CREATE USB Interface - Overtone Labs

PIC18F4550 has a USB Interface easy to use, code or configure. This page will help in trying out this PC friendly PIC Microcontroller. A useful HowTo by Dan Overholt. of OverTone Labs- CUI32Stem

The CREATE USB Interface

All pre-made CUI boards are black as shown, with the new PIC18F4553 that has an increased resolution 12-bit ADC! They also natively support Open Sound Control (OSC) and MIDI-over-USB functionality in addition to the default HID firmware



The CUI also now speaks MIDI-over-USB natively, this bypasses the old-skool MIDI baud-rate limit of 31.25KHz, since the concept of buad rate is completely obfuscated with MIDI-over-USB. Additionally, this firmware (for the 18F4553-based CUIs) sends all the analog input pins as pitch-bend type data (using all 12 bits of the ADC converter) along side note-on/note-off data from the digital input pins.

PIC18F4550

The PIC is the heart of the board. It's a programmable microcontroller with 32Kbytes of flash program memory and 2kbytes of general purpose SRAM. It has 13 A/D inputs and 18 general purpose I/O ports. On the CUI board, one of the general purpose I/O pins is dedicated to the "program" button to enter bootloading mode. You can use the remaining ports for anything you wish.

VU Meter Circuits and Projects

Here is a collection of web pages of VU Meter projects that helps a newbie getting into the Electronics DIY Hobby Land.



A Hobby now in your School days or College can help you build a strong profession later. It is Edutainment that will make productive use of your spare time. Friends can do it as a group, during holidays. Parents should encourage healthy hobbies, as the children will grow in a positive and creative atmosphere.

Stereo led level meter - This is it. It's a STEREO LED LEVEL METER. It's the cheapest and best bar graph display available and best of all, it uses readily available components.

VU-meter by Archy - Then it hit me. A VU meter, big, beautiful, professional! From that moment started my thoughts flowing. Those VU-meter ICs that are sold in every electronics shop?

LM3914 dot-bar display driver - The LM3914 is a monolithic integrated circuit that senses analog voltage levels and drives 10 LEDs, providing a linear analog display.

Knight Rider Display Project - This project started out as a VU meter. I reused parts and pieces to improve the VU meter and give it additional functionality. It is amazing how much time it takes to create a small thing like this.

Surgical Tools useful for Manufacturing

Small Boards, SMT circuits and hybrid electronics need special tools. The soldering and handling require some tools and custom jigs which can be custom designed. 

Some product are mass produced, some tools for managing and working on Tiny PCB's and parts may not be available in the market at an affordable price.

Electronic Product Production Manufacturing

So affordable solution can be created, the jigs are supplemented by surgical tools. These are the Clips and Tweezers that a doctor uses when he conducts an operation.



Let use see one here an Hemostat Clamp and other tools at P J Tool and Supply

Call it Forceps, Tweezers or Pliers. These tools, both the bent/arched/curved one and straight are useful.

When you go to a Surgical Supplies Store, Buy some Filter Paper, capillary tubes and a spirit lamp as well. These can find a lot of good use in the ultimate quest for the God Particle. Beat the Swiss to it.