Tindie

For those of us into computer overclocking and performance tuning, keeping an eye on important stats like CPU temperature, utilization, and clock speed can be important. However, when running a full-screen game or other stress tests, it can often be difficult to see live updates of CPU/GPU statistics. Introducing the bbMonitor, an analog meter panel that can display 8 different data points, including CPU usage, GPU usage, free/used memory, CPU/GPU temperature, and network performance!

Despite the example image showing 8 CPU cores, you can ask for the labels to be customized (or of course, you can print out your own labels) to display whichever data points you want to see. With both classic white and modern black backgrounds and RGB LEDs for decoration or colour gradients to show out-of-spec measurements! Measurements are sent from the PC to the Arduino controlling the panel, so software can be easily customized. Currently, the host software only runs on Windows, but both Mac and Linux support are in the works. And if you have more than 8 stats you want to monitor, they can be easily cascaded to show even more information at once!

If you know someone who is really into gaming or performance tuning, this would make an amazing gift. Simply contact the seller before purchase to ask about customization options. It can take a few days for customization before shipment, but there are standard versions in stock as well. Check out the video below (make sure the subtitles are on) if you want to learn more!

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The Kenbak-1 was the first ever personal computer, released in 1971 and able to complete a variety of complex mathematical equations using binary input. This stunning full-size recreation by Adwater & Stir pays homage to the incredibly rare collectable original with this 50 piece limited run of their Kenbak-1 Replica.

Adwater & Stir have gone above and beyond to ensure this replica is as accurate as possible. In striving to create this precise remake they contacted the manufacturers of the originals outer shell, and were told that the case had been discontinued in the early 80s! The maker was ever hopeful, and asked for a limited run of the cases to be created – but was sadly denied. Thankfully, the manufacturers were more than happy to share the original engineering drawings – which Adwater & Stir took to a local metal shop to have recreated. This hard work and dedication shine through in the final product, a thoughtful recreation of an essential aspect of computing history.Having sold a micro and a nano version of this on Tindie in the past, it’s clear that Adwater & Stir know their stuff. Operated by an ATMEL processor, this more straightforward and modernised circuit runs the same way as the original Kenbak-1. It even has enhancements ranging from a real-time clock to a USB connection, which allows for uploading or downloading code.

Adwater & Stir is an independent electronics company based in Minnesota, USA, and has been selling their recreations on Tindie since 2018.

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Here at Tindie, we love the Raspberry Pi – it’s so diverse, portable, and affordable – who’d have thought that we could one day carry a quad core computer in our pocket? Here we have a fully featured housing to access the full potential of the Pi: the CrowPi2 – All in One Raspberry Pi Laptop! It’s designed to be an educational device to help young people learn electronics, programming, and basic computer skills – so let’s take a look!

The CrowPi2 can be equally used as a laptop or as a STEM learning tool – coming with 22 common sensor modules as well as independently developed software to make learning fun for young programmers. It’s a superb tool to learn many programming languages to expand anybody’s skills for the digital future – with accompanying pre-made lessons in Python, Scratch, Minecraft, AI, and small games. They have three options to choose from with a basic kit, advanced kit and deluxe kit – which you’ll see come with a wealth of accessories to inspire and delight users.

The CrowPi2 is sold by Elecrow, who are based in China and offer this along with the original version. It’s an exciting way to get into programming and computing, with a professional all in one solution to learning! There’s a quick video below outlining some of the uses of the CrowPi2:

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Working with surface mount components allows you to save a huge amount of space on your projects. You may also save money and assembly time, but what doesn’t help is when you end up loosing tiny components. Even if they’re not truly ‘lost’, having to poke around to find the right items before tweezing them into place repeatedly dramatically adds to the assembly time.

As a solution to the problem (that doesn’t involve simply paying someone else to do it) Ahmsville Labs has come up with the Pick-N-Place wheel. Vaguely resembling an oversized seashell, or perhaps an alien spacecraft; this device features two trays of parts that rotate back and forth to present the needed part to your tweezers. The board-in-process is also presented on a rotating platform for optimum positioning.

While that would be neat in and of itself, it gets even more interesting. This wheel isn’t just a mechanical assembly, but features magnets on each rotating parts wheel, and a SAMD21-enabled encoder board that picks up on this rotation. This interfaces with a custom program on your computer that uses the board’s generated pick-and-place file to show what drawer of components to use, and where to place them.

Notably, the listing is for the board only, and you’ll need to do a fair amount of 3D printing to get a usable wheel. Still, if you do this type of task with any frequency, I’d say it’s well worth the price (and time) needed to get one.

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Making music on all kinds of equipment seems like flavour of the month – with all kinds of chip music sequencer, trackers, and adapters available for modern music setups. This SGI Octane/O2 Midi Adapter is ideal for making music using MIDI with an SGI Octane or O2 machine, capable of sending and receiving MIDI messages for all sorts of musical uses.

Using MIDI opens up a world of music making possibilities, with the ability to sequence and store all kinds of electronic instruments, drum sounds, and effects. This MIDI adapter will add MIDI capability to your SGI machine, and comes fully assembled and tested. It comes complete with a DB9 cable to connect to your SGI Octane/O2 as well as a 12V power adapter. It’s completely plug and play requiring no drivers to work straight out of the box – just plug into serial port 1 or 2 to get started. You’ll need some MIDI software installed on your machine to start making music.

If you’re in need of some MIDI melodies from your IRIX workstation, then the SGI Octane/O2 MIDI Adapter is the one for you! It’s sold by EpromFoundary  who are based in Austin Texas, offering a near selection of musical devices we recommend you check out.

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Using MIDI to send and control devices has been the standard since the late 1908s.You can find out all about its magical applications from the comprehensive MIDI guide I wrote; but for now, we’re going to look at Midify, a new experimentation Lab designed to connect MIDI hardware to your computer and other external controllers. It fits into a normal sized breadboard, and allows for a multitude of devices to be connected, controlled and interacted with over MIDI.

The Midify is USB powered (to around 500mA), has 4 simultaneous MIDI inputs and outputs and a total of 20 inputs and outputs for microcontroller tasks. This makes it possible to create thermins, sequencers, and all manner of sensor controlled sounds, using LDRs, pressure sensors, light sensors, touch switches, IR sensors and more.

Using a 16Mhz programmable controller the unit can be loaded with custom software using any PIC Microcontroller Programmer. So if you’re in the mood to take MIDI into the real world and back, then Midify is certainly going to rock your computer world!

The Midify is sold by Zero Crossing  who are based in the USA. See the video below to watch implementation of custom software, sending MIDI notes to a Piano plugin.

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