Electronics Explained
Slides PDF: Electrolytics are Ticking Time Bombs Bit Preserve: GitHub Repo with Vintage Computer Schematics in KiCad Bald Engineer s Capacitor Video Playlist TRS 80 Model 100 Cap Replacement Spreadsheet (add a pitch column!) Talk for Vintage Computer Festival Midwest #20 (2025).
Multi-layer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are so ubiquitous that you see them on almost every printed circuit board. Engineers and supply chain managers often ask whether polymer electrolytic capacitors can replace MLCCs. The replacement could be because of availability, or an application cannot tolerate the extreme capacitance loss with MLCC s DC Bias Effect. This video demonstrates [...]
Experience comparing DIY and Turnkey PCB assembly with the Bald SENSE project. This journey started almost four years ago. Thanks to a collaboration with MacroFab, I am finally collecting valuable environmental data with my custom Feather Wing. A big thank you to MacroFab for manufacturing the boards and sponsoring the video. I also want to [...]
I dive into Pico Technology s latest PicoScope oscilloscope software, PicoScope 7. Using a PicoScope 2000A (from the element14 Community), James walks through key measurements and demonstrations using the built-in arbitrary waveform generator. He explores new functionalities in PicoScope 7, such as the improved UI, a unique feature called DeepMeasure, and decoding I3C traffic. I have [...]
The Apple II s ROM has the 8th bit set for all of its ASCII strings. This convention makes it difficult to search the ROM for hex strings quickly. This Python script takes an ASCII string and returns the HEX string with (and without) the 8th bit set. Python Code Disclaimer: I used ChatGPT to generate [...]
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The B K Precision DAS60 is a data recorder. It features 6 wide-range voltage inputs, 16 digital channels, and RTD thermal sensor inputs and comes in a small compact form factor. In this video, I show what it can do. The DAS60 is designed for lab and fieldwork. Its built-in battery means you can deploy it [...]
The Retro Repairs RoundUp crew invited me to be a guest on episode 56 of their livestream. As their name implies, they discuss retro computers and, in many streams, how to repair them. We mostly discussed the Mega IIe project. Sean was another guest who talked about KansasFest 2024. KansasFest is an Apple II conference. [...]
I must extend a big Thank You! to Lewin Day at Hackaday for this excellent Mega IIe write-up. Accompanying the post is an archived recording of my Supercon 2023 talk. That talk is where I gave a complete overview of the Mega IIe project and showed off the final case design for the first time! [...]
Check out NXP s latest microcontroller boards. These boards of their new MCX-A and MCX-N microcontrollers. The form factor is what NXP calls Freedom (FRDM.) The MCX line of microcontrollers, each with its unique set of features, caters to a wide range of projects. The MCX-A, a general-purpose microcontroller, is ideal for entry-level projects, while the [...]