Hardware projects

Parallel port-based EEPROM programmer (about July 2000)
A very simple design needing just three 74xx series parts.

Breakout board for an Altera CPLD (May 2006)
A simple PCB for getting my feet wet with CPLDs, PCB design, and surface mount assembly.

Projects under consideration:

6502 Computer / 8088 Computer
The original motivation for the above EEPROM programmer was a 6502-based computer I wanted to make. Well, I made it, then I needed the protoboard for something else, so I took it apart. I didn't even take a picture. :( I want to build it again. But better!

Simple Software Radio Peripheral clone.
The original isn't under development, uses a rareish A/D, and requires somebody else's Cypress board. I'd rather make my own. I think.

Fencing body cord tester
Fencers wear this multi-wire cord which relays signals from their weapon to the scoring box. This cord breaks all the time. A little box which could check the resistance of each line and warn you if they're getting suspect would be nice. I'd have a working design if it weren't for opamp input offset voltage.

Chaotic circuit
Chaos, in an analog circuit. With LEDs. (But not lorenz, as that requires analog multiplers. Bleh.)

VGA/Flatlink interface
I want something that'll let me interface fairly low-speed devices (PICs, 8-bit microprocessors, etc) to LCDs that use the Flatlink LVDS interface. This is probably going to be a combination of the TI Flatlink serializer (SN65LVDS84), and an FPGA loaded with the Opencore's Wishbone VGA controller. Probably some SDRAM, too.

Turing Machine art
Simple busy beaver Turing machines, in programmable logic, with a bunch of LEDs to display the internal state. It will blink, and be pretty. I'm thinking latching relays to hold the state, low power electronics, solar panels, and supercaps or batteries. Then seal it up and make it a piece of multidecadal art. Or at least multiyear.

Lasers
Things involving really powerful lasers, and motors. Maybe LIDAR.

Egg Plotter
I want my own.

SparkFun and their associated service BatchPCB are cool.


Contact