Electronic components to avoid in a product

In this latest video from John Teel, electronic components to avoid in a real product:

  1. USB Micro-B Connections → use USB-C instead
  2. Through-Hole Components → use SMD instead
  3. Barrel Jack Power Connections → use USB-C instead
    • Note: 5.5 × 2.1 mm (5.5×2.1mm) is the common DC barrel jack size, 5.5 × 2.5 mm (5.5×2.5mm) is less common
  4. Unshielded DC-DC Converter Inductors → use shielded inductors instead
  5. Cheap No-Name Electrolytic Capacitors → buy from reputable brand instead, or, better, switch to ceramic or polymer aluminium capacitors
    • If you want no surprises, stick to: Nichicon, Rubycon, Panasonic, Nippon Chemi-Con (aka United Chemi-Con), Elna
    • For professional/industrial designs, also consider: KEMET, Vishay, TDK
  6. Bare Pin Headers as Production Connectors → use connectors rated for your application instead
  7. Mechanical Relays → use solid state instead, for DC consider MOSFET
  8. Single-Source or End-of-Life Components → use widely available components instead
  9. Counterfeit of Clone ICs → buy from authorized distributors instead:
  10. Hobby-Grade Sensors → look for higher grade instead with I2C or SPI digital interfaces

Cardputer-Adv: Compact Programmable Platform for Embedded Prototyping & IoT Development

I was reading the latest version of Make: Magazine, Make: Magazine, Volume 96, and I discovered this cool hardware based on the ESP32-S3: M5Stack Cardputer Adv Version. They are out of stock at the moment but I will have to check back later because I think I would love to have one of these!

John Teel explains microcontrollers to avoid

The microcontrollers to avoid and what to consider instead:

  1. ESP8266ESP32-C3
  2. PIC16ARM Cortex-M0+, STM32C0, TI’s MSPM0
  3. Ultra-Cheap No-Name MCUs → something with better doco and support, such as STM32C0 or TI’s MSPM0
  4. STM8STM32C0
  5. MSP430 → TI’s MSPM0
  6. ATmega328P → newer MCUs in AVR family
  7. Overpriced High-End MCUs → consider microprocessor instead

Help with Thevenin equivalent circuit

I was doing some prep work for the upcoming LAoE video and learning about Thevenin equivalent circuits, something I need to understand better than I do, particularly how to calculate Vth and Rth. I built the circuit on my bench, but then got readings I didn’t understand, so I asked about it over on the EEVblog Forum: Help with Thevenin equivalent circuit. In the end it turned out that my initial readings were wrong for some unknown reason, but when I repeated them they came out right the second time…