2010

Open Source Apple Shuffle like DIY MP3 Player

This small DIY MP3 Player is much like the Apple Shuffle. Not a simple project since it consists of all tiny surface mount parts. The code for the 18F88 is available for download so you can build your own. “This player features a shuffle mode, basic track navigation, volume control, FAT32 support, fragmented file support, an unlimited number of files on the root directory, and high quality playback. Files at

Doorbell Control

If you are getting tired of your plain old doorbell that just goes ding dong when someone presses the button why not jazz it up with a bit of electronics. Nicholas Skinner has done just that with his Doorbell System. “Features: Sense Bell Press – Allowing for triggering of other events on press, such as additional remote ringers in other parts of the house, computer popup notification and possibly cameras

Halloween Electric Chair

I have seen lots of great Halloween Prop builds but this Halloween Electric Chair that Robo and his son made for a school haunted house takes the cake. I love the mix of pneumatics and electrical. The sensor is IR which I obviously love since that is exactly how my Stair Lighting System is activated except by a leg not an electrocuted head! The sander under the seat is sure

Reverse Engineer a Power Supply to find Fault

Repairing most electronics these days is pointless unless you are doing it for fun. Take an answering machine for example. You can purchase a new one for $10 but to find a fault in a dead one you could spend days of your spare time. If you have schematics and the manufactures support it can be quick and easy though, I did a short stint as a PCB repair tech

CNC Milled LED Backlit Sign Build

The Department of Homeland Security has something they call the Threat Advisories, these come in 5 levels. Turns out some people would like to have one of these hanging on their wall so that they can crank up the threat level when they want to.  Michal Zalewski thought it would be a good idea to make a display of his own, the display uses the same concept as the Word

Word Clock

This has to be one of the nicest Word Clocks I have seen yet. I am thinking I have to add this to my long list of project ideas! This one is in Polish but changing languages in this design is simple. The lines at the bottom are used to indicate minutes. So that this clock is not only cool but accurate.

World's First Transistor Replica Explained

Many of us use transistors everyday but don’t take the time to think about how the magic works. Bill Hammack explains how a replica of the first transistor works. “Bill uses a replica of the point contact transistor built by Walter Brattain and John Bardeen at Bell Labs. On December 23, 1947 they used this device to amplify the output of a microphone and thus started the microelectronics revolution that