Comments for Big Mess o' Wires http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu A home-built CPU, and other messy electronics adventures Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:39:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 Comment on Eagle vs. KiCad by manspecs http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/03/eagle-vs-kicad/#comment-20216 manspecs Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:18:50 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/03/eagle-vs-kicad/#comment-20216 I'm an Eagle user until I found KiCAD in 2004. I use a SolidWorks to draw the 3D parts & used my own 3D library. Spend sometimes to understand KiCAD, how it works and it's a WYSIWYG, since you can view all components & board in 3D. Use SolidWorks to create your own part, converted to Wing3D object, share it with the rest. If you don't like to contribute/share anything, then Eagle is a good choice, because paid users are paying for all the library. I’m an Eagle user until I found KiCAD in 2004. I use a SolidWorks to draw the 3D parts & used my own 3D library. Spend sometimes to understand KiCAD, how it works and it’s a WYSIWYG, since you can view all components & board in 3D.

Use SolidWorks to create your own part, converted to Wing3D object, share it with the rest. If you don’t like to contribute/share anything, then Eagle is a good choice, because paid users are paying for all the library.

]]> Comment on Cheetos Guitar Amp by Jeff Hopkins http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/15/cheetos-guitar-amp/#comment-20150 Jeff Hopkins Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:43:58 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/15/cheetos-guitar-amp/#comment-20150 http://jeffmhopkins.blogspot.com/2010/01/this-is-for-pena-who-wanted-schematics.html Steve Chamberlin said... I saw your comment on my BMOW blog about adding an additional tone pot to my Cheetos amp design. Do you have any more info about how your distortion box design works? Looking at the schematic, it's not at all obvious to me what the two pots do, or what the purpose of many of the components is. Jeff said... Hey, sorry, been a while since I looked at the comments section here... need to add an email alert. Anyway, R9 is a tone pot, it grounds out the active signal through the cap, since it is variable it is adjustable. It is a bit like a subtractive tone dial. The rest is pretty simple, a few transistors set up for the gain, and the bias set for Q2 via R8. This will vary the amount of distortion. The switches add a bypass to the box, and of course the obligatory power LED. If you have more questions, please ask them. I'll repost to your blog as well. http://jeffmhopkins.blogspot.com/2010/01/this-is-for-pena-who-wanted-schematics.html

Steve Chamberlin said…
I saw your comment on my BMOW blog about adding an additional tone pot to my Cheetos amp design. Do you have any more info about how your distortion box design works? Looking at the schematic, it’s not at all obvious to me what the two pots do, or what the purpose of many of the components is.

Jeff said…
Hey, sorry, been a while since I looked at the comments section here… need to add an email alert.

Anyway, R9 is a tone pot, it grounds out the active signal through the cap, since it is variable it is adjustable. It is a bit like a subtractive tone dial.

The rest is pretty simple, a few transistors set up for the gain, and the bias set for Q2 via R8. This will vary the amount of distortion.

The switches add a bypass to the box, and of course the obligatory power LED.

If you have more questions, please ask them. I’ll repost to your blog as well.

]]> Comment on BMOW 1 by Andy http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/bmow1/#comment-20149 Andy Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:01:24 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/bmow1/#comment-20149 WOW, that wire-wrap is ART!!!! WOW, that wire-wrap is ART!!!!

]]> Comment on Progress on Audio by inx http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-20128 inx Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:12:41 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-20128 ok. got it... red the datasheet and things are working :) ok. got it…
red the datasheet and things are working :)

]]> Comment on Eagle vs. KiCad by oecherexpat http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/03/eagle-vs-kicad/#comment-19897 oecherexpat Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:16:00 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/03/eagle-vs-kicad/#comment-19897 I have been using Eagle for years (beside other high-priced professional packages) and swichted for the last 2 projects to Kicad, mainly because of the imense capabilities for an open-source package. And, yes, there are a few things you have to do by workarounds. First of all, I would suggest to change library parts to your needs. It might sound like a lot of work but after you did a few, you can used them as templates. And there aren't that many footprints. Next, if you enter the footprint in the schematic symbol it will be automatically assigned. Yes you have to go via CVpcb but it is only a few clicks. Hope I could help I have been using Eagle for years (beside other high-priced professional packages) and swichted for the last 2 projects to Kicad, mainly because of the imense capabilities for an open-source package.
And, yes, there are a few things you have to do by workarounds. First of all, I would suggest to change library parts to your needs. It might sound like a lot of work but after you did a few, you can used them as templates. And there aren’t that many footprints.
Next, if you enter the footprint in the schematic symbol it will be automatically assigned. Yes you have to go via CVpcb but it is only a few clicks.
Hope I could help

]]> Comment on Progress on Audio by inx http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-19891 inx Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:24:36 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-19891 I have an AY-3-8913 chip, that i want to use... i wondered if it would be possible to get some example-code for arduino to start with... i dont have any clou where to beginn... but some bits of code would help me a lot and bring some light into this... I have an AY-3-8913 chip, that i want to use… i wondered if it would be possible to get some example-code for arduino to start with… i dont have any clou where to beginn… but some bits of code would help me a lot and bring some light into this…

]]> Comment on Progress on Audio by Steve http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-19805 Steve Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:54:31 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-19805 Yes, the audio circuit described here eventually became part of the BMOW home-built computer. http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/category/bmow1/ Yes, the audio circuit described here eventually became part of the BMOW home-built computer. http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/category/bmow1/

]]> Comment on Progress on Audio by Mark http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-19802 Mark Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:04:16 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2009/01/12/progress-on-audio/#comment-19802 Is this project done or on hold? Please let us (me) know if anything else was ever done with this project. I have a stack of these chips (ay-3-8913) and just found your series of posts. I would like to do a project and use up some of these chips. If anyone else needs some, i would be happy to work something out as well. Is this project done or on hold? Please let us (me) know if anything else was ever done with this project.

I have a stack of these chips (ay-3-8913) and just found your series of posts. I would like to do a project and use up some of these chips.

If anyone else needs some, i would be happy to work something out as well.

]]> Comment on Eagle vs. KiCad by nerdegutta http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/03/eagle-vs-kicad/#comment-19698 nerdegutta Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:40:36 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/05/03/eagle-vs-kicad/#comment-19698 Great article. I'm a Linux user, so open-source does matter to me. I've tried Eagle, but I always end up doing stuff in KiCad. It has its drawbacks, like parts and footprints, and the F3 button. But I can live with that. Best thing with KiCad is the 3D view!! Great article.

I’m a Linux user, so open-source does matter to me. I’ve tried Eagle, but I always end up doing stuff in KiCad. It has its drawbacks, like parts and footprints, and the F3 button. But I can live with that.

Best thing with KiCad is the 3D view!!

]]> Comment on RC Servo Signal Decoder for Camera Shutter Switch by D McCreary http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/02/21/rc-servo-signal-decoder-for-camera-shutter-switch/#comment-19546 D McCreary Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:16:35 +0000 http://www.stevechamberlin.com/cpu/2010/02/21/rc-servo-signal-decoder-for-camera-shutter-switch/#comment-19546 I wonder if juggling the RC time constant to compensate for the pulse rate of digital servos signals versus analog would result in it working on the digital hardware now being employed today. It's worth a second look. I wonder if juggling the RC time constant to compensate for the pulse rate of digital servos signals versus analog would result in it working on the digital hardware now being employed today. It’s worth a second look.

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