OT an electronic circuit

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.




--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc

The cork popped merrily, and Lord Peter rose to his feet.
"Bunter", he said, "I give you a toast. The triumph of Instinct over Reason"

 

[bitrex]

On 2/28/20 4:20 PM, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

Like, you can't touch-type? In My Day early in high-school we had
classes; at the time (early 90s) they were still on VT100-type terminals
with orange CRTs, with a training program running on some type of
minicomputer probably DEC.

The particular classroom was in the basement and set up for touch-typing
training only, the setup was probably from the mid 80s but worked well
enough.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

Confidential proprietary information!

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.

Wow, the LTM8023 has 20(?) ground pins.

Yes I understand people have lost interest in designing and building
anything I know. Good news is I built a power supply such as it is this
week too, these little LED drivers:

<https://lcsc.com/product-detail/LED-Drivers_XI-AN-Aerosemi-Tech-MT9284-28J_C181780.html>

4 cent each in quantity, have pretty beastly switches for their size.
Rds ~0.5 ohms typical, peak current limit 1.5 amps @4.2v 50% typical!

I'm using it as a tiny CM flyback controller here seems to work ok in
that role, too. About 18 turns of #28 wire on the primary and ~120 turns
of 36 gauge on the secondary, on a Micrometals T50-8 toroid 4.7uH to
100uH seems to do 3.3 - 5 volts to 48 volts nicely.

<https://www.dropbox.com/s/06zry0sz9aj04ab/IMG_20200229_004759305.jpg?dl=0>

 

On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com
wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.

I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post threads, I
should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.



--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc

The cork popped merrily, and Lord Peter rose to his feet.
"Bunter", he said, "I give you a toast. The triumph of Instinct over Reason"

 

[Clifford Heath]

On 3/3/20 3:43 am, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com
wrote:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.


I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post threads, I
should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.

I looked at your diagram for quite a while, but could only see a variety
of rather boring power supplies.

What sort of discussion about that did you hope to provoke?

CH

 

[Joerg]

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting
by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40
years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete transistors for
the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force everything would be ICs.
Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux
but the SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and
doesn't like a VM. So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe
Tkinter for the GUI part. It's mostly about measuring stuff, sending it
in via USB and displaying calculated results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then
Basic, then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the
book), then C, then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the
wrong horse.

... I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.

Analog is fun. Very few people think so, but it is. I am trying to
convince a client to do something without ADC and lots of code, going
discrete instead and saving money. During the online meeting I could
almost see the goose bumps come up.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

 

[bitrex]

On 3/2/20 7:31 PM, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting
by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40
years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete transistors for
the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force everything would be ICs.
Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.


All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused.  ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux
but the SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and
doesn't like a VM. So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe
Tkinter for the GUI part. It's mostly about measuring stuff, sending it
in via USB and displaying calculated results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then
Basic, then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the
book), then C, then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the
wrong horse.

JavaScript and Java (only distantly related) are still arguably the
kings as they have been for many years, but Python is catching up:

<https://blog.newrelic.com/technology/most-popular-programming-languages-of-2019/>

C++/C# receive the bronze and good-ol C at least an honorable mention.

 

[John Larkin]

On Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:31:22 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
wrote:

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting
by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40
years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete transistors for
the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force everything would be ICs.
Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.

I could have used a second OPA547, but they are big and expensive.

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux
but the SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and
doesn't like a VM. So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe
Tkinter for the GUI part. It's mostly about measuring stuff, sending it
in via USB and displaying calculated results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then
Basic, then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the
book), then C, then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the
wrong horse.

The Python "Hello, World!" program looks a lot like Basic.

I still do a lot of engineering programs in PowerBasic. The Console
Compiler version, the one I like, is $75. I have a zillion engineering
apps in PBCC.

... I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.


Analog is fun. Very few people think so, but it is. I am trying to
convince a client to do something without ADC and lots of code, going
discrete instead and saving money. During the online meeting I could
almost see the goose bumps come up.

Fewer and fewer people can design "real" electronics. Most kids prefer
to type, and the few who understand circuits are scooped up the the IC
houses. I could tell stories.

This is a little better:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9d8n5gdho418y3v/21S771A6.pdf?dl=0







--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc
picosecond timing precision measurement

jlarkin att highlandtechnology dott com
http://www.highlandtechnology.com

 

[John Larkin]

On Tue, 3 Mar 2020 08:34:11 +1100, Clifford Heath <no.spam@please.net>
wrote:

On 3/3/20 3:43 am, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com
wrote:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.


I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post threads, I
should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.

I looked at your diagram for quite a while, but could only see a variety
of rather boring power supplies.

You're right. Politics is much more interesting than electronics.

--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc
picosecond timing precision measurement

jlarkin att highlandtechnology dott com
http://www.highlandtechnology.com

 

[bitrex]

On 3/2/20 7:31 PM, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting
by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40
years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete transistors for
the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force everything would be ICs.
Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.


All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused.  ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux
but the SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and
doesn't like a VM. So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe
Tkinter for the GUI part. It's mostly about measuring stuff, sending it
in via USB and displaying calculated results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then
Basic, then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the
book), then C, then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the
wrong horse.

Many large software projects use multiple languages, e.g. modern video
games usually the physics engine and high-performance code is written in
C++, Windows-specific stuff like database code is written in C#, the GPU
"shaders" are written in a dialect of C, and the "glue" that determines
what happens when is written in a scripting language like Python or Lua
so that people like art directors and creative designers and audio
engineers (who may not be highly trained software engineers by default)
can make non-destructive modifications to their individual portions of
the code without appealing to the C++ guys every time they need to
change some minor detail

 

[Clifford Heath]

On 3/3/20 12:41 pm, bitrex wrote:
> JavaScript and Java (only distantly related)

Not even a little bit related, but invented as entirely different things
for entirely different reasons by people working for different companies
who were apparently not even influenced by similar ancestor languages,
but given similar names for no obvious reason than that both companies
were conducting trade wars on Microsoft that year.

Clifford Heath.

 

[Clifford Heath]

On 3/3/20 11:53 am, John Larkin wrote:

On Tue, 3 Mar 2020 08:34:11 +1100, Clifford Heath <no.spam@please.net
wrote:

On 3/3/20 3:43 am, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com
wrote:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.


I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post threads, I
should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.

I looked at your diagram for quite a while, but could only see a variety
of rather boring power supplies.

You're right. Politics is much more interesting than electronics.

What sort of stupid non-response is that?

I wouldn't have even started looking at your schematic if I wasn't
interested in your work driving GaN... but I see nothing obviously relevant.

Care to point out what you hoped we'd find? Or was I right, and there
really is nothing of general interest there?

CH

 

[Tom Gardner]

On 03/03/20 00:31, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting by many
"modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40 years ago said that
we only have to learn about discrete transistors for the exam. Once we'd be
entering the work force everything would be ICs. Boy was that guy wrong, and I
knew it.


All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused.  ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux but the
SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and doesn't like a VM.
So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe Tkinter for the GUI part. It's
mostly about measuring stuff, sending it in via USB and displaying calculated
results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then Basic,
then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the book), then C,
then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the wrong horse.

You are right that most languages are me-too variants, with
little reason to swap from one to another. Choosing wisely has
allowed me to avoid career dead ends

Overly simplistic:
- code to run in a browser: JavaScript
- serverside: Java
- userspace applications: Java or Python depending on which
libraries and user community is most relevant for your
application
- embedded: C or C++, but understand all gotchas in the FQA
http://yosefk.com/c++fqa/
- hard realtime: xC on xCORE processors, or FPGAs
- C# is the Microsoft ripoff of Java

The key point is to start with the relevant libraries and
user community, and use that to choose the language.

 

On Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:31:22 -0800, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting
by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40
years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete transistors for
the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force everything would be ICs.
Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.

Yep. I just designed out an IC, TI's FDC2212, and replaced it with a
bunch of discretes. The product contains a STM32 micro anyway, and a
discrete LC oscillator and the MCU timer peripheral seems to work well
enough.

The parts, all SC70s and 0402s, only just fit on the board, but there
were several motivations. The FDC2212 is a niche part with no second-
source, and TI seem to be having lots of complaints about it, based on
discussions on their E2E message boards. I wouldn't be surprised if they
EOL'd it, which would be a disaster for us with a planned 10+ year
production run.

But the real problem was it was incapable of passing EMI immunity tests,
despite what the claims in the data sheet would have you believe. The
prototype discrete design, assembled on surface-mount proto board, works
fine in this regard.

The boards will be here in a few weeks. We'll see how it turns out...

[snip]

Analog is fun. Very few people think so, but it is. I am trying to
convince a client to do something without ADC and lots of code, going
discrete instead and saving money. During the online meeting I could
almost see the goose bumps come up.

 

[Bill Sloman]

On Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 3:44:04 AM UTC+11, jla...@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com
wrote:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.

I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post threads, I
should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.

You might try to find some interesting electronics to discuss.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

 

Bill Sloman <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in
news:03555ecc-63dd-47ad-9aba-cd90254ed733@googlegroups.com:

On Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at 3:44:04 AM UTC+11,
jla...@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800,
jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python,
namely typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to
stay amused. I actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny
pulse generator using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets
VL to +-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding
some R11 value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.

I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post
threads, I should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.

You might try to find some interesting electronics to discuss.

Got no responses on my instrument chassis critique.

Just like Trump. Well, not... he hasn't started spouting
electronics lies... yet.

He does sport some of Trumps falsehoods as fact though.

 

On Tue, 3 Mar 2020 16:23:43 +1100, Clifford Heath <no.spam@please.net>
wrote:

On 3/3/20 11:53 am, John Larkin wrote:
On Tue, 3 Mar 2020 08:34:11 +1100, Clifford Heath <no.spam@please.net
wrote:

On 3/3/20 3:43 am, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
On Fri, 28 Feb 2020 13:20:14 -0800, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com
wrote:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0

All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.


I suppose that if I want to inspire one of those 300+ post threads, I
should avoid discussing hard stuff like electronics.

I looked at your diagram for quite a while, but could only see a variety
of rather boring power supplies.

You're right. Politics is much more interesting than electronics.

What sort of stupid non-response is that?

I wouldn't have even started looking at your schematic if I wasn't
interested in your work driving GaN... but I see nothing obviously relevant.

Care to point out what you hoped we'd find? Or was I right, and there
really is nothing of general interest there?

CH

Nothing to interest you. Never mind.



--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc

The cork popped merrily, and Lord Peter rose to his feet.
"Bunter", he said, "I give you a toast. The triumph of Instinct over Reason"

 

[Joerg]

On 2020-03-02 23:28, Tom Gardner wrote:


[...]

Overly simplistic:
- code to run in a browser: JavaScript
- serverside: Java
- userspace applications: Java or Python depending on which
libraries and user community is most relevant for your
application
- embedded: C or C++, but understand all gotchas in the FQA
http://yosefk.com/c++fqa/
- hard realtime: xC on xCORE processors, or FPGAs
- C# is the Microsoft ripoff of Java

The key point is to start with the relevant libraries and
user community, and use that to choose the language.

Thing is, I understand next to nothing about this coding stuff. So I'd
have to start with example code (but _with_ GUI) and then modify towards
my goals. That's how I learned just about everything in life.

The first order of business would be to get a Labjack U3 going using
Exodriver on Linux, then find nice SCADA-like examples for it and start
modifying. So far I haven't found anything in Python and others but I'll
keep looking. With Windows that was easier because Azeotech DAQFactory
is a nice SCADA software which runs on Windows and they had lots of
examples such as "Wiggle port so-and-so, have the ADC probe this, that
and the other thing, write a nice graph from that with statistics over
yonder on the screen".

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

 

[Joerg]

On 2020-03-02 17:13, John Larkin wrote:

On Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:31:22 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com
wrote:

[...]

Analog is fun. Very few people think so, but it is. I am trying to
convince a client to do something without ADC and lots of code, going
discrete instead and saving money. During the online meeting I could
almost see the goose bumps come up.

Fewer and fewer people can design "real" electronics. Most kids prefer
to type, and the few who understand circuits are scooped up the the IC
houses. I could tell stories.

Yep. One of my clients lost their HW/embedded engineer to Google and he
now ... <gasp> ... writes code. The boss joked that they put an offer on
his table that could allow him to pay off his mortgage in four weeks.

Another client lost two engineers simultaneously. So they are leaning
more on me now but I want to retire.

This is a little better:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9d8n5gdho418y3v/21S771A6.pdf?dl=0

I can see the LND FET in there but zooming Dropbox pics is tough on this
side. Not as good as bare-metal PDF.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

 

[Joerg]

On 2020-03-02 17:52, bitrex wrote:

On 3/2/20 7:31 PM, Joerg wrote:
On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as
disgusting by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors
about 40 years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete
transistors for the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force
everything would be ICs. Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.


All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux
but the SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and
doesn't like a VM. So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe
Tkinter for the GUI part. It's mostly about measuring stuff, sending
it in via USB and displaying calculated results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then
Basic, then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the
book), then C, then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the
wrong horse.


Many large software projects use multiple languages, e.g. modern video
games usually the physics engine and high-performance code is written in
C++, Windows-specific stuff like database code is written in C#, the GPU
"shaders" are written in a dialect of C, and the "glue" that determines
what happens when is written in a scripting language like Python or Lua
so that people like art directors and creative designers and audio
engineers (who may not be highly trained software engineers by default)
can make non-destructive modifications to their individual portions of
the code without appealing to the C++ guys every time they need to
change some minor detail

"Non-destructive modifications" is exactly what I have in mind. I am not
a coder by any stretch and never want to become one. Just write stuff I
need and no more but it has to have a nice GUI, not some pre-historic
terminal interface that nobody other than myself could use.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

 

[three_jeeps]

On Monday, March 2, 2020 at 7:31:30 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:

On 2020-02-28 13:20, jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tjr7gxyhdzc8tb4/21S771A3.pdf?dl=0


It contains two discrete transistors so it'll be perceived as disgusting
by many "modern" hardware designers. One of our professors about 40
years ago said that we only have to learn about discrete transistors for
the exam. Once we'd be entering the work force everything would be ICs.
Boy was that guy wrong, and I knew it.


All my boys and girls are busy with VHDL and c and Python, namely
typing, so I'm designing little all-analog products to stay amused. ...

Is Python the name of the game today? I have largely migrated to Linux
but the SCADA software I used for Labjack devices is Windows-only and
doesn't like a VM. So I am thinking about learning Python and maybe
Tkinter for the GUI part. It's mostly about measuring stuff, sending it
in via USB and displaying calculated results.

In the past there was a new game every few years. First Fortran, then
Basic, then everyone said you've got to learn Pascal (still have the
book), then C, then C++, C# and whatnot. I want to avoid saddling the
wrong horse.


... I
actually never learned to type. One box is a tiny pulse generator
using my little GaN output stage.

A trimpot sets pulse Vhigh from -4 to +45, and another pot sets VL to
+-5V. It can run from a 24 or a 48 volt wall wart. Adding some R11
value enables the higher voltage out with the 48V wart.

D2 keeps VL always below VH, which would be awkward.

This needs value tweaking and checking, but it's close.


Analog is fun. Very few people think so, but it is. I am trying to
convince a client to do something without ADC and lots of code, going
discrete instead and saving money. During the online meeting I could
almost see the goose bumps come up.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Python is a programming language.
https://www.python.org/doc/essays/blurb/
It is fairly easy to use, and hides some of the more intricate details of data and numeric types and allows dynamic recasting of one data type to another.
It is an interpreted language but has characteristics of compiled languages - dynamic data structures. Some ppl say it is a fusion of concepts from Java and C/C++ (e.g.object oriented, interpreted, etc.)
Web-heads like it...one can program things quickly and it has nicely integrated GUI capabilities.
If one is developing code for real-time, embedded, safety critical applications, this is not the language to use....