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Project 1: Development Board This will be a microcontroller (aka: MCU, uC, micro-controller, micro controller) development platform. This first one will be based on the PIC87J50 family of microcontrollers. I'm choosing this microcontroller because I'm currently developing a product with it and I really like it. I plan on making this board as versatile as possible so I have selected the high end MCU which is an 80 pin device with lots of memory. I am also going to include a USB ICSP programmer (Pickit 2 clone) built into this development board. This is not required and if you already have a programmer or just don't want to go to the trouble of including this I will make sure to take this into account during the design. It is not required to start with this project. A lot of development boards already exist. You can get a decent one for $50-$200. Alternatively you can just build the MCU circuits for each future project. However, I think you'll really enjoy building this and it will be extremely useful in your own applications. I was thinking about adding support for other MCU's via a daughterboard type setup. I don't think I'm going to at this point. In the future I'll use this design to build one with extra MCU support (ARM, STM, Arduino, etc...) I will have some PCBs made in limited quantaties. If you want one let me know. I'm probably going to do this with ExpressPCB but I will make their layout file available to you if you want to have them make you a board. If there is enough demand I'll lay this out in NI Ultiboard so I can give you the files to go to other board makers. The files will be free but the boards will have to cost (note: I'm not trying to make a profit off of this so I will sell them at a price that will just recoup the cost of making them.) Don't be scared that this may be considered a more advanced project. I'm going to make it as easy as possible and you really don't need to understand how any of it works. This board will be used to begin developing an understanding of the basics in future projects. So if you're worried you can't do this one, don't be. If you can follow a cake recipe (and solder) then you can build this. If you need help I'll do what I can. Project 2: Home Entertainment Interface So I know most people have ther PC as an integral part of their home entertainment system. Although I don't have T.V., I do have a stereo hooked to my computer. My receiver sits in the corner where it is difficult to control with or without the remote. The idea behind this project is to build a software interface that will control your equipment. I plan to use a wireless dongle (maybe bluetooth?) connected to the USB port of your PC that will control your equipment's own IR remote. I realize that given the nature of this project it might be difficult for some people and because so many different equipment types exists, it will be hard to give precise instructions on some things. Regardless, most of project will be easy to follow and will result (before connecting to your equipment) as a good wireless control for a million different things. |
randombuild.com is still under construction. Although it is being updated, it is not yet fully functional. The randombuild.com mission: To provide cool electronics projects in an easy to understand form that allows participation by people of any skill (aka: "normal people") while maintaining the interest of the engineering and scientific minded (aka: "super nerds")
Project 1: Development Board
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