Why Cable Colors in Electronics Can Be Misleading

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Welcome to my next blog post, today a very short piece about cable colors. In electronics, it is crucial to always check the polarization of cables, especially when dealing with power connections. The color coding can often be misleading, leading to potential issues if not verified correctly. I want to write about why standard assumptions do not always hold true in practical applications. This post covers a specific case involving drone camera power supplies where battery depletion during long flights necessitates external power sources. Through micro USB connections on flight controllers, we supply five volts and ground. However, relying solely on color labels can be dangerous. I will demonstrate how unusual configurations exist compared to standard red and black pairings. Always verifying polarity is essential to prevent equipment damage.

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Power IR LED Module: A Stealthy Solution for Nighttime Observation

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In the world of electronics and DIY projects, there’s always a need for innovative solutions that balance functionality with subtlety. One such solution is the Power IR LED Module, a versatile tool designed for applications requiring infrared illumination without disrupting the environment. Whether you’re working on night vision systems, wildlife monitoring, or security applications, this module offers a discreet way to observe without being noticed.

In this blog post, I want to write about the Power IR LED Module–a Kicad-based project that leverages the power of infrared LEDs for stealthy observation. We’ll explore its design, testing, and practical applications, including how it can be chained in parallel for larger projects. Additionally, we’ll discuss the second revision of this module, which introduces improvements like a status LED and photoresistor for adaptive operation.

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Is HTTPS Really Safe? Unveiling the Risks Behind Secure Connections

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The internet has become an integral part of our lives, and with that comes a growing concern about online security. You’ve likely noticed the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar when visiting websites – this signifies an HTTPS connection. But how safe is it really? This blog post delves into what HTTPS is, why it exists, and explores some surprising vulnerabilities that can arise even with seemingly secure connections.

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An Unusual STM32 Nucleo Board Short Circuit Mystery

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Working with embedded systems often involves troubleshooting unexpected behavior. Recently, I encountered a peculiar situation while using an STM32 Nucleo board that I want to write about. These boards are fantastic for prototyping and experimenting with different ideas, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. In this case, it wasn’t a typical malfunction; the way the short circuit manifested was quite unusual.

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Implementing Frame Buffer for OSD

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Over a year ago, I was describing a project about an On-Screen Display (OSD) based on the RP2040. It was a simple yet effective application that allowed me to display flight telemetry on a screen in real-time. The solution was somewhat limited because it was created out of necessity. I have several RC planes with FPV capabilities. During flights, I wanted information about current position, battery voltage, etc., displayed on the video feedback. All this information was displayed using four lines of text, two at the top and two at the bottom of the screen. Since then, project requirements have evolved, and I needed to add more functionality to keep up with my needs. In the newest update, I’ve focused on enhancing I2C transmission and adding a frame buffer.

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Is Raspberry Pi launching an official LoRa module

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I have come across something interesting. As you might already know, Raspberry Pi subcontract Raspberry Pi Pico modules to be manufactured by JLC PCB. However, recently they launched the possibility to order assembly of RP2350 chips. These are nowhere to be found. But this is not the “big” thing. I have searched through the JLC PCB catalogue and found that there is a LoRa module produced by Raspberry Pi! Does this mean that in near feature they are going to release this wireless module?

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STM32 project remote debugging with VS Code

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During my classes at WRUST (Wrocław University of Science and Technology), I teach about Robot Controllers where most of the course related to embedded systems is centred around STM32 ecosystem. For quite some time, STM32CubeIDE software was used there. However, the version that is being used there is quite old (1.4.0). The newer versions of the software offer a lot of new features that are useful during debugging. On the other hand, any newer version than 1.4.0 has issues with remote debugging, which is a core part of RemoteLab. Fortunately enough, there is a good substitution that connects both words: new features and operational robustness. The solution is based on VS Code and uses cmake as a project build tool.

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Raspberry Pi Pico remote debugging with VS Code

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Since I started working with Raspberry Pi Pico, I mostly had it connected to my PC next to me. However, it is possible to configure an environment for remote debugging. There are a couple of things that you need, and of course some configuration of your IDE is needed as well. I will walk you through the main steps that are required to setup everything correctly and start a remote debugging session.

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RemoteLab can now plot data in real-time

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It has been a while since I wrote about RemoteLab. A new semester is approaching at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology and I thought that a long awaited feature should be released. I hope this will improve the user experience while working with RemoteLab. This is a second major update since moving to Django, unifying the status server with the camera server, and of course open sourcing it. Besides real-time plotting, there are some additional updates as well.

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Streaming images and video using the Raspberry Pi Camera module

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Sometimes streaming video might not be as straightforward as it might seem to be. In this blog, I will walk you through some ideas on how to stream video using Raspberry Pi Camera module and some Python libraries. Different techniques focussing around picamera module will be investigated along with some front-end code to facilitate reception via a web browser.

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Raspberry Pi throughout winter and how to make it warm

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During the summertime, I have created and assembled a monitoring station based on Raspberry Pi and Raspberry Pi Camera module. The main purpose of this monitoring station was a video survivable system with some digital outputs to control the lights. The overall device is based on the Raspberry Pi 4 that sits inside a tight casing with the power supply module and the relay module. I do not want to write much about how it was built, but a bit more about how it is being maintained plus how it works during winter when temperatures are starting to go below zero.

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GPS module for a RC plane

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Today I would like to present you a small GPS module with super capacitor backup. Having GPS coordinates known during flight time is very beneficial. There are multiple ways in which longitude and latitude can be used to enhance the RC flight experience. Once again we have, and for the most obvious reason, the ability to track a plane or a drone. We can also calculate the current distance to a flying object in line of sight. Finally, using GPS coordinates, it is possible to implement an autopilot and a feature called return to home in case of broken radio link.

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