Category Archives: Microchip

Building a Simple RFID Door Access Controller

In this project, I build what is quite possibly the world’s simplest (and least intelligent) door access controller to let me open and close my garage door using my mountain bike helmet. We’ll take a look at my motivation for … Continue reading

Posted in Microchip, PIC18, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Building a Simple RFID Door Access Controller

Build a DMX FeatherWing to Control Lights with a Feather M0

This project uses an Adafruit Feather M0 board to control a group of RGB lights using the DMX-512 protocol. We’ll build a DMX-512 FeatherWing and connect it to the Feather M0 and a Particle Ethernet FeatherWing. Finally, we’ll develop a web-based GUI to select different RGB lighting effects and control the lights. Continue reading

Posted in DMX / Art-Net, Ethernet, Lighting, Microchip, Power over Ethernet (PoE), SAMD21 | Comments Off on Build a DMX FeatherWing to Control Lights with a Feather M0

PoE-Powered RGB LED Floodlight

This project uses a Silvertel 802.3at Ag5300 PoE+ module with a built-in isolated 24 V DC/DC converter to power a 10 W ColorKinetics ColorBurst 4 RGB LED floodlight. The Ethernet cable and light plug into a small power / control board and PoE+ powers the floodlight and Art-Net UDP packets control the light. Continue reading

Posted in DMX / Art-Net, Ethernet, Lighting, Microchip, PIC18, Power over Ethernet (PoE), RGB LED | Comments Off on PoE-Powered RGB LED Floodlight

PoE-Powered VFD Tube Clock

This is a vintage VFD tube clock that uses Ethernet for both power and data. The power is provided using 802.3at PoE+ and a Molex PD Jack that contains both integrated magnetics and a PoE Type 2 PD controller. The IP stack runs on a Microchip PIC18F67J60 microcontroller that has an integrated Ethernet MAC and PHY. The IP stack includes DHCP, DNS, NTP, and LLDP functionality. Continue reading

Posted in Ethernet, Microchip, PIC18, Power over Ethernet (PoE) | Comments Off on PoE-Powered VFD Tube Clock

It’s an Ethernet-Powered Christmas Tree!

The lighted tree in the video above gets both the power and data for its RGB LED pixels using a single Ethernet cable. Power for the pixels is supplied from an Ethernet switch using the 802.3at PoE+ standard. Data for … Continue reading

Posted in DMX / Art-Net, Ethernet, Lighting, Microchip, PIC18, Power over Ethernet (PoE), RGB LED | Comments Off on It’s an Ethernet-Powered Christmas Tree!

PIC16F1459 USB Volume Knob

The PIC16F1459 is proving to be quite the versatile part when it comes to building USB devices. Previously, I’ve used it to upgrade my giant keyboard, various flavors of one-key keyboards, a USB-controlled industrial stack light, and an annoying CAPS … Continue reading

Posted in 3D Printing, Microchip, PIC18, USB, USB Human Interface Device (HID) | Comments Off on PIC16F1459 USB Volume Knob

Updates to the Annoying CAPS LOCK Warning Buzzer

In my first post on the Annoying CAPS LOCK Warning Buzzer, I concluded with a list of future improvements to make to the project. Those updates are now implemented and the Annoying CAPS LOCK Warning Buzzer is more robust than … Continue reading

Posted in 3D Printing, Microchip, PIC18, USB, USB Human Interface Device (HID) | Comments Off on Updates to the Annoying CAPS LOCK Warning Buzzer

The Annoying CAPS LOCK Warning Buzzer

The only way to make CAPS LOCK even more annoying was to make it audible! Now never type a password in all upper case, join 500 lines together in vi, or turn a harmless forum post into an ANGRY SCREED … Continue reading

Posted in 3D Printing, Microchip, PIC18, USB, USB Human Interface Device (HID) | Comments Off on The Annoying CAPS LOCK Warning Buzzer

PIC16F1459 USB Stack Light Controller

After using the PIC16F1459 to build numerous USB HID input devices including a giant keyboard, a tiny keyboard, and a big red button, it was time to see if the PIC16F1459 could be used to control outputs too. Sticking with … Continue reading

Posted in 3D Printing, Microchip, PIC18, USB | Comments Off on PIC16F1459 USB Stack Light Controller

Homebrew DMX-Controlled RGB LED Light

This project is a small DMX-512 controlled, color-changing RGB LED light. The light can be controlled via the DMX512 protocol or it can run a number of built-in programs depending on how the software is configured. The light incorporates an … Continue reading

Posted in 3D Printing, DMX / Art-Net, Fusion 360, Lighting, PIC24, RGB LED | Comments Off on Homebrew DMX-Controlled RGB LED Light