Search found 986 matches

by TurboSuper
Wed Oct 07, 2009 9:06 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: How to read an LCD display with a microcontroller?
Replies: 21
Views: 5261

I meant to use that method to figure out what serial protocol was being used (if any at all). Then you could configure the Arduino appropriately. Obviously you wouldn't lug a PC around with you :P
by TurboSuper
Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:10 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: How to read an LCD display with a microcontroller?
Replies: 21
Views: 5261

Mmm...if there is a serial interface it could very well not be asynchronous. You could just capture serial data by polling one of the pins, transfer it to a PC, and then view it in excel (use the sampling rate as your time base) to get an idea of what you're looking at. Either way, there's no "5 min...
by TurboSuper
Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:42 am
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: How to read an LCD display with a microcontroller?
Replies: 21
Views: 5261

You'd want to read the data lines going into the LCD controller. Make a microcontroller-based logic analyzer of sorts.
by TurboSuper
Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:46 am
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Pressure activated switch
Replies: 9
Views: 2835

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSea ... 80-2041-ND

A little on the expensive side, though.
by TurboSuper
Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:32 pm
Forum: General How-To & Discussion
Topic: I hate Ebay
Replies: 12
Views: 3361

I love Ebay. I get all kinds of electronics stuff cheap from China. It works great and costs way less than here.
by TurboSuper
Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:05 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Virus/Spyware...
Replies: 18
Views: 6582

Linux may not need to have it's security holes patched every week, but it sure still needs alot of updates. Most well-maintained distros release a new version every 1/2 year or so, and then there's all the individual programs that are constantly being updated. Granted, a decent distro will have a pa...
by TurboSuper
Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:41 am
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Virus/Spyware...
Replies: 18
Views: 6582

...and makes you have an urge to perform a self-lobotomy with your keyboard.

At least that was my experience with it :roll:

Anyways, you can avoid almost any issues with decent security software, which is also free.
by TurboSuper
Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:04 am
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Virus/Spyware...
Replies: 18
Views: 6582

Try this: http://www.free-av.com/en/tools/12/avira_antivir_rescue_system.html Follow the wizard to burn it to a blank CD, then just pop it in the CD drive and reboot. This boots into Linux to run a virus check so it'll prevent the virus from hijacking Windows. Run the scan, then try Windows again......
by TurboSuper
Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:25 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: VB6 Month Timer Help
Replies: 4
Views: 1652

Yay, I'm knowledgeable :D

To be fair Zarno and Los Frijoles probably know more about this stuff than I do, I just get to the threads quicker.
by TurboSuper
Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:36 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Rheostat help??!??
Replies: 27
Views: 7116

Oh, I should mention: It's perfectly normal for the controller to cause the motor to emit an ungodly whine :D
by TurboSuper
Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:02 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Rheostat help??!??
Replies: 27
Views: 7116

Davidvaini wrote: And here is a dumb question:
Can I replace those heatsinks with better heatsinks to increase said amperage?
According to the datasheet for those MOSFETs, they can handle up to 80A each...that just might work.
by TurboSuper
Sat Aug 01, 2009 12:39 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Rheostat help??!??
Replies: 27
Views: 7116

I'm no airsoft expert, but I've been reading a bit, and apparently an electric airsoft gun uses a motor to drive a piston/spring system. If that's true, I'm not surprized it needs a healthy amount of current to fire. Luckily, adjusting the speed of an electric motor is quite easy with a simple PWM s...
by TurboSuper
Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:45 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Why I haven't contributed lately...
Replies: 10
Views: 3507

Heh, awesome, I just finished one of those myself:

http://www.theopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=2084&
by TurboSuper
Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:54 pm
Forum: Off-Topic Hobbies
Topic: Rheostat help??!??
Replies: 27
Views: 7116

Here's something more efficient: http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/5987-25W-Step-down-adjustable-switching-regulator.aspx I don't know what current you're pulling, but the above reg. can source 3A. The rating on the battery is just a capacity rating, the actual load is what determines the curre...
by TurboSuper
Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:22 pm
Forum: Combustion Cannons
Topic: help with electronic propane metering system(onboard)
Replies: 4
Views: 2474

Look up "pressure transducer" on www.digikey.com. They're much cheaper, albeit they'd likely need proper instrumentation circuitry around them.