The nerds' corner

[DutchMF]

Well, not having started breadboarding at all, I now know what not to do, plus a whole bunch of good advice to start doing it. The only thing I didn't like was when he was talking about throwing stuff away..... I just can't do that! If it's not completely wasted, I'll hang on to it......

Paul

[ch1naski]

He shows the exact breadboard wire set I bought. And said to throw it away. Lol.
That guy sure does some tidy wiring.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[RobA]

Well, not having started breadboarding at all, I now know what not to do, plus a whole bunch of good advice to start doing it. The only thing I didn't like was when he was talking about throwing stuff away..... I just can't do that! If it's not completely wasted, I'll hang on to it......

Paul

Um, I like those little short guys that are all cut to exactly the length that you need for almost every connection. Why would I throw them away? Does he throw every wire he used away after he's done with a project? I do understand about the waste of information involved in having the colors correspond to lengths instead of something meaningful though.

My biggest change in how I breadboard things now is that I've taken to etching boards for common modules that I find myself using repeatedly. That make things much easier.

[kothoma]

The only thing I didn't like was when he was talking about throwing stuff away.....

Does he throw every wire he used away after he's done with a project?

Isn't that exactly the kind of advice this world needs?

My biggest change in how I breadboard things now is that I've taken to etching boards for common modules that I find myself using repeatedly.

Like buffers, boosters, generic transistor stages, muff stages, whole overdrive/distortion sections, variable low pass filters, mid cut/boosts, tone stacks, phaser stages, LFOs, charge pumps, right? What else?

[RobA]

[...]
Like buffers, boosters, generic transistor stages, muff stages, whole overdrive/distortion sections, variable low pass filters, mid cut/boosts, tone stacks, phaser stages, LFOs, charge pumps, right? What else?

Pretty much, yes to buffers, boosts, tone stacks, phaser stages, charge pumps (and other power supply). I haven't done any work on anything distortion/overdrive/fuzz related since I started this idea. So, none of those modules. The others are various modulation targets, tremolos, etc. The main thing I've been working on is CV control, so modulation targets are the natural thing.

[kothoma]

[...]
Like buffers, boosters, generic transistor stages, muff stages, whole overdrive/distortion sections, variable low pass filters, mid cut/boosts, tone stacks, phaser stages, LFOs, charge pumps, right? What else?

Pretty much, yes to buffers, boosts, tone stacks, phaser stages, charge pumps (and other power supply). I haven't done any work on anything distortion/overdrive/fuzz related since I started this idea. So, none of those modules. The others are various modulation targets, tremolos, etc. The main thing I've been working on is CV control, so modulation targets are the natural thing.

I see. Just a few more: mixers/panners/balancers, envelope detectors (for noise gates, compressors, auto filters/wahs, envelope phasers, detune delays...)

[RobA]

Yep, auto-wah and compressor modules are next on my list of things to etch.

[kothoma]

I'm still looking for a way to use such little modules not only for breadboarding but also for actual builds. Just can't find the right geometry and mechanics for this.

[RobA]

I'm still looking for a way to use such little modules not only for breadboarding but also for actual builds. Just can't find the right geometry and mechanics for this.

If they are small enough, then I arrange them like a DIP module and then use these,
http://www.taydaelectronics.com/connectors-sockets/pin-headers/40-pin-2-54-mm-single-row-pin-header-strip.html.

If they are too big for that, then I just put some of these http://www.taydaelectronics.com/connectors-sockets/pin-headers/40-pin-2-54-mm-single-row-female-pin-header.html on and use jumper leads between the breadboard and the module.

[kothoma]

I'm still looking for a way to use such little modules not only for breadboarding but also for actual builds. Just can't find the right geometry and mechanics for this.

If they are small enough, then I arrange them like a DIP module and then use these,
http://www.taydaelectronics.com/connectors-sockets/pin-headers/40-pin-2-54-mm-single-row-pin-header-strip.html.

If they are too big for that, then I just put some of these http://www.taydaelectronics.com/connectors-sockets/pin-headers/40-pin-2-54-mm-single-row-female-pin-header.html on and use jumper leads between the breadboard and the module.

Yeah, that would be possibilities. But I'd like to avoid sandwiches as height usually is an issue.

[midwayfair]

Truly excellent filter calculator right here:
http://www.ampbooks.com/home/amplifier-calculators/coupling-capacitor/

Thanks to Thelonius on DIYSB for the tip.

[RobA]

I was watching this new video from SparkFun this morning on PBC layout tips (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJKZZArjdg8) and there are some good tips in there. He mentions at one point a site that has a calculator for computing trace widths. I looked at the site and there are a few other calculators that might prove useful as well http://circuitcalculator.com.

[jubal81]

Simple circuits reduce regulator noise floor

The "capacitor multiplier" circuit looks really interesting. Wonder how viable of an idea it is to replace large power supply caps with say a 10uF ceramic, a resistor and a transistor.

[jubal81]

The title of this article grabbed me. Why, no, I had no idea that LEDs have intrinsic capacitance.

This little tidbit got me wondering:
"The threshold, or knee, voltage rises higher as the LED wavelength becomes shorter. All PN-junction diodes, including LEDs, have capacitance due to depletion and diffusion profiles."

Wonder if that principal applies to multicolor LEDS - and of course - can you alter the threshold dynamically in a clipping configuration?

Linky

[jubal81]

Already had a nother thought. That capacitance value probably affects the clipping characteristics. Wonder how much of a factor when two diodes with the same FV sound a bit different as clippers? Which dialectic materials have more and less capacitance? And how much high end is getting sucked to ground?