EEVBlog #139: Any guesses about Dave's project? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: hjohnson
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 04:18:19 am
content: Anyone care to take a guess about what dave's current project is that required the DC-DC converter? The only thing that I can think of that specifically needs 5V/500mA is USB. Assuming then that it is USB, and that it still needs its own power supply at those specs (not drawing power from the lines) makes me think that it is either:1: A USB device charger (ala mintyboost, but smaller)2: An embedded USB host, possibly for a small sensor/demo board. I'm leaning toward sensor because demo boards can usually be powered externally. Further, a sensor board's USB host could be used to, say, download data onto a text file on a USB memory stick. The one flaw I see in that is the sheer absurdity of embedding a whole USB memory stick onto a board when a simple SD card would do.On the other hand, maybe I lost the track completely when I thought "USB." Any other thoughts/suggestions?

author: tyblu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 06:12:06 am
content: Definitely a spank-o-meter. 110% sure.

author: ddrl46
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 03:09:33 pm
content: I thought Dave was working on a power supply?

author: FreeThinker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 04:18:42 pm
content: Quote from: ddrl46 on January 23, 2011, 03:09:33 pmHe's multitasking!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 09:06:17 pm
content: Quote from: FreeThinker on January 23, 2011, 04:18:42 pmIndeed.Currently have 5 projects on the go.No wonder I don't finish any...Dave.

author: FreeThinker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 09:31:37 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 23, 2011, 09:06:17 pmCompletely clear desk at the moment, waiting till spring to build new workshop (old one didn't survive the winter snow) Roll on the better weather, getting real bored walking the dog.

author: DJPhil
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 10:35:20 pm
content: Quote from: FreeThinker on January 23, 2011, 09:31:37 pmStay strong brother, I feel your pain.I've been on a halt paying off bills for a couple of months, and the bench is embarrassingly clean. I've been out fighting the snow as well, and I've been spending a lot of time thinking about how nice it would be to be in the southern hemisphere.

author: JohnS_AZ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2011, 10:50:29 pm
content: Quote from: DJPhil on January 23, 2011, 10:35:20 pmThe southern hemisphere???Arizona. It's clear, sunny, and 70F here today, as it's been the past few weeks, as it'll be the next few weeks. 8-)

author: FreeThinker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2011, 02:15:10 pm
content: Quote from: JohnS_AZ on January 23, 2011, 10:50:29 pmMay be a couple of months before we see 70F here (with luck). There are compensations as soon as I think of them I'll let you know

author: Time
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2011, 06:30:02 pm
content: Quote from: JohnS_AZ on January 23, 2011, 10:50:29 pmYep, its been pretty nice over here in southern California as well. I have been able to put on shorts and sandals after work and my dog can play in the water.

author: FreeThinker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2011, 07:21:39 pm
content: Quote from: Time on January 24, 2011, 06:30:02 pmAt least it's stopped raining

author: DJPhil
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2011, 10:33:24 pm
content: Quote from: JohnS_AZ on January 23, 2011, 10:50:29 pmI'd a friend who lived in Arizona for a couple of years, and he told me a story once of how in his suburb all the lawns were covered with green colored gravel instead of grass. His neighbor was an older lady who grew up with a green grass lawn in her youth, and she would occasionally go outside to 'mow'. The gravel stones would bleach a bit in the sun, so neighboring yards would have slightly different colored rocks. She would patrol the boundary edge of her lawn and sort the lighter colored pebbles that constituted her lawn from the neighbors more recent, darker colored pebbles.Ever since he told me that story, when I find myself hating the cold, I've been known to mutter to myself, "Little green rocks. Little green rocks."