So far, I’ve documented the original FPGA-based project and the framework used to turn it into an actual Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), along with its functional description in Part 1. In Part 2, I covered a few key design considerations I learnt as a beginner when transitioning from FPGA to ASIC, specifically related to … Continue reading RGBW Controller ASIC Part 3 – Design for silicon, colour space conversion algorithm and final block diagram
In the previous article, I shared the initial steps toward creating an amateurial ASIC design. I had a concept for a colour generator, which I first prototyped directly on an FPGA. I also introduced some of the platforms and companies that make ASIC fabrication more accessible by allowing multiple users to share a single production … Continue reading RGBW Controller ASIC, Part 2 – Design for silicon, clock and reset considerations
I initially had an idea to implement an RGBW LED color controller in hardware, but I only had access to an FPGA along with free tools (though not necessarily open-source). Later, while participating in the ETHZ Summer School in Zurich, I discovered how it's possible, even for individual contributors, to affordably create an IC. At … Continue reading RGBW Controller ASIC, part 1 – An FPGA design forged into an ASIC
In the watchmaking industry there are not only cogs and gears. Nowadays, even the high watchmaking industry focuses on sophisticated digital technology, to combine it with the fine art of mechanics. And it exists, once open-source, even an RTOS owned by Swatch, for which I had the pleasure to use, and mostly to be mentored … Continue reading The EdoSplay RTC project
When I needed to design a dual power supply I was looking for parts capable to handle buck, buck-boost, with inverting and non inverting properties. Because I was also looking for a contained budget, I've been fascinated by a single, multipurpose part, capable of doing all of this. I immediately realized it was the 555 … Continue reading MC34063, the jellybean converter (Part 1) – Introduction design of a voltage inverter
I have some kind of interest in electronic projects, whether hobbists or a professional ones, which are based on standard and always available sub-components. Those always available parts are also called jelly bean components, like resistors, capacitors and cheap basic parts, like op amps (including in my opinion also LM741, LM324, even TL081 and the … Continue reading Switching converters nostalgia: a brief history
In the previous article we tried to analyze what is the Contrast Ratio in a LED driver and how the non-idealities are giving a boundary on the minimum allowable PWM period. That was quite worth a full article, but a big part was indeed missing. Here we will go through how the PWM period and … Continue reading Dimming LEDs (part 2/3) – Sneaky non-linear events while using the PWM technique
ALEA 