Tindie

The history of computers is a fascinating subject when you think about how much technology has progressed in a relatively short amount of time. If you were growing up in the dawn of the digital age, there was almost always something new and better around the corner.

Enter the Altair 8800. This piece of retro tech was first announced in 1975, and while it had its moment in the spotlight, new options quickly overwhelmed the market. The creator of this Altair-Duino never had the chance to get their own Altair 8800, but still recalls that spark of imagination that happened when it was first announced.

So, as is the maker way, he built it. After spotting a Altair 8800 emulator project online, the quest to build a faithful recreation began. While there are others who have gone to great lengths to recreate this hardware, they can be extremely pricey.

This new “standard” version has a blue laser-cut acrylic frame, along with a clear back and rear panel for style. It includes an RS232 serial port, and audio jack that emulates the Processor Technology Music System, a USB connector, SD card slot, a power jack, and even Bluetooth for a wireless serial connection.

The kit comes with a micro SD card that has software and games as well. The entire project is a cycle-accurate recreation of the original Altair 8800, meaning that the 8080 CPU is emulated, along with some of the I/O, disk drives, and serial ports.

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With vinyl records back in demand, setting up a record deck properly ensures you get a clean, undistorted sound without putting unnecessary wear on your beloved collection. The Turntable Protractor is an ideal tool for vinyl enthuiasts, allowing for accurate setup of the stylus, to ensure it runs parallel with each of the tracks – minimising pressure on the sides of the record groove.

The Turntable Protractor is made of fibreglass and comes with gold lines on a black background for precise visibility of each measurement. This video shows you all you need to know about setup of the stylus using a turntable protractor. For anyone who’s ever set up a record deck, you’ll be aware there are a number of variables and settings at play, including balancing tracking weights, choosing cartridge types, setting tonearms, and adjusting anti-skip wheels. Everything else you need to know is available in this guide from TechRadar.

The Turntable Protractor is a unique device which has high visibility and a simple design to ensure your records sound as good as they did on first playback! Set your deck up properly, and take care of your records with this handy tool – it’s newly available from Garrett’s Workshop based in Ohio.

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We’ve all been there. You’re spacing out at the office and you just need a break from spreadsheets or empty docs that require writing. Maybe you’ll just check Twitter, or browse Reddit for a minute. What’s the harm? Of course, you need to be on the lookout, because your boss could walk in at any moment.

The Daytripper removes this fear, allowing you to slack off in peace. This handy laser tripwire allows you to hide your windows, lock your computer, or execute a custom script every time someone trips it.

The kit comes with a tripwire module and a receiver. Mount the transmitter anywhere you like, and plug the receiver into your USB port on the computer. The sensor range is about four feet, and offers a 100 meter communication range between the two pieces in open air.

It even has a 40-hour battery life, with the option to recharge using USB-C. The kit comes in both DIY and fully assembled forms. Now, go forth and slack off with confidence!

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The micro:bit is an impressive piece of hardware that packs a bunch of features onto a board that’s half the size of a credit card. Between the programmable buttons, the LEDs, the motion detection, and the BLE support, it has a lot going for it.

In fact, it’s almost like it’s begging to be turned into a portable game system. Fellow Tindarian Fabien Chouteau had this exact thought, and so the Micro:Gamer was born. This expansion includes a 128×64 monochrome OLED screen, six buttons, a buzzer, and a AAA battery holder.

The micro:bit actually slides into the back of the board like a cartridge from the Game Boy era. Using the Arduino IDE and a library based on the Arduboy, it’s easy to port games from that system to this one, thanks to the identical button layout.

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We always like to assume that the air in our house or office is clean. After all, we change the filters and keep things as clean as we can, but without the right hardware, it’s hard to be absolutely sure the air you’re breathing is as safe as it could be. This is especially true for workshops where all manner of fumes and elements could find their way into the air.

The Mastak is an ecological sensor kit module that combines System on Modules (SoMs) like a processor, peripherals, sensors, and power circuitry, to give designers a platform for building their own air quality monitor solution. The modules even have additional IO interfaces beyond what is needed, to add even more flexibility to the platform.

The kit is ESP32 based, and supports 3G, NB-IoT, LoRa, BLE, and Wi-Fi for communication. The base version of the kit includes sensors for everything from CO2, to temperature, humidity, light, and even noise.

A few optional elements are also available, including an ultra-low power E-ink screen, a formaldehyde sensor, an Ozone sensor (not compatible with the former, it’s one or the other), or a dust sensor.

In terms of software, the Mastak also includes the ThingSpeak IoT platform with MATLAB Analytics, the ThingsBoard open IoT platform, and Android applications for setting up the Wi-Fi and adjusting the frequency of data collection.

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While 3D printers are an exciting technology, in many cases people leave them alone to work on their projects for hours at a time. As is the case with any kind of machinery, there’s an inherent risk of malfunction or fires. However small, it’s important to have something in place to shut down the printer.

3Dsmoke is designed for 3D printers using filament deposition, which involves electricity, high temperatures, and flammable elements. The device cuts off power to your printer when a wireless smoke detector senses the presence of smoke or a fire.

The kit includes a wirelessly controlled power outlet and a small wireless smoke detector to ensure an added layer of safety in your workspace. The 3Dsmoke can safely run and switch off printers up to 2500W. All you need are 2 AAA batteries to power it, and the expected lifetime for those is an entire year.

Mounting it on the top of the printer enclosure provides the best results. While a solution like this is designed to provide additional safety and peace of mind, there’s always an inherent risk, so buyers should still maintain a watchful eye on their printers as always.

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Despite the digitization of just about everything, it’s still quite common to see vending machines out in the wild that take cash and coins. While a DIY vending machine may not be your first pick for a project, you’re going to need a method for taking and confirming payment if you decide to build one.

This timer module offers a perfect niche solution for that very problem. Simply plug your coin acceptor pulse output into the coin input on the board. Program the price of pulses required to toggle the relay, and how long it should stay enabled using the buttons on the board, and you’re all set. The configurations are stored on the EEPROM, so they will remain the same even after power is turned off.

The board operates at 12V DC and accepts pulses from an open collector coin acceptor. Each pulse is equal to one credit. Something like this is useful in all manner of vending machines, whether you’re selling drinks or dispensing things like air or electricity.

If you have your own firmware in mind, it’s also possible to reprogram the board to meet your project’s needs.

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The SAW franchise is one of those horror films that you’ll either love or hate. This is especially true as you make your way through the series (some major ups and downs there). Through it all, however, Jigsaw’s puppet has always been an iconic part of the allure.

That’s why Magic Stone Tech brought a detailed and creative badge to DEFCON 27 this year. Aptly named SAW: The Badge, this depiction of Billy the puppet (which is actually his name in the films), has a few artistic touches and some fun secrets to uncover as well.

It all starts with 44 red LEDs in the cheek spirals that cycle through different animations. There are also LEDs on the bowtie and handkerchief, which add to the already vibrant art on the badge.

During all of this, a name tag continuously reminds everyone that this puppet has a name, and it’s not Jigsaw. There’s even a microcassette replica on the badge, much like the ones he delivers to the unfortunate people of the films.

When the tape SAO is connected, it shows animations that simulate tape movement. If it’s on any other badge, you’ll still get the back light, but it won’t move. The entire badge is controlled by a custom processor module built specifically for it. It includes a SAMD21 32-bit microcontroller powered by a 3.7v LiPo battery (which is included).

While many of them were sold at DEFCON 27, there are still some left, all of which are fully assembled before they are shipped out. For SAW fans, it’s a sweet collectors item, and for everyone else it’s still a really cool badge.

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I’ve always had a soft spot for hardware that doubles as a fashion statement. Given that, these wonderful Art Palette colored LED earrings are a superb mixture of artistic elements and some good old fashioned hand-crafted hardware.

The palette design includes 7 colored LEDs lit in different patterns by an ATtiny84a. A CR1225 coin battery powers them for as little as 3 days, or up to two weeks depending on your choice of pattern.

A button on the back lets you select different patterns or turn the device off. You can also program your own patterns using the Arduino IDE. The PCB was designed using Inkscape, and each pair is assembled by hand.

Two option also exist: one with a touch of acrylic paints to match the colors, or one where the PCB is white, with color added only when each LED is illuminated.

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You’ve seen plenty of Nixie Tube creations here on Tindie. From unique displays, to clocks, to counters. If you’ve been shopping around long enough, you’ve probably also heard about Lixie, which brought forth a new generation of edge-lit displays.

Well, it’s time to change the game once again with Lixie II for Arduino. This alternative to Nixie Tubes improves on the original in some exciting ways. For starters, it features an 11th pane in the stack, better mounting via 8 screws in the base, and a new modular design that allows for even more glow.

This new version does not come assembled, due to issues with shipping, but thankfully thorough instructions are included, complete with graphics. The soldering is done, so you only need to worry about the mounting with a standard screwdriver.

The tech is based on WS2812B LEDs or “Neopixels,” which allows you to display everything from the date or time, to the temperature, YouTube views, or any other number in your Arduino projects.

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