🕹️ Retro Computing & Restoration

A CT scanner reveals surprises inside the 386 processor's ceramic package (righto​.com) . Lumafield CT scan reveals six-layer ceramic 386 package internals: I/O/logic power networks, shelf pads, bond wires ~35µm, edge wires for plating, NC pins, die-to-pin routing

Battle Ground, VGA (lars​.ingebrigtsen​.no) . RAID machine with VGA out, gaffa-taped 10-inch monitor, replacement VGA-to-HDMI dongle, debugging relief, hardware troubleshooting, retro display tech, working setup, small victories in tech life

Using the PicoPSU and PicoRC on an i486 (rubenerd​.com) . Using PicoRC and PicoPSU with an i486, post details wiring ISA rails from a modern ATX supply to Lucky Star board, POST LEDs, budgeting carefully

Rainbow D-sub and ribbon cables (rubenerd​.com) . Ruben Schade explores rainbow D-sub and ribbon cables, Apple II //e Platinum nostalgia, D-sub end crimping, 40-pin IDE, 50-pin SCSI, 1.27 pitch, and open-frame i486

567 Digital Readout Sampling Oscilloscope (vintagetek​.org) . Restoration of a 1968 567 Digital Readout Sampling Oscilloscope; features 6R1A digital plug-in for rise time, amplitude, and time-difference, with go/no-go output and production testing

Began assembly and test of the core memory replacement for the 1130 (rescue1130​.blogspot​.com) . Begins assembling and testing a core memory replacement for the IBM 1130, detailing DigiKey parts, JLCPCB boards, LT8635S 3.3V supply, LQFN challenges, and troubleshooting setbacks

More testing of the 1130 MRAM memory replacement board - part 2 (rescue1130​.blogspot​.com) . Arduino Due simulates CPU signals for 1130 MRAM board; 42MHz timer1, compare A=38, C=76, 560kHz, 1.8µs cycles; E, G, W, Storage Use, buffers, parity, testing

🛠️ DIY Projects & Enclosures

Ultrathin business card runs a fluid simulation (github​.com) . Ultrathin business card integrates fluid simulation using FLIP mechanics, featuring rechargeable USB-C port and simulation debugging tools from various innovative projects

An (overbuilt) 10" mini rack for a LAN Party (macpierce​.com) . DIY 10” mini rack for LAN party using aluminum 1” T-slot extrusion, 3D-printed rack ears, top/bottom plates, heat-set inserts, TPU pass-throughs, fan mount, CAD files

How to Build a DIY Synth: Your First Atari Punk Console Project (audioacademy​.in) . Build a DIY Atari Punk Console synthesizer using a 556 dual-timer chip, with step-by-step guide, tools, components list, and troubleshooting tips for beginners

Fruit Jam Case (learn​.adafruit​.com) . Create a slim, 3D printed snap fit enclosure for the Adafruit Fruit Jam, ensuring ergonomics and access to all ports

Hacking an IKEA HÖVOLM into a Helmet Rack (mikecoats​.com) . 3D printed upgrades replace an IKEA HÖVOLM helmet rack: redesigned hooks, thinner dowel, webbed support, Open Hardware files under CERN-OHL-S v2 on Codeberg Practical Prints

🔧 Hardware Hacking & Test Tools

ESP32 Bus Pirate 0.5 – A hardware hacking tool that speaks every protocol (github​.com) . ESP32 Bus Pirate 0.5 firmware turns devices into a multi-protocol hacking tool with web-based CLI, supporting I2C, UART, SPI, 1-Wire, CAN, IR, PWM, LEDs, scripting

Open Source 4.4Ghz USB RF Signal Generator (circuitvalley​.com) . Open source 4.4GHz USB RF signal generator features ADF4351, Microchip USB microcontroller, cross-platform support, and programmable via Python or QT5 GUI

Repairing an HP 5370A Time Interval Counter (tomverbeure​.github​.io) . Repairing an HP 5370A Time Interval Counter: diagnosing 15V rail faults, inspecting Corcom F2058 module, OCXO, 10 MHz reference, RIFA hazards, modular PCBs, regulators, buffers

Flipper Zero (lkhrs​.com) . Flipper Zero exploration covers Bluetooth pairing, garage door integration, ceiling fan dimming, GPS time via GPIO, Jeff Geerling's GPS post, HID and iButton cloning, ideas

🔧 Device Repair & Maintenance

Fixing my Pixel 6's USB port issue with a trimmed down cocktail stick (neilzone​.co​.uk) . Pixel 6 USB port repair using a shaved-down wood cocktail stick to remove lint; fixes charging, syncing reliability on GrapheneOS, improving car cable fit consistently

Repairing SmartMi Humidifier Water Sensor Issues (mwitkow​.me) . Repairing SmartMi evaporative humidifiers: diagnosing water sensor failure after top-removal, replacing microcontroller with a Digispark ATTiny85 clone, soldering, board fix, GitHub guide, Home Assistant integration

I fixed my MacBook Air, and it was kind of a nightmare (82mhz​.net) . Replacing the riveted MacBook Air topcase to fix intermittent keyboard failures, navigating expert guides, iFixit steps, and a costly, repairable challenge versus newer hardware design

Particle Tachyon (dawes​.wordpress​.com) . Andrew Dawes shares his experience with the Particle Tachyon board, covering battery life, eSIM setup, and HDMI output issues

🤖 Embedded Systems & Microcontrollers

Ricardo Cañuelo Navarro: First steps with Zephyr (blogs​.igalia​.com) . Exploration of Zephyr OS for embedded programming, including development setup, building projects, and running applications on various platforms like QEMU and Raspberry Pi

Congatec Board Controller support into the upstream Linux Kernel (bootlin​.com) . Congatec Board Controller support merged into Linux kernel, improving portability with standardized APIs for GPIO, I²C, watchdog, and sensors

MEGAphone Module Building Progress: Cellular modem and DC:DC modules (c65gs​.blogspot​.com) . Progress on MEGAphone modules for C64/C65 with enhanced cellular modem, SIM card integration, and optimized DC:DC power conversion components

MEGAphone FPGA board carrier modules (c65gs​.blogspot​.com) . MEGAphone FPGA board carrier modules adapted for C64/C65 compatibility using Trenz TE0725 and ICEsugar FPGA boards, focusing on power flexibility and module efficiency

Ada on RP2350 (synack​.me) . Discussion on implementing Ada on RP2350, exploring HAL drivers, tasking support, and considerations for code design and architecture

Arduino and SP0256A-AL2 – Part 2 (diyelectromusic​.com) . Explore Arduino generating clock signals for SP0256A-AL2 with Timer 1 for DIY electronic music projects, including pulse-width modulation techniques

⚡ PCB Design & Power Electronics

Trying 0201 (revk​.uk) . Transitioning to 0201 components for PCB designs; discussion on soldering challenges, space-saving advantages, and component size specifications

A nicer repair (atomic14​.com) . Refining circuit repairs using bodge wire, soldering techniques, and improved cleaning methods for enhanced results and better solder resist application

PVI-xxx Inverter Logic Deep Dive (paulbanks​.org) . Deep dive into PVI-xxx Grid-Tie inverter CPU board: ATMega128 UI, two DSPs for MPPT and inverter, reverse engineering, AVR-ISP, simavr emulation, SPI protocol, firmware extraction

WHY2025 badge fire hazard additional issues (krekr​.nl) . Concerns regarding the fire hazard of the WHY2025 badge design, emphasizing battery safety, compliance, and proposed protective modifications

📡 IoT & Monitoring Systems

The Gowanus Data Dredger (thingswemake​.com) . Josh Sucher combines VHF radio, Raspberry Pi, and NAVTEX to create Gowanus Data Dredger, a live data repository for Gowanus Canal monitoring

Installing a Shelly EM in my Circuit Breaker Box (joehxblog​.com) . JoeHx installs a Shelly EM energy monitor in his circuit breaker box to measure electric usage and cut costs effectively

M8 Headless Experiment (disquiet​.com) . M8 Tracker, Teensy 4.1, headless display via MacBook, GitHub instructions, SD card transfer, audio beats, field recordings, $35 board, DIY firmware exploration, headless workflow experiment

Dweet is dead, long live dweet (lucstechblog​.blogspot​.com) . Dweet.io ceases operations, pushing users towards alternatives dweet.cc, dweet.me, and dweetr.io for IoT projects along with a DIY Raspberry Pi server option

📚 Academic Research

Uncovering the Influence Flow Model of Transistor Amplifiers, Its Reconstruction and Application (arxiv:cs) . Modeling multistage transistor amplifiers as Linear Dynamic Influence Models using circuit analysis, data-driven techniques, and fault diagnosis methods for efficient design and analysis

EasySize: Elastic Analog Circuit Sizing via LLM-Guided Heuristic Search (arxiv:cs) . EasySize leverages LLMs for lightweight analog circuit gate sizing, achieving efficiency across multiple technology nodes and outperforming traditional methods with reduced resource use

Nail: Not Another Fault-Injection Framework for Chisel-generated RTL (arxiv:cs) . Nail, a Chisel-based fault-injection framework, enables state faults with runtime software-controlled trigger states, auto-generates robust interfaces, supports FPGA emulation, and demonstrates RISC-V fault modeling efficiently

Lightweight Fault Detection Architecture for NTT on FPGA (arxiv:cs) . Lightweight fault detection module for Number Theoretic Transform on FPGA using REMO and Memory Rule Checkers, enhancing security in post-quantum cryptography

👋 Before you go

I've got a big favor to ask - keeping Blaze running isn't expensive, but it does all add up, so I'm asking readers like you to help, if you can. That's why I'm launching a Patreon page! . Nothing flashy, just a way for folks who find value in these newsletters to chip in a little each month. In return, you'll get:

• Real say in how Blaze evolves — vote on new topics, features, topic curation ideas
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If you are getting value from blaze, checking this out would mean the world. And if you can't contribute, no worries—the newsletters keep coming either way, and you can follow along on patreon for free. Thanks for reading and being part of this nerdy corner of the internet. All the best - Alastair.