EEVblog #1003 - Mailbag - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 12:27:00 am
content: Mailbag is back!SPOILERS:1980 Retro Language Translator TeardownArduino interfacing book:http://www.absthebook.comReflowR Hot plate PCB reflow machinehttp://www.reflowr.com50ohm Dummy Load for babies from First Advanced Industrial LabsBlack Box for stealing Pay TV, teardown.Retro radio alarm clock teardownBee Maths Ruler:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/984746429/beemaths-a-well-designed-ruler-that-can-save-yourBayard-Alpert Ionization gauge.Voltage tester pen teardownAlcatel/Lucent telecommunications processor teardown

author: Navarro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 12:32:51 am
content: Dave,How we can send you Mailbag things? Where is the address? Wanna send some of my open source projects to you.

author: NexusKoolaid
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 12:48:18 am
content: Quote from: Navarro on June 28, 2017, 12:32:51 amhttps://www.eevblog.com/about/contact/

author: nixfu
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 01:56:49 am
content: Dave, you said no one has cableTV in AU. What is the most popular TV service? Satellite TV, or Over-The-Air Antenna to get ABC etc?

author: CrashO
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 01:59:34 am
content: Typo in both forum & youtube description for the Arduino book Daveabcthebook.com, not abs

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 02:09:19 am
content: The bike flashers screw onto the valves on the tyres. That's why you have 2.As the bike rolls along, centrifugal force will operate a switch to keep them flashing.

author: Bendba
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 03:32:48 am
content: Hi Dave,I believe that the little inverter board in the Italian translator is supplying the AC voltage to the filaments of the VFD

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 04:38:04 am
content: Nice 50\$\Omega\$ termination/dummy load you got there Dave! It made my day.

author: tombi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 06:29:58 am
content: In the motherboard thing at the start -Is that fat power brick thing (with the Aluminium bit on top) one where they make the inductors by stacking up PCB layers? The PCB looks really thick.Tom

author: bktemp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 06:54:37 am
content: I am surprised Dave missed the bad layout on the ReflowR pcb:If you look at the mains side, the distances between the traces aren't anywhere near where they should be for 230V.The middle pin at the mains connector is typically the earthing connection. The area around it is used for heat dissipation of the triac, so it is connected to live. So we have around 0.4mm clearance between earthing, live and neutral. It looks like the whole pcb was flood filled with one signal without setting up the correct clearance rules.The isolation between mains and the low voltage side on the pcb is ok, so the small clearance may not be dangerous for the user, but I still doubt it will pass safety requirements for some countries.Also using thermals for a pad used for removing heat from a device isn't the best idea.Before connecting this device to mains, I would verify if the case is properly connected to the earth wire just in case there are some other problems!

author: mrpackethead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 08:14:52 am
content: The coment about using a credit card for spreading paste is marginal.I'll agree that it 'can' be used, but its certainly not the best tool. A sharp metal blade ( right angle ) is by far the best tool to use on stainless steel stencils. ( do not use on kapton plastic stencils ).. T

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 11:57:04 am
content: Quote from: bjcuizon on June 28, 2017, 04:38:04 amHe missed the best joke:"Warning:Apply to input (feed) jack only! Applying to output jack will overload your device."

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 01:03:03 pm
content: Read the ROMs!Alexander.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 03:35:44 pm
content: de dm8881 ( 24 pin ic) is a 1 to 16 grid decoder for the vfd.the cdp1824 is a 32 byte ram memory. yes 32 BYTE. not kbyte !the DI514 chips are segment drivers for VFD.that SI90200 is a fairchild MK3870 mask rommed microprocessor.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 06:13:22 pm
content: Quote from: Bendba on June 28, 2017, 03:32:48 amI think it does both the filament voltage and the high voltage, the thing Dave said is an inductor is a transformer, and at the right side there are 4 diodes which I guess is a bridge rectifier. I lusted after this thing when it first came to market, as Dave said it looked like black magic. Unfortunately the paper boy job did not generate enough cash to buy one.

author: vlad777
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2017, 06:58:48 pm
content: 11:11"...down trough your feet into the carpet..."If standing on a wooden chair (wood is an insulator BTW) doesn't stop people from saying "flows through your feet into the ground",how about jumping with voltage detection stick / screwdriver , and observing that the light shines even in this situation.I tried it , it shines in mid air.Edit:Not just a wooden chair but wooden chair on the third floor of a concrete building...

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2017, 03:41:54 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on June 28, 2017, 11:57:04 amYeah, that was the best thing I saw in this mailbag video.

author: BreakingOhmsLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2017, 09:50:24 am
content: You can have the dummys/pacifiers made at:https://www.nuk.de/mynukFirst Advanced Industrial Labs (FAIL) is just the name we jokingly call our company when we fucked up something badlyThey only ship to Germany and Austria though. Im sure similar services exist elsewhere too.

author: w33m4n_
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 29, 2017, 03:05:49 pm
content: hey dave. just wanted to tell you that the link to the abc book in the video description is wrong

author: omulki
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2017, 07:10:50 pm
content: Does anyone have an idea how many words would have fit on each those language ROMs?Cheers, Oliver.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2017, 08:05:46 am
content: Quote from: omulki on June 29, 2017, 07:10:50 pmI had one in the 1980s and it only had a couple of thousand. The mailbag one is five years earlier so I'm guessing it would be less than that.(ie. Much less than a pocket dictionary, and only 20x the price...)

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2017, 12:12:52 am
content: What happened to the Mailbag ? Dave, are you nutz ? When was the last Mailbag ? Moooonth agoooo ! Helloooo McFly ! Well, if you're on vacation then we forgive you but if you're lazy....well just don't make me slap you around a bit with an Australian trout !j/k

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 30, 2017, 02:13:06 am
content: I, too, am anxiously awaiting the next instalment - but I have other activities that keep me occupied until it appears, so I don't notice the time span.Quote from: M4trix on July 30, 2017, 12:12:52 amI did like that, though.

author: The Tech Engineer
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 06, 2017, 04:15:20 am
content: What is the technical term for the DANGER radio pushutton? I'm interested in getting one as a joke for my desk to put by my CB Radio LOL