Networking a dot matrix printer
Nothing adds more value to resources like printers than being able to share them.
Machina Speculatrix
Electronics, robotics, home automation, programming, hacking and more. The lab notebook of an amateur meddler who likes playing with things until they work — or catch fire.
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Latest posts
Life with a dot matrix printer
There’s something charming about old technology, especially if you can find a use for it.
Getting to grips with the parallel interface
Putting an old printer back into use meant talking the language of its now (mostly) obsolete interface.
McROM redux: improving the STM32 microcontroller-based ROM emulator
The first version worked in my homebrew computer, although not without persuasion. Let's see if we can do better.
McROM: STM32 code for a ROM emulator
Getting a microcontroller to role-play as a ROM isn't difficult. If you know what you're doing. Do I?
Adding extended memory to a homebrew computer
The CPU in your homebrew microcomputer can access more memory than you might at first think, so long as you arrange things the right way.
How PCB fabs abuse boards for peace of mind
The quality of PCBs isn't a subjective matter - there are tests and standards that ensure they are up to the task.
Mixing C and C++ with the STM32 microcontroller
The STM32 world defaults to C, but sometimes you yearn for the sophistication of C++. The good news is that you can have both - in the same project.
From the archive: the challenges of selling computers
Today, we buy computers much like we buy TVs and fridges. But there was a time when selling PCs was an art, and a difficult one at that.
McROM: A microcontroller-based ROM emulator for a homebrew computer
EEPROMs are all very well, but they’re not convenient. Could a microcontroller do the job faster and with less fuss? Maybe.