Proto-Board Demonstration

I've since gone to a two button interface for all control and settings (no more potentiometers or small screw drivers for setting). User settings are stored in EEPROM instead of using a voltage comparator and potentiometers to adjust. Also, this is filmed with a .5" 14 segment 4 digit display, I'll be going with something half the size for production that's 7 segment and 3 digit (units will be determined by common sense). Working on developing the code for the new LED driver now.

Right now, it's looking like this will be two modules. Display/button module for one, that's connected to the controller/power supply for the other. All connected with the same miniature waterproof JST connectors used in trailtech products for commonality.

Custom 15 inch Family Stainless and Black Clock

This is a neat idea I had this past Holiday Season for a gift idea. It turned out so much better than I expected I've decided to start offering them for sale. Check out the Etsy listing! Buy direct or through etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/226335869/15-family-member-custom-clock?ref=listings_manager_grid

Almost working SMD prototype

So I whipped up an etched board of my lastest revision of the thermal protection idea I'm working on, and it turned out pretty nice and ALMOST worked. Almost, because I'm an idiot and shifted the top row of pins on the TQFP package and the clock and data lines for the screen were going to button inputs instead of data lines for the screen.

It wasn't a total failure though. It's a tiny tiny double sided board and is the first home etched board I've ever assembled. All my traces lined up for the bottom to top connections, and I successfully soldered the SMD 32 TQFP package to the board and was able to communicate with it through the ISP headers I integrated to the board design - all of whose pins changed sides on the board. (#winning). I didn't bother to finish populating the connectors and last components when I found out the screen wasn't going to work.

Technically it works, just not fully.

Below is a comparison. The protoboard is about 3.2 x 2 inches and the home etched board I designed is 1.7 x 1". I've finally got the etching process down to get great etches most of the time.

Maybe tomorrow I'll have the gumption to etch a board that has the pins shifted to the proper positions :P

I also received this nifty little POGO flashing tool today from Hobby King that works on 32TQFP. It's pretty killer and is gonna allow me to get rid of the ISP pins on my board and use that room for a fun feature idea I have ;)

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__27195__Atmel_Atmega_Socket_Firmware_Flashing_Tool.html