Do you have the idea to create a USB sound card, which is based on a PIC interface? Today, you have the chance to learn to develop an USB Audio Streamer V1.0, or it is a microchip PIC based USB sound card.

For this project, the hardware part is based on all Microchip, and the software part uses a modified version of Microchip USB framework. The main objective of this custom interface is for programming the device serial number and upgrading the firmware.

Hardware Part

The Microchip PIC18F2550 USB processor is used as the sound card purpose. The processor is clocked at 48MHz, where it is the maximum rate for this processor. The microcontroller is being connected via the SPI port to the Microchip MCP4822 12bit D/A converter. The separate port is being used in the project to control the volume and enable it to run inside the processor at a different priority level.

Software Part

The main software part that consist in the USB audio streamer are the audio card firmware, the card INF file for the custom interface, a C++ library and a command line utility. You can simply download the source code here.

Hope you guys will enjoy this project!

It’s hard for you to look for the original Air-Byte IR transceiver nowadays, and it’s a better choice to DIY yourself.

Most of the parts used here are not critical as you’re thought, such as the NPN darlington transistor driving the infrared LEDs, the PNP transistor used for inverting the IR detector output and the similar materials can, easily replace all other components.

For this project, the main brain of the Air-Byte transceiver is a tiny 8-pin PIC12F508 microcontroller, which the operation is very simple. The PIC is used for monitors GPIO,0 connected to the PC serial port TX pin #3. This also means, the 12F508 will generate the 40kHz IR carrier, if only the pin transitions from logic low to logic high, otherwise, it is suppressed.

Thus, it provides a simple method for receiving the serial data on one pin, and then output the serial data on another modulated at the IR detectors. This makes the band-pass frequency very simple and effective as well.

Enjoys the moment and have a nice DIY day!

Although now still a summer time, but is also the best time to equip yourself with the incredible home heating system, where it might take up to 2-3 months of time construction (When you’re finished it, you can use it for keeps your house comfort during the cold winter).

Since this is a huge project, you need to ensure all the require components are fully standby:

Heater

It is better to use a heater that has 8kW heating power. You have to connect it to the system, by simply using flexible shielded pipes. By this way, you can easily move the heater around its place without even disconnecting it from the main system!

Radiator

You need to have two radiators, where both of its will be connected to the system using the standard ½” pipes.

Operation Panel

It is a user interface part of the controller.

Expansion Volume

It is an open metal tank that be used to compensate the water expansion whilst the temperature increasing. The normal level/volume for this system is about 1/10 of all water volume. You need to connect it to the system using the standard 1/2″ pipes as well.

Note: This project is a highly dangerous task, as there is a voltage inside that has AC 220V! Therefore, never try to acting smart, if you not an experienced electrician, as this can be a lethal weapon and might bring casualty, if you insists to mess with it!

Did you have an old Nokia 1110 cell phone that keeps lying in the drawer, but you just don’t know what to do about it? Well, guess what! Is time to show off your creativity by combine the Nokia 1110 LCD with the PIC Interface (Yeah, it sounds like a cool idea, isn’t it?).

Before you starting the project, you have to make sure that your old Nokia 1110 LCD screen is in a good condition (Well, it would be better if the screen did not have any scratches).

First thing first, please apply the Nokia 1110 LCD screen with a PIC, which well written in Microchip C on demand. As you can see, the microcontroller is a PCF8814 and its not the I2C. Although the chip us I2C capable, but the LCD doesn’t use that mode.

In addition, the VDDI input can be used if only the I/O levels are different from the LCD supply voltage itself. The LCD supply voltage is 2.8V, even the VDDI id is in 1.8V.

For this case, the LED driver as per the manual will run with a 4.7ohm resistor at 3.6V.

Oh, you said that you don’t even have a Nokia 1110 cell phone? Easy, just go to the Radio Shack and search for a second hand Nokida 1110. This won’t cost you much.

Have you ever think to develop a high-tech and sophisticated US2B radar by yourself? You might think that this totally a mission impossible project, then you is wrong here.

Before you starting the task, you’re better prepare these following components:

• PIC18F4550 microchip (microcontroller)
• An ultrasonic range sensor
• A old bipolar stepper motor (This for the motor turning purpose)

Below here is the figure for the finished radar with the USB missile launcher beside it.

The stepper motor will turn the ultrasonic range finder in 360 degrees and reverse (Cool, isn’t it?). When two measurements have been made, the PIC will send out the data to the PC by using an asynchronous interrupt transfer. The timer in the PIC controls the stepping motor turning speed. Read more »