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Last Updated 21st May 2013
BTc PICsound
One-bit sound recording/playback on a PIC
One of my best works, this is PC software that displays a 8-bit mono sound
file (.WAV file) and ENCODES it into a 1-bit bitstream! The bitstream can
be played back very simply on any PIC or other micro with one digital
output pin and one resistor and capacitor (RC network). Now updated to v3.0
BTc Encoder manages Sound Library files, and can export .BTL format
to be loaded direct into the
TalkBotBrain
cheap sound playback hardware.
SuperFind 2.0 (for Windows)
A super-fast file finder program, SuperFind is a very handy tool to find
any file or quantity of files on your PC instantly.
HexCon 1.0
A programmers helper, HexCon is a small fast tool to convert between
Decimal-Hex-Binary. It can also display PC keyboard codes.
A Binary Clock for Windows!
Here is a working binary clock that runs under Windows and uses my
Black-Standard
for easy-readable binary clocks. I have also provided
my source code for Borland C++ Builder in case you want to make your own
Windows binary clock.
WavMak Waveform Maker
This is software that reads numerical data from a text file
and creates a wave file of any specialised waveform shape.
Useful for audio testing.
13th Oct 2011.
MikroElectronica SmartGLCD PIC module v1 review Feb 2011.
This module contains a large PIC 18F and a big 240x128 pixel GLCD
with touchpanel. Also I did some tutorials and projects;
SmartGLCD tutorials.
MikroElectronica BIGPIC6 PIC development board review.
This development board works with the big 80-pin 5v PICs like 18F8520.
And of course I did some nice
BIGPIC6 RS232 projects.
MikroElectronica EasyPIC6 PIC development board review.
Finally my new EasyPIC6 arrives! I review it and compare to my
trusty old EasyPIC4. I also did some fun
EasyPIC6 projects.
Book review; 'PIC Microcontrollers' - Bert van Dam
I review the book 'PIC Microntrollers 50 Projects for Beginners and Experts'
by Bert van Dam.
The Micro Grid-Tie project
My design for absolute minimalist topology of a half-wave grid-tie inverter
to feed power from a small solar system back into the AC mains grid.
Encryption and random number generators
"The Black RNG Engine"
A software algorithm I developed to generate highly entropic data (random numbers)
and is simple enough to be implemented on a 8bit PIC micro.
For use in encryption and probability (predictive) systems.
Page updated Dec 2010 with a lot of new data and a re-write.
Black Random Number Generator
This is Windows software to generate 1mbyte of high entropy data under
your control. It generates random data using my Black RNG algorithm seen
above.
28th Aug 2012.
HardwareRNG1
A hardware random number generator using just a PIC 16F628A, that is
cheap to build and produces excellent random numbers via measuring the
chaos that exists within the AC mains waveform.
RNG data is output via serial at 9600 baud.
PrimeFinder 1.0
Another helper tool for programmers and math guys, PrimeFinder lets you
instantly find a prime number closest to the number you enter, or tells
you if your number is a prime number. It supports all decimal numbers
up to 4.29 billion and is very fast.
BMP Hider
This is software that can "hide" any file within a standard Bitmap image.
The hidden file cannot be seen and can only be extracted with this program.
Updated - 21st Feb 2011.
Zero-error 1 second timer algorithm for PIC.
Based on Bresenham's algorithm, my implementation will generate a 1 second
(or other) timer period from ANY frequency crystal or ANY
frequency interrupt. An obvious use is to add a one-second clock pulse to
an existing design that has an "imperfect" crystal like 4MHz etc.
PIC source code supplied. NEW 21st Nov 2009 - Added ZEZJ This is a
Zero Error Zero Jitter algorithm, it produces an exact xtal-locked period
from any xtal and any period value, just change the one easy PERIOD constant.
NEW 21st Feb 2011 - Added DTMF sine generating example
14th April 2013.
DC motor at very precise "clockwork" like speed.
A cheap PIC and any old DC motor can be made to move at a very precise slow speed
for applications like clock mechanisms, telescope tracking, solar tracking etc.
5th Mar 2011.
"The Black DTMF decoding algorithm"
A couple of systems I developed for decoding DTMF "touchtone" codes on
a very small cheap PIC. The systems use a combination of period measuring
and spectrum analysis and pattern recognition decoding. It sounds complex
but ended up being quite simple and fast.
27th Apr 2011.
"BlackNet" serial network protocol
This is a simple way to have a large number of serial devices on a
single bus wire, suitable for a home automation network etc.
Integer Degree Algorithm
An algorithm I developed to generate a result in integer degrees 0-360
from any +/- XY vector, fast and with no trig math needed. It can be used to
generate a "heading" from an XY move of a robot or CNC machine, or to
generate a tilt angle in degrees from an XY accelerometer.
PIC-thread, multi-thread "parallel" processing using PICs.
I create some simple systems to do multi-thread type projects (a form of
parallel processing) in firmware just using a normal PIC microcontroller.
There are code examples and some simple PIC "multi-thread" projects.
"The Black-Standard" for binary clocks.
This is my standard for easily viewable binary clocks. An adaptation of
pure binary display in hours/quarters/minutes in a form more easily
utilised as a practical clock display.
15th Jan 2013.
DIY SMD microscope for $40
Using an old VGA computer monitor and a few ebay goodies I whipped up
a self-contained SMD inspection microscope for the workbench.
www.MikroE.com
Many of my electronics and PIC projects are developed on these great hardware tools and compilers!
LiniStepper - stepper motor microstep driver board
Based on a microstep driver I created for my own use, this is now an
open-source project; circuit, PCB and full PIC software. A very high performance
stepper motor driver at a great price.
(addition)
High efficiency 2-transistor SMPS Black regulator
A cheap simple circuit that can replace 3-pin voltage
regulators (like the 7805) and gives SMPS efficiency.
Can be used as a high-efficiency 12v to 5v converter or 24v to 12v converter.
NEW for August 2009; Added a page of
high-effiency SMPS LED drivers
for high-power white LEDs!
NEW for Jan 2010; Using just a
PIC as a complete SMPS!
NEW for Dec 2011; Added a
3-transistor negative voltage generator
which includes voltage and current limiting.
My Shift1 Protocol - using one PIC pin to drive a latched shift register
This is a system using timed pulse-length to send 7 bits to a shift register
AND also to latch the final 7bit value to the register outputs.
This means that you only need 1 PIC pin to control an entire text LCD
and it's backlight. I also include some
Shift1-LCD Projects
like a LCD clock-timer, an RC servo controller and a solar battery
charge controller. Plus more projects to come soon.
9th Mar 2011.
High-accuracy timing using a PIC
This is an expansion of my popular zero-error 1 second timing algorithms page with
more of a focus on building actual hardware that does timing at high resolutions
and accuracies. NEW for Sept 2012; PIC source code to generate accurate decimal frequencies from 0.00001 Hz to 50000.00000 Hz in 0.00001 Hz steps, from ANY value xtal!
High-resolution cap meter using PIC 16F628
This is a digital capacitance meter using a 16x2 LCD that gives a number of
advantages over other PIC digital cap meters. It only uses one cheap PIC
(does not need an oscillator IC) and shows the capacitance value to a
lot of digits resolution, handy for variable capacitors and "pico-cap"
projects like capacitive touch buttons etc. This is an easy to build project
with high performance.
21st May 2013.
Detecting sound location using "speed of sound" sonic ranging.
An experiment showing that it's possible to use cheap electret microphones
and cheap hobby hardware to detect sonic events on a small scale.
This could be used to make "tap detecting" keyboard control surfaces etc.
24th Apr 2013.
Cheap RF modules made easy!
I show how to use and test cheap Ebay 433MHz and 315MHz RF modules for
data communications between PIC-PIC and PIC-PC USB. Shows how to use the
PIC USARTS directly for ease of use, and introduces a better data protocol
that is many times faster.
25th Dec 2011.
A xtal-based 5Hz-20kHz audio sine generator with just a PIC!
This uses a highly stable DDS system to make nice quality sine waves as an audio
sine signal generator. All it needs is a cheap 18pin PIC 18F1320 and
a couple of external parts, and it is a complete high-performance
xtal-locked sinewave generator. A great PIC project for a beginner
and very useful!
1kHz precision sine generator using PIC
This is a complete open-source project that generates a precise xtal-based
1000.000 Hz frequency sinewave with low THD. It uses a cheap PIC 16F628
or can be used on any PIC with a CCP1(PWM) module.
Some projects and tutorials for the SMartGLCD PIC module.
Here are some tutorials and projects using the cool SmartGLCD PIC Module
that has an on-board PIC and a big 240x128 graphics LCD and a TouchPanel.
NEW 21st Feb 2011, added a DTMF project.
Also see my
SmartGLCD Review.
I play with the Osram optical tilt sensor!
This tiny device is a modern version of the old mercury tilt switch,
or gravity tilt sensor. But this one uses an internal inrared beam and tiny ball.
Some PIC projects you can do on the BIGPIC6 development board!
Some PIC projects you can do on the EasyPIC6 development board!
Bitbang serial data to/from the PC with no hardware needed!
Here is code to send and receive serial data with a PC serial port, using
only 2 resistors and a serial plug. It does not require a PIC with a
USART and can be used on the cheapest and smallest PICs. This also
has a full project using the Sharp GP2 IR distance sensor!
The sensor distance is converted to actual cm and transmitted to PC
serial port every 2 seconds. It uses my own code for converting the
exponential output of the GP2 sensor to linear distance in cm.
Using a mini TrackBall as a controller!
I found a source of very cheap miniature trackballs, so I hacked the trackball
and used it to control X and Y values. First project is a TrackBall
controlled RGB LED, to control colour and brightness.
12 digit LED display using NO PARTS
Driving a 12-digit 7-segment LED "calculator" type display directly from one
PIC using NO resistors and NO other chips. I include PCB design suitable for
toner transfer and PIC source code for a clock, stopwatch, and a serial controlled
12-digit display.
My regulated psu "Gainclone" amp
I built a high performance "Gainclone" hifi amp with full regulated power
supply in a great rugged old 1980's power amp rack case.
The MIDI-Bash project
Some very simple, easy to build MIDI drum controllers using PIC micros.
Hit the pads and they send MIDI messages to any standard MIDI sound module
to make your own electronic drums etc.
Now with photos and full PIC source code!
The MIDI-Bloop project
Some more simple, easy to build MIDI "sound-source" devices using PIC micros.
When MIDI note commands are received, these PIC "synths" play
musical notes.
Partially finished.
Make a OCXO (xtal oven) for $1
Using just one transistor and a cheap NTC thermistor this little circuit
keeps a crystal at a regulated temperature so it can be used to drive a
high accuracy real-time clock.
