more of these puppies for various music projects and friends. I've also built four of J. Donald Tillman's superb JFET guitar preamp, which inspired the above circuit. (The J201 FET in Tillman's circuit is becoming difficult to obtain so I don't let these preamps out of my sight. All my music cronies love the way they sound. And I wouldn't put it past some of them not to try the old '5-finger discount' move to get one. )

I love simple little electronic projects like these. It's nice to get professional quality at very reasonable prices. And building it yourself just makes it that much sweeter.

[phitsc]

The SmartScope indeed looks very cool! I would be surprised if you find anything cheaper than that.