I recreated the transistor tester board for a project at work a few years back. My addition to the board was a few relays to allow the tester to be used as a stand-alone tester. It was for a thankless company that I left before finishing up the software (as did all of the engineers before me). The hardware had been finished, and I still have a blank PCB from the project somewhere. The transistor project is a great project that is mostly well documented as far as the schematic and the code being synchronized. Be forewarned that not all of the schematics out there will use the code as it comes from the homepage. The Chinese version is an example of that, not only does it not work directly with the code on the website, but IIRC, the schematic that they provide you doesn't match the board that they sell you. But, if your goal is to design your own tester based off of the ones found on eBay, then by all means buy the TT kit and use those parts in your design. What are you using to synchronize the highlighting of the schematic and the traces on the board?
The video was done on a Samsung Galaxy S5 with a combination of a free app called Sketch (like MS paint w/more layers features), and a cheap ~$5 app called PowerDirector (video editor). I just made the schematics on my old workstation/laptop using KiCAD and got them on my phone by exporting the image. I retraced the board in Sketch with each trace in a different color and on a separate layer. Then it's just a matter of sorting and activating each layer one by one, exporting them as images. Then import the images into PowerDirector and splice and dice. It takes several days to do, but I am disabled and spend a lot of time laying almost entirely flat in a bed due to a rare type of back injury. As I have gotten better I have spent more time at the bench and less time doing stuff like this. I like the AVRtt project too. If you download the most recent firmware from the project it supports most, if not all, of the cheap kits sold. If you're going to build one yourself the version based on the 644/1284 has more options. I also find it easier to work with Marcus's firmware. His version is easier to follow if you want to modify the actual source and recompile something beyond just the makefile options. The least documented DIY version is the one based on an ATmega128 or 2560. Karl (the main author) has a version based on the 128 so that he can better utilize the KS0108 graphic LCD display. The 128 is available cheaply in a 64p TQFP that is relatively easy to solder. At least it's much easier than a 2560, and far cheaper too. That combo yields a design capable of several extra optional circuits while also supporting an 8 bit parallel interface for the LCD. I've been toying with the idea of building another 128 based version for fun. I have most of the common Chinese clones, 3 boards I made with 328's, and a dev board project I currently have shelved based on a 644/1284 version of the project with many prototyping options and a dip/tqfp compatible layout. I'll probably start playing with that one again soon. I just want to finish a power supply project I'm working on first. If you're not aware the EEVBlog forum has a lot of info about the project. I'm not on there much any more bc some people are quite rude IMO, especially to a hobbyist, but there's a lot of info there. It's been awhile but I made a list of all official and unofficial project options on the main forum thread somewhere around page 150-170 :-) -Jake
@@UpcycleElectronics Very cool on how you did this, a couple of years back I was at PhreakNic and there was a talk on how to reverse-engineer a printed circuit board. In this case a ECM module for a Diesel engine. czcams.com/video/GMVSVO8wiAM/video.html He has some neat techniques for reverse-engineering a board, and he goes into great detail on how to do it. Yeah, I find that the TT project is an excellent way to get kids interested in electronics, and if they aren't interested, I'm only out a few bucks. The board is simple to assemble, Steph built hers at the ripe age of eight. :) My interest came because I was tasked to come up with a better way to check to see if the microphones were hooked up properly in the headliner assembly at our plant (the part that holds your overhead lamps, your display for instantaneous MPG, range, direction, etc. There's quite a bit of wiring in a headliner these days. So the plan was to close a relay contact if the microphone tested out okay. And one of the things that I was looking for at the time was an "extended" version of the TT. Thanks for the update! I also belong to EEVBlog, I'm a lowly Controls Engineer, so I try not to bother the EE's with my drivel. ;>
The final schematic pdf is available on my GitHub page: http:github.com/Upcycle-Electronics/AVR-Transistor-Tester/blob/master/TT-Clone-littlet2.pdf GitHub is not very mobile device friendly. If you are on a mobile device, you may need to select "view desktop version" to see the schematic and download link.
Tech Seeker I've been working on one for Linux first but unfortunately I got a bad case of the flu that put me in hospital. Once I fully recover I will be able to do some more complex videos like this. I'm a slow partially disabled gimp but I will get something up eventually ;)
Upcycle Electronics. it's been a year and I'm trying to do upload the code but every time there's an error. i did the arduino based but it never was accurate, i broke that box in anger. right now i need these types of tester but the only bad thing happening to me is uploading the code using an arduino uno. it's difficult. so i need a thorough guide from downloading the code upto uploading using an UNO. I tried with both Windows and Linux, there was only failure..
+Tech Seeker I would check and see if you can program other Atmega MCUs using the same ISP connection if you have others available. I often find my mistakes by trying a simpler task like this first. I don't have a lot of experience programming so it's difficult for me to figure out too ;)
Tech Seeker Just be aware, I am very slow. I rewrote most of the official documentation about installing all of the software needed to program using Linux. I didn't finish everything though and I haven't checked if Karl-Heinz added it to the official English PDF yet. The basic text is on my GitHub page. The link to GitHub should be in this video's description ;)
github.com/Upcycle-Electronics/AVR-Transistor-Tester/blob/master/TT-Clone-littlet2.pdf If your on a mobile device view github pages by using the "request desktop version" option in your web browser. Github doesn't host a mobile browser version that includes hosted files.
I recreated the transistor tester board for a project at work a few years back. My addition to the board was a few relays to allow the tester to be used as a stand-alone tester. It was for a thankless company that I left before finishing up the software (as did all of the engineers before me). The hardware had been finished, and I still have a blank PCB from the project somewhere.
The transistor project is a great project that is mostly well documented as far as the schematic and the code being synchronized. Be forewarned that not all of the schematics out there will use the code as it comes from the homepage. The Chinese version is an example of that, not only does it not work directly with the code on the website, but IIRC, the schematic that they provide you doesn't match the board that they sell you. But, if your goal is to design your own tester based off of the ones found on eBay, then by all means buy the TT kit and use those parts in your design.
What are you using to synchronize the highlighting of the schematic and the traces on the board?
The video was done on a Samsung Galaxy S5 with a combination of a free app called Sketch (like MS paint w/more layers features), and a cheap ~$5 app called PowerDirector (video editor). I just made the schematics on my old workstation/laptop using KiCAD and got them on my phone by exporting the image.
I retraced the board in Sketch with each trace in a different color and on a separate layer. Then it's just a matter of sorting and activating each layer one by one, exporting them as images. Then import the images into PowerDirector and splice and dice.
It takes several days to do, but I am disabled and spend a lot of time laying almost entirely flat in a bed due to a rare type of back injury. As I have gotten better I have spent more time at the bench and less time doing stuff like this.
I like the AVRtt project too. If you download the most recent firmware from the project it supports most, if not all, of the cheap kits sold. If you're going to build one yourself the version based on the 644/1284 has more options. I also find it easier to work with Marcus's firmware. His version is easier to follow if you want to modify the actual source and recompile something beyond just the makefile options.
The least documented DIY version is the one based on an ATmega128 or 2560. Karl (the main author) has a version based on the 128 so that he can better utilize the KS0108 graphic LCD display. The 128 is available cheaply in a 64p TQFP that is relatively easy to solder. At least it's much easier than a 2560, and far cheaper too. That combo yields a design capable of several extra optional circuits while also supporting an 8 bit parallel interface for the LCD. I've been toying with the idea of building another 128 based version for fun. I have most of the common Chinese clones, 3 boards I made with 328's, and a dev board project I currently have shelved based on a 644/1284 version of the project with many prototyping options and a dip/tqfp compatible layout. I'll probably start playing with that one again soon. I just want to finish a power supply project I'm working on first.
If you're not aware the EEVBlog forum has a lot of info about the project. I'm not on there much any more bc some people are quite rude IMO, especially to a hobbyist, but there's a lot of info there. It's been awhile but I made a list of all official and unofficial project options on the main forum thread somewhere around page 150-170 :-)
-Jake
@@UpcycleElectronics Very cool on how you did this, a couple of years back I was at PhreakNic and there was a talk on how to reverse-engineer a printed circuit board. In this case a ECM module for a Diesel engine. czcams.com/video/GMVSVO8wiAM/video.html
He has some neat techniques for reverse-engineering a board, and he goes into great detail on how to do it.
Yeah, I find that the TT project is an excellent way to get kids interested in electronics, and if they aren't interested, I'm only out a few bucks. The board is simple to assemble, Steph built hers at the ripe age of eight. :)
My interest came because I was tasked to come up with a better way to check to see if the microphones were hooked up properly in the headliner assembly at our plant (the part that holds your overhead lamps, your display for instantaneous MPG, range, direction, etc. There's quite a bit of wiring in a headliner these days.
So the plan was to close a relay contact if the microphone tested out okay.
And one of the things that I was looking for at the time was an "extended" version of the TT. Thanks for the update!
I also belong to EEVBlog, I'm a lowly Controls Engineer, so I try not to bother the EE's with my drivel. ;>
More talk less elevator music and I would have subscribed !
The final schematic pdf is available on my GitHub page:
http:github.com/Upcycle-Electronics/AVR-Transistor-Tester/blob/master/TT-Clone-littlet2.pdf
GitHub is not very mobile device friendly. If you are on a mobile device, you may need to select "view desktop version" to see the schematic and download link.
Hola, el diagrama se encuentra en el foro?
need a single help from you. make video on how to upload the program for this avr tester using arduino as ISP. please.
Tech Seeker
I've been working on one for Linux first but unfortunately I got a bad case of the flu that put me in hospital. Once I fully recover I will be able to do some more complex videos like this. I'm a slow partially disabled gimp but I will get something up eventually ;)
Upcycle Electronics. it's been a year and I'm trying to do upload the code but every time there's an error. i did the arduino based but it never was accurate, i broke that box in anger. right now i need these types of tester but the only bad thing happening to me is uploading the code using an arduino uno. it's difficult. so i need a thorough guide from downloading the code upto uploading using an UNO. I tried with both Windows and Linux, there was only failure..
+Tech Seeker
I would check and see if you can program other Atmega MCUs using the same ISP connection if you have others available. I often find my mistakes by trying a simpler task like this first. I don't have a lot of experience programming so it's difficult for me to figure out too ;)
Upcycle Electronics. I'm waiting for your help my friend. i appreciate your replies
Tech Seeker
Just be aware, I am very slow. I rewrote most of the official documentation about installing all of the software needed to program using Linux. I didn't finish everything though and I haven't checked if Karl-Heinz added it to the official English PDF yet. The basic text is on my GitHub page. The link to GitHub should be in this video's description ;)
upload schematic please link
github.com/Upcycle-Electronics/AVR-Transistor-Tester/blob/master/TT-Clone-littlet2.pdf
If your on a mobile device view github pages by using the "request desktop version" option in your web browser. Github doesn't host a mobile browser version that includes hosted files.