Cheap stereo line out I2S DAC for CircuitPython / Arduino synths

I am a big fan of these PCM5102A I2S DAC boards (3 for $15! affilliate) for playing around with audio synthesis, for example in this video about new `synthio` CircuitPython library or this repository about Mozzi Arduino synthesis. They have pretty high-quality audio output up to at least 16-bit @ 44.1kHz and separate out all …

Mozzi Arduino synth lib on Oskitone Scout

Mozzi is an audio synthesis library for Arduino that can do multi-oscillator synthesis with filters and modulation on even an Arduino Uno. Oskitone Scout is an adorable tiny keyboard kit, based on an Arduino Uno and entirely open source. I’ve been playing with Mozzi recently after first hearing about it many years ago. The Scout seems like …

I finally figured out automated builds… for Arduino!

Currently I’m the main maintainer of node-hid, the Node.js package that lets you talk to USB HID devices like blink(1).  I recently cribbed automated build config from node-serialport so now node-hid is automatically built for Mac, Linux, & Windows and Node 4.x,6.x,7.x.   It’s pretty cool to have these robots doing my bidding.  But did you …

Intro to the Arduino Entrepreneurial Ecosystem slides & audio

[originally posted on the ThingM blog] The theme for the Caltech Entrepreneurs Forum’s November event was “The Internet of Things, Arduinos and the ‘Maker Entrepreneur’“. My talk “Intro to the Arduino Entrepreneurial System” touched on all these topics. The entire event was a blast, including a wonderful talk about commercial making with open source by …

BlinkMuino updated for Arduino 1.0 (finally)

I finally got around to updating the BlinkMuino guide for turning your BlinkM, BlinkM MinM, or BlinkM MaxM into a tiny ATtiny85 or ATtiny84 Arduino system. BlinkM boards make great tiny development boards, especially if you’re interested in driving LEDs. BlinkM MaxMs are particularly great because they have more inputs and those three beefy MOSFET …

BlinkM Smart LED as the Smallest Arduino

Did you know you can run Arduino programs on tiny BlinkM Smart LEDs? It might make BlinkM the smallest Arduino so far. To use a BlinkM as an Arduino, all you need is the free Arduino software, a low-cost AVR programmer, some wire, and a BlinkM. Here’s a quick video showing how it all works.