Did anyone here ever get in touch with the GSM call alarm or GSM SMS alarm before? If you did, then the Tiny GSM alarm system is going to be the masterpiece combination of the call alarm and SMS alarm!

The main purpose of the tiny GSM alarm system is a device, which is can be used to operate standalone or as a module for existing alarm system. The tiny GSM alarm system is much more advanced than the previous, as it’s not only can arm or disarm the system with “enable” pin, but you can do the same task by simply calling from your own phone! Sounds like a cool add-on, isn’t it?

Well, the tiny GSM alarm system is built on a very popular microcontroller, the PIC16F84A. In this case, you don’t have to bother with external EEPROM memory for SMS storage, as you have the option to use phone’s SIM SMS storage and phonebook memory for the storage task!

Well, the GSM phone that is best compatible with the device is Siemens M35i. To be honest, it’s better to modify the phone first, so that it can be easily powered and turned on by the device. Furthermore, you should make sure that the SIM PIN code request are disabled, as you don’t want to be bothered by it, especially when you’re dealing with the wiring and coding processes!

Ok, it isn’t a new and extraordinary task to build yourself own digital clock. However, you’ll get different feeling and experience, even you’re repeating the same projects for over hundred or thousand times!

Let’s take an example. You’ve probably built several digital clock in the past, and you must think it’s silly to create another digital clock here. Well, let me remain you that this digital clock is slightly different from the others.

As you can see on the above picture, this digital clock has a bigger and brighter LED display. The main purpose of this project is to build a clock that can display the time and date on ten seven segment displays. In addition, you have to make sure that the project can easily fit in a small red see-through box as shown on the above figure. Read more »

The clock is regarding one of the oldest human inventions, where it’s meeting the need to measure the time in the natural units, such as second, minute, day, month and the year. However, if you want to measure the time accurately, you’ll need the help of some devices.

For your information, the sundials has been identified the earliest time measurement in human history. The ancestors used the sundial to measure the time of day by the direction of shadows cast by the sun. Due to its reasonably accuracy, the sundials continued to be used to monitor the performance of clocks until the modern days.

Brother Paul has invented the first record of a minute hand on a clock in 1475. Alexander Bain, a Scottish clockmaker was the first inventor that patented the electric clock in 1840!

Although the digital clock is one of the most common items in nowadays, but you cannot miss this digital clock. It is a small adjustable clock, where is based on PIC16F84A microchip. The hardware part for this project is quite simple, as it only uses the 74HCT238 demultiplexer, 4×7 segments and some resistors!

You can build this digital clock and giving it to your friends or colleagues as birthday gifts (Of course, you have to enclose it with a more beautiful case).

If you think that the Light-emitting-diode (LED) is nothing more than an ordinary semiconductor diode that emits light when an electric current is applied in the forward direction of the device, then you must change your thoughts here…

Do you know that LED is being classified as one of the most incredible inventions for the electronics components? Furthermore, LEDs are widely being used as indicator lights on electronic devices and increasingly in higher power application, such as flashlights and area lighting.

Talking about the flashlights, would you want to build an awesome LED Flasher? Well, this LED flasher is somehow unique than other flasher, as it has five different blink patterns, and it’s the right choice for those that want to decorate their house during the Christmas season…

For your information, you’ll need the PIC16F84A and eight high brightness LEDs for this project. Some other electronic components, such as 78L05 regulator, IC socket, Resonator, Switches, Resistors, Capacitors, Wiring terminals, Studs and Printed boards will be needed for this LED flasher project as well!

The circuit will control the blink of eight LEDs with the software of PIC and the blinking pattern can be changed with the five switches accordingly.

Anyone here that ever been to any Countdown party, such as the New Year countdown party at Times Square? Yep, if you did then you’ve very familiar with the gigantic energy-efficient LED countdown ball at the Times Square.

If you thought that it’s a tough work to develop the countdown timer by your own, then you should think it again. Today, you’ll have the opportunity to build a seven Segment LED Countdown timer and this project is easier than any others are.

Here is a countdown timer that based on the versatile PIC16F84A with so many practical applications. The time range can be adjusted between 1 second to 999 seconds, but for taking an example, the timer is being set to the 3.00 minutes count down and it’s ready to be started anytime you want.

The PIC16F84A is running on 4.00MHz using crystal or resonator, it won’t cause any critical to the circuit since it only runs for a few minutes. When time is over, the sound output will be situated in “active HI” condition for 1 second. The active HI outputs to drive the three displays common + is perfect to drive an NPN-PNP set of high side drivers.