Compact M5Stack Unit C6L Integrates RISC-V ESP32-C6 and SX1262 for LoRa Meshtastic Use

The M5Stack Unit C6L is a compact LoRa module featuring the ESP32-C6 SoC and SX1262 transceiver. It supports 868 to 923 MHz operation for private LoRa networks with Meshtastic compatibility and options for custom development. The ESP32-C6 integrates a dual RISC-V architecture consisting of a high-performance 32-bit core running at 160 MHz and a low-power […]

A Deep Dive into The Coolness That Was CRT Projectors

https://invidious.privacyredirect.com/watch?v=ms8uu0zeU88

CRT monitors: there’s nothing quite like ’em. But did you know that video projectors used to use CRTs? A trio of monochrome CRTs, in fact: one for each color; red, green, and blue. By their powers combined, these monsters were capable of fantastic resolution and image quality. Despite being nowhere near as bright as modern projectors, after being properly set up, [Technology Connections] says it’s still one of the best projected images he has seen outside of a movie theatre.

Entering the Wild World of Power Over Ethernet

As Ethernet became the world-wide standard for wired networking, there was one nagging problem. You already have to plug in the network cable. But then you have to also plug in a power cable. That power cable needs to be long enough. And have the right plug on it for your country. And provide the right current and voltage. That’s how Power over Ethernet (PoE) was born, first in a veritable Wild West of proprietary standards and passive injectors, then in a standardized process. Recently [T. K. Hareendran] wrote a primer on PoE, with more of a DIY intro focus,...

A Casio Toy Synth Is Ready To ROCK!

https://invidious.privacyredirect.com/watch?v=X9-D6aOUSWY

There is likely to be more than one of you who has eyed up a child’s toy synthesizer in a second hand store, and considered making something more impressive with it. In many cases these instruments are underwhelming, having a very small subset of functions based into their black-epoxy-blob microcontrollers.

[Make Something] found a Casio toy synth that has a few more functions than the average model, and with the addition of some extra effects electronics and a beautifully made case, turned it into an altogether more interesting instrument.

Most of the video has an element of workshop porn about it, as...

Easy For The Masses

Last week, we were talking about how glad we are to be the type who by-and-large understands technology, and how it’s becoming more and more difficult to simply get along otherwise. We thought we had a good handle on the topic.

Then, we were talking about Google’s plans to require an ID for Android developers, and whether or not this will shut down free and open software development on the Android platform. Would this be the end of the ability to run whatever software that you’d like on your phone? Google offered the figleaf that “sideloading” – installing software through methods...

ESP32-based dual-port WLED controller features Ethernet port, 24V DC input

When it comes to ESP32-based WLED controllers, some of the best options are boards like the Adafruit Sparkle Motion, Mini Sparkle Motion, and Sparkle Motion Stick, but most of the time, they are out of stock. Thankfully, there are similar alternatives like the xChroma WLED Type-C and HACK Lab HackLED Pro, with similar features and wider availability. Now adding to that list is the 2-Port ESP32 ETH0 WLED Controller, which not only adds Ethernet connectivity but also supports dual outputs and 5V–24V LEDs, making it an excellent alternative to the Adafruit ones. The board supports both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity...

Toasty Subwoofer Limps Back to Life

https://invidious.privacyredirect.com/watch?v=X22UsFoMQaM

[JohnAudioTech] noticed there was no bass on the TV at his parents’ house. That led to the discovery of a blown fuse and a corresponding repair. When he opened it up, he could smell that something had gone on in the amplifier. You can follow the repair in the video below.

His first theory was that some glue became conductive and shorted the power rails. We were skeptical, to be honest. When he fed power to it through a current limiter, he could hear a sizzling noise and even see a little glowing from the hot component.

Disassembly ensued. Removing the suspect...

The Electret Preamp You Might Need

Electret capsules can be found in some of the highest quality microphones for studio use, as well as in some of the very cheapest microphone capsules on the market. More care and attention has gone into the high-end capsule and its associated circuitry than the cheap one, but is it still possible to get good quality from something costing under a dollar? [Mubarak Basha] thinks so, and has designed a preamp circuit to get the best from a cheap electret capsule.

These capsules may be cheap, but with the addition of a low voltage supply, a resistor, and a capacitor, their...

Programming Space Game for x86 in Assembly Without an Operating System

https://invidious.privacyredirect.com/watch?v=ZFHnbozz7b4

In this video our hacker [Inkbox] shows us how to create a computer game that runs directly on computer hardware, without an operating system!

[Inkbox] briefly explains what BIOS is, then covers how UEFI replaces it. He talks about the genesis of UEFI from Intel in the late 90s. After Intel’s implementation of UEFI was made open source it got picked up by the TianoCore community who make tools such as the TianoCore EDK II.

[Inkbox] explains that the UEFI implementation provides boot services and runtime services. Boot services include things such as loading memory management facilities or running other UEFI applications,...

Orange Pi Previews Orange Pi 6 Plus with 12-core architecture and dual 5G Ethernet ports

Orange Pi has introduced the Orange Pi 6 Plus, a single-board computer intended for high-performance and AI-oriented computing tasks. It uses the CIX CD8180/CD8160 SoC with a 12-core 64-bit CPU and an NPU rated at up to 45 TOPS. The SoC includes a 12-core architecture paired with an integrated graphics processor supporting hardware-accelerated ray tracing […]