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[Reply #105 on:]

lol. I already have a bunch of the original XBees. I thought it would be fun to play with wifi for a while. I should be able to build the equivalent of the ConnectPort X2 with one of these modules.

The tricky bit is the OTA firmware update that the ConnectPort provides.  Worth its weight in gold, IMHO. 

I'll be curious to hear about your experience with the wifi bees.  They're on my (rather long) list of new tech to play with.

[Reply #106 on:]

I usually post things after I've already bought them... but I'm not buying this one.

However, I'm guessing someone is going to want to snipe this.. seems like an awesome deal if you need this type of part:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Converter-5V-9V-Pack-10-/150658902232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2313f868d8

Ten pack of 5v -> 9v DC-DC converters.  Fifty cents each, domestic USA, delivered.

When I posted this, there were zero bids, price was $5 shipped.  A bit over a day left in the auction.



Get get em!

[Reply #107 on:]

lol. I already have a bunch of the original XBees. I thought it would be fun to play with wifi for a while. I should be able to build the equivalent of the ConnectPort X2 with one of these modules.

The tricky bit is the OTA firmware update that the ConnectPort provides.  Worth its weight in gold, IMHO. 

I'll be curious to hear about your experience with the wifi bees.  They're on my (rather long) list of new tech to play with.

So far so good. I went through the setup and got them talking to each other through my router in terminal mode. Like most of the Xbee stuff, in my experience, they require lots of patience when using XCTU to set them up.

[Reply #108 on:]

5V to 9V DC-DC converter.
9V output at 200mA.
I suppose could be handy for driving 8-10 strings of 3 or 4 LEDs depending on Vforward.

[Reply #109 on:]

Big purchase, spending some of the money I earned working this summer.

Mackie 1202 VLZ3 mixer
Mackie onyx blackjack usb audio interface
Alesis Q25 MIDI keyboard controller
A bunch of audio cables/adaptors


And, in case you couldn't tell, my previous post about buying like 973 56-channel mixers was a joke.

[Reply #110 on:]

Starting to get the things I am going to need... it's going to be an Arduino-driven Halloween around here if I can do it.

          

Two bucks for 100 UV LED's (with resistors "for 5v&12v" included free), 55 cents for the electret microphone module.  Both include shipping.  Sure, it's not going to get here until the first week of October.. but that's fine.  Ebay is about patience and smart bidding

sweet!

[Reply #111 on:]

5V to 9V DC-DC converter.

Those were common on "thin-net" coax ethernet cards.  It's not surprising that they've shown up cheap now that everyone is using twisted pair...

[Reply #112 on:]

5V to 9V DC-DC converter.

Because these are isolated converters, two of them would make great + and - 9vdc voltage sources for analog op-amp circuits.

[Reply #113 on:]

13 small speakes 10mm for $6 from a local surplus store. Ebay has similar things for less but I don't want to wait. I suspect they may have bought from ebay and sell for double in their stores.

[Reply #114 on:]

Just received the Saleae 8 channel analyzer - seriously tiny!
Nice zippered storage case to keep it in as well.

Nick G, Rob G: is there a trick to getting the probes on the leads? Mine keep falling off.

I was confused when I read that people were having trouble with the probes because the ones that came with my USBee are very reliable and have never come off without quite a tug. Now that I have my Saleae, I see what everyone is complaining about. The difference is that USBee uses genuine E Z Hook XKM double grippers and Saleae uses a knockoff that apparently cuts some corners.

I did find a way to install the Saleae gripper to its lead that seems to work pretty well. When you try to push the female wire end onto the post of the gripper, the gripper tries to open. If you let it, then the plunger stays in a partially extended position that is almost guaranteed to eject the lead when you press the plunger. If, when you press the lead on, you prevent the plunger from extending, The lead stays on pretty well.

Or, you can buy a set of grippers from E Z Hook.

[Reply #115 on:]

Motorola Droid Bionic ... first android phone, love it   Can't wait to try out some Open ADK one of these days, once I get a handle on android development and the components required...

[Reply #116 on:]

Saleae replacement probes arrived. Pins look different, almost like the pin is folder back over on itself so there more there for the wire to go over.
Wires go on & stay on now.

[Reply #117 on:]

Motorola Droid Bionic ... first android phone, love it   Can't wait to try out some Open ADK one of these days, once I get a handle on android development and the components required...

Ditto.  Actually my third Android phone - first was a giveaway from Google I/O in 2009, second was the original Droid.  They keep getting better - this one is wickedly fast compared to the original Droid.  I've heard others complain about the "graininess" of the Pentile display (what a horrible product name), but to my old eyes it's crystal clear.  A 4.3" display IMHO is just on the edge of being too big to be called a cellphone, but it's not as awkward as I had feared.

Android development is pretty simple, if a bit convoluted. 

[Reply #118 on:]

Just ordered this lot from LittleBird-

1x 2.4GHz Duck Antenna RP-SMA - Large for $12.71 each
10x 1K0ohm 1/2 Watt 1% Metal Film Resistors - Pk.8 for $0.46 each
1x Servo Switch Harness 18" for $4.50 each
1x Nylon Spacer: 4mm Length, 5mm OD, 3.3mm ID (50-Pack) for $2.10 each
1x Seeeduino V2.2 (Atmega 328P) for $24.00 each
1x XBee Explorer USB for $27.95 each
1x LSM303DLH 3D Compass and Accelerometer Carrier with Voltage Regulators for $22.00 each
4x DC Barrel Jack - Panel Mount for $3.55 each
1x XBee Pro 60mW U.FL Connection for $55.14 each

and from Toys Down Under -

Rover 5 Robot Platform    ROB-ROVER-5    1    $ 59.95
Pan/Tilt Bracket    ROB-PAN-TILT    1    $ 8.95
Humidity and Temperature Sensor - SHT15 Breakout    SENS-TEMP-SHT15    1    $ 39.95
400 Point Breadboard - Clear    MSC-BREADBOARD-400-CLEAR    1    $ 7.15

Yes, I finally gave in to temptation, ordered a Rover 5!!

I have 2 FastTrax, with no transmitters or vehicle battery, but the chassis, motors, gear boxes and tracks are all there.
I'll get them running, but I want the Rover 5 to play with now!

I bought an Android Tablet, an Optus "MyTB" aka ZTE V9.
It's great!
I've been messing around with Processing for Android and this Basic + MySQL interpreter, as basics go it is ok.
I get full access to the Tablets resources.

Other thing I grabbed was a kaiser baas KBA03027 Bluetooth mini keyboard.
Can't get it to work with Android, but under XP, Linux and Ubuntu it's great!

[Reply #119 on:]

Another arduino nano for the next home automation node...