Ep017: Are Cheap Microcontrollers Worth It? Android on Your Bike. Plus Food Printers and Coffee Bots

Hackaday Podcast · 3 May 2019 · 55m

What this episode covers

Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss the PMS150C microcontroller, which costs only 3 cents but is one-time programmable, and explore a bike computer running Android that revealed GPL violations. They also cover a scratch-built smartwatch with a wood-filled PLA case, a LoRa repeater for high-altitude balloons, and an SNES emulator technique that improves Mode 7 graphics. The episode concludes with an interview with Craig Bishop about improving KiCad's auto-router.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 03m

    PITA Package

    Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics and Dave Jones of EEVblog discuss a variety of hardware topics, including Gammell's new cellular development platform using a QuickTel EG91 module and Jones's five-part tutorial series on programming the Padauk three-cent microcontroller. They also review low-cost components like the SSP 6206 voltage regulator and the NCP 115 in an XDFN package, while debating the practicality of such tiny parts versus standard options. The conversation shifts to workshop tools, comparing microscope setups and fume extraction systems, before concluding with a discussion on e-waste recycling practices demonstrated by YouTuber E-waste Ben.

  • The Electromaker Show · 31m

    Cheapest 32-bit MCU, Pi Pico Special, Retro Computer Wifi, and More!

    The host of The Electromaker Show announces the launch of 'Product of the Week' and 'Electromaker of the Month,' highlighting the Raspberry Pi Pico and community project prizes. He details a serial Wi-Fi adapter for retro computers by Action Retro, which adds modern connectivity to vintage hardware, and discusses the Nordic nRF7002 development kit winner, Gary Fuller. The episode also explores the Puya Semiconductor PY32, identified as the cheapest flashable 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0+ microcontroller, and covers battery management system (BMS) safety insights from Big Clive and DIY Guy Chris.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 22m

    069 - Canned Cheese and Onion Rings

    Ian from Dangerous Prototypes discusses the evolution of the BusPirate, culminating in the BusPirate 5, which utilizes an RP2040 microcontroller and features an LCD, adjustable power supply, and current sensing. He details the creation of DirtyPCBs and other services like DirtyCables, explaining how he automated PCB ordering in Shenzhen to disrupt the market. Ian also shares anecdotes about his time in Huaqiangbei, including the 'Expressway to Pleasure' project and his experiences with local manufacturing quirks.

  • The Electromaker Show · 40m

    I2C on your PC with Pico, Pocket Integrator Goes Live, OrangePi Monitor, and more!

    The host reviews the Electromaker of the Month winners, highlighting Sector 7’s sci-fi short film documenting the build of Project Lumen, a smart headboard with voice assistant and coffee brewing capabilities. The episode covers the Pocket Integrator, a device for Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators that adds MIDI sync and USB power, and Infineon’s battery-less NFC padlock. It also features Stephen Hawes introducing the Lumen PNP, an open-source desktop pick-and-place machine priced at $1,745.

  • The Electromaker Show · 40m

    Ultimate XIAO board guide, Home Assistant Green, and Which PCB Fab House is Best?

    The host reviews the Seeed Studio XIAO microcontroller line, highlighting the nRF52840 Sense variant for its IMU and microphone, and announces a giveaway for four different XIAO boards. He introduces the Home Assistant Green, a pre-configured Rockchip-based smart home hub priced at $99, noting its plug-and-play nature compared to the previous Yellow model. The episode also covers the Electromaker of the Month winners, including a propane fire walkway light project using ESP32s, and discusses running Linux without an MMU on RISC-V MCUs, as well as a comparison of PCB fabrication houses.

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