Sine Lab

Electronics Projects and Guides

DIY 14-Bit String Dac

This chip right here, the DAC8831, is capable of generating voltages with near microvolt precision. All you need to do is give it a binary number, and you can dial that voltage in. And devices, like this one, are readily avaliable with multiple different options for resolution, precision, speed, and so on. And that got me thinking, what would it take to make a DAC yourself. Well as it turns out, it is simultaneously simple and complicated. The idea is somewhat simple, but the execution isn’t. Before I show you the results, let me show how I did it.

How to Simulate Your Circuits

It can be a lot of work designing a circuit. Especially since you have to measure several different points at a time and you may need to quickly change out components. The quickest way to do this with a real circuit is perhaps with a breadboard. There is a faster way though, and that is computer simulation. A simulation allows you to quickly fine tune your circuit, and I’d say that it’s the easiest way to start making a circuit. So stay tuned, and I’ll show you a few different ways to get started with simulation. Let’s dive in.

The Ultimate Guide to STM32

STM32 is probably the most popular 32-bit microcontroller out there. And I’d say that it’s definetly a good first step into 32-bit processors. It does, however, have quite a jump in complexity if you’re coming from something like PIC or AVR. Just take a look at the datasheet, it’s 900 pages long. That’s why I’ve made this video. I want to help you make the jump from 8-bit to 32-bit. So without further ado, let’s dive in!

Discrete Class D Audio Amplifier Part 2

This is my second attempt at a discrete class D amplifier. And I’m glad to say that it works this time around. Not only did I greatly decrease the complexity of the design, but I’ve also made it much more stable. I’d say that its actually somewhat usable. Let me show you how I put it all together.

5 Ways to Generate a Sine Wave

Sine waves are the most important AC waveform, since they are the basis for all other waves. Unfortunately, a sine wave isn’t as easy to generate as something like a square wave. Well, in this video I’ll show you a few different ways that you can generate sine waves for yourself. So without further ado, let’s dive in!

Discrete Class D Amplifier

Here is a large 45 watt speaker. And well, the most obvious way to drive it would be with a class D amplifier. Class A and class B would both be too inefficient. And that’s what this video is about: class D amplifiers. And to give us a better understanding, we will make it completely discrete, in that we will only use the transistors themselves. So, let’s dive in!

Shrink Your Projects With ATtiny

Each of these mini-projects has one thing in common, this little microcontroller: the ATtiny. Now, I’ve made three of them since they will be given as Christmas gifts, but they are all a little different in their own ways. Anyways, the point of this video is for you to learn about the ATtiny, but also some more advanced AVR programming topics, namely sleep mode and flash memory. And as an added bonus, you’ll learn how to make these projects as a whole. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

Are PIC Microcontrollers Any Good?

If you take a look at my channel’s videos, you’ll find that nearly everytime a microcontroller comes up, it’s usually an AVR. And while they are what I am most comfortable with, it’s usually a good thing to learn a new platform. And what better microcontroller to learn other than AVR’s old rival PIC? And well, PICs are actually a very interesting series of microcontrollers, so I’ve made this video to teach any newcomers about the basics of PIC programming. Let’s dive in.

The Ultimate Guide to Transistors (BJT Edition)

Transistors are the components behind all modern electronics. Unlike resistors, capacitors and inductors, they are active components. This means that they ‘add’ to our circuits, considering that they have an adequate power supply. Now, depsite being so important, transistors can be very confusing, since you have to juggle two separate signals. That’s what I’ll be helping you with in this video, understanding transistors. There are many different types of transistors, most notably BJTs and MOSFETs. Just for this video, we will focus on BJTs. Let’s dive in.

The Ultimate Op-Amp Comparison

Intro

This is an op-amp that I’ve made completely from scratch in order to find out what exactly goes into making a good op-amp. Despite being perhaps one of the most important analog components, op-amps are oftentimes the most confusing, with all of their datasheet parameters and whatnot. That’s why I’ve put together this video, so you can find out what exactly you should look for when you’re deciding on an op-amp for your next project.