[simpits-tech] Misc. info...

[geneb]

If you're an Arduino user and want to get into using Ethernet with it, I 
discovered that Radio Shack is stocking the Seeedstudio Ethernet shield 
for $20.  This is the device: 
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/Ethernet-Shield-p-518.html

It's listed as discontinued, but RS is selling them in a blister pack, so 
I suspect they made an exclusive deal with Seeed for them.  Regardless, 
$20 is a hell of a good deal for an Ethernet shield.

If you want to know WHY you'd like to have an Ethernet shield for your 
Arduino, check out this site: http://svglobe.com/

------
I discovered a vendor of LCD displays - buydisplay.com through a Hackaday 
article.  They sell VERY inexpensive LCD displays up to 7".  Here's an 
example that is just begging to be made into a mini-EICAS or flight 
director using a Rasbperry Pi as the brains:
http://www.buydisplay.com/default/7-hdmi-lcd-module-display-touchscreen-vga-video-driver-board

It includes an HDMI interface which would make it a perfect match for the 
RPi.
------

Last week I designed & sent out for fabrication a 32 channel input board. 
This is an easy way to interface a whole pile of inputs, organized row & 
column style.  It includes isolation diodes for each input so each 
individual switch in the matrix can be decoded.  It's essentially an 8 row 
by 4 column implemenation of this schematic: 
http://www.geneb.org/ematrix.png

The board will allow you to daisy chain the row lines, so you could build 
a matrix of 8 rows by <insane #> columns if you so felt the need. :)  If 
the board actually does what I intended it to do, I'll post the Eagle PCB 
files as well as a zip file with the gerbers in it so those that want can 
have their own boards made.  This board should work with *any* row/column 
system including the EPIC board.

g.


-- 
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