text:
Thanks Jon and Digi-Key for the great lecture.
Thank you for the tips in this session!
Thank you - looking forward to the next 5 sessions.
once again Thank you Jon for the great lacture!
Very informative slide.
maybe i am, in my job practice, 30% is about electronics, instrumentation & controls. with this, i need to prepare my self in line with the subject frequently with the help through DIGI-KEY CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTER.
with that, i am thankful for having it though online...
thanks to DESIGN NEWS & STAFF...LECTURERS AND COLLEAGUES...
thank you sir jon, sir alex and colleagues taking-up this course...happy good day!
now, listening the Q & A between sir jon & sir alex...interesting to learn more aside from my specific job in practice...
thanks sir jon for the presentation, very well informative...i will treasure those slides for references...
now, i already finished the course, MICROCONTROLLERS BASIC
another course to take and that is MICROCONTROLLERS ADVANCE
In general, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, A VERY WELL INFORMATIVE AND TIPS for the week course subject.
too short slide but very informative...
i am now on slide 17
i am now on slide 11...
i am now on slide 5
hello sir alex...i am gonna start now...
i will go first with the slides before going through with sir jon...thanks
once again, here i am for final day of the class...
you know, this is the benefits if the lessons are already in the archived, so you can finish them all as you like, hehehe...the truth is, i am staying the whole day in my flat focussing with this lesson and finish them all...very interesting and well informative on every discussion like i am in the university class room again...
anyway, i will take a little bit rest while downloading such material as reference to go though it...thanks again...
Thank you Jon, very nice tips also.
Thank you Jon and Alex.
Thank you Jon and Alex!
Hi from OR.
Thanks Jon!
When should a WDT be used and do you not need it?
thank you!
I hope you come back with another serie of seminars...
very usefull these T&T
thanks a lot!
great seminar
Good series of lectures may come back later to review some.
great lecture!
thank you
Found a lot of miscellaneous tips useful. Thank you!
Great series!
The Microchip link for Compiled Tips 'N Tricks Guide was good reading.
Second time listening to it. Glad this is archived.
Good lecture!
Good introductory class!
Thanks for mentioning Built in Self Test (BIST) and Design for Test (DFT) as well as touching on Environmental concerns (at least as they related to PWB Mfg.) as this is VERY important today.
Thanks Jon and Alex. Great lecture.
Woo Hoo! Have to love getting out of the lecture early on Fridays (even though I am listening to this on Thursday)!
I had never thought that you would need to put a debounce on an interrupt; always a good idea to use one with a button, though.
I guess if you are paying attention, the context lets you know. But, I have found myself having to search a few times only to find that we were a few slides ahead or behind of the one that I thought we were talking about.
I think there are a few times that Jon has gone to the next slide, and not really told anyone.
Hello everyone.
Thank you for your illustrative and practical introduction to microcontrollers.
Very nice job on this series, Jon. Thank you!!
Great series! Thanks!!!
Second Time around listening to be sure I did not miss anything. Thanks again for making this available
PIC books I like ... seeing how everyone has their own list ...
Han-Way Huang PIC Microcontroller: An Introduction to Software & Hardware Interfacing
You can get started with PIC by just downloading the free MPLAB IDE and Simulator and then the basic trial Compiler for free.
You can always get just bare parts DigiKey or anyone and as long as you are below 40MHz, perf bd or breadboard should be fine. Look at app notes and you can just use serial with a bootloader to program the chip.
I started with a PIC Programmer/Debugger and a startup dev board from Microchip and I feel like I invested wisely and saved myself a ton of headaches by just taking the plunge.
I have found the MPLAB IDE and Simulator to be great. I have developed a number of PIC16, PIC18, and PIC24 projects with both the standard MicroChip Compiler and the CCS compiler.
If you have never tried PIC, I encourage you to give them a try!
Well Done.
Will PIC MCU's progressively get faster in speed or has it relatively plateaued?
The new processors that are developed today are many and varied. It's hard to stay upto date with all of them. I keep getting emails on different ones that are developed by different companies.
The new 32 bit PIC's are amazingly fast, cheap and powerful. Good for hobbiests and professionals alike.
the PIC microcontroller is so useful over many different environments.
I've had some licenses that are indifinite.
some companies send a 30 day license with the downloaded IDE.
Thank you Mr. Titus.
without trying one can not achieve enlightenment. so if your going to learn pick something that you'll be passionate about.
@aekpic877, yes you can. Do you want to though? Might be easier to go ARM.
i want to design a mp3 multi rreader with touch screen and up 4 output (4 audio channls), the content saved on sd card or stick usb , is this application can be designed with mocrocontroller
I have had to use the archived lectures to attend this class, but I have gotten a lot out of this series. I too look forward to future classes in this semester. Thank you Jon and you too Alex.
@ didymus7, I'd like to receive that audiofiles. Thank you at advance
If anyone is interested in the audio from these 5 lectures, send me an email at email@example.com and I can email you them. They are small, about 10 to 15 MB each and are mp3 format.
Jon and Alex, thanks very much for this week's series. I have learned a lot and look forward to future classes!
Looks like I have exhausted the pool of questions that remained unanswered. To all still monitoring this chat, thanks for your comments, questions, and answers that helped others. Have a pleasant weekend. Signing off. --Jon Titus, Herriman, UT.
You too. Thanks for this very elucidating week.
Q: heh ... according to amazon, I already have Make: Electronics ... unfortunately amazon does not tell me, in which pile of unread books I put it ;->
A: It would be a nice feature if Amazon would do that. Have a nice weekend. --Jon
Q: I just got a glance on the last slide and this question came to mind: the full version of companies' IDEs come only in CD? Or is there a way to legally download it?
A: Easier for the vendor if you download and they don't have to spend money to send you a CD, so all code is available for download. Even IDEs you pay for come as downloads, but with a license code.
heh ... according to amazon, I already have Make: Electronics ... unfortunately amazon does not tell me, in which pile of unread books I put it ;->
Q: does slide 3 affect programmable variable linear digital power supplies?
A: Yes. Power supplies are often the "weak link" and the first part of a system to fail.
Q: how can u get 5a from 7805
A: Someone suggested using a heatsink. Buy an LM7805 is a TO-3 package and buy a compatoble bolt-on heat sink. The TO-3 package will dissipate more heat than a TO-220 tab package. Digi-Key sells part number 497-1005-ND for about $US 3.40.
Q: How static sensitive are Pic gpio pins?
A: Assume all pins are susceptible to damage by a direct or nearby static discharge or even by the buildup of static charges. Work on a static-dissipating mat and wear a grounded wrist strap. I know many people don't do this, but they might end up spending hours trying to troubleshoot a hidden problem causes by a zapped MCU. The 3M company makes static-dissipating mats for work surfaces.
Q: Jon, can that jumper shorting trick activate ifdef debug code?
A: The #ifdef is a conditional-compiler code and not part of the actual MCU program. You would test the input pin for the presence of the jumper with a simple c-language if statement and then branch to the diagnostic or self-test code.
Q: What would be your recommendation for measuring Battery voltage thru a micro A/D, say a 9-volt battery? Simply using a voltage divider causes current draw while the micro is shut down.
A: Yes, if you use two resistors to create a voltage divider you continue to draw current all the time. Use a small NPN transistor between the resistors and ground and turn it on with an output pin at logic 0. Then current will flow through the resistors and you can measure the voltage. Just account for the voltage drop across the NPN transistor when you calculate the resistor values needed to get a voltage you can measure.
Are counterfeit chips easily identified once you power them up and try to do something with them? i.e. do they contain something close to the functionality of the real device?
Q: for hardware debouncing people use smitt trigger switch..is there a suggest about which particular chip people used?
A: I just use two cross-coupled NAND gates and an SPDT pushbutton. Simple, clean. See: http://ecelab.com/switch-debounce-NAND.htm.
Q: conterfit products, how often does this occur?
A: More often than you might think. Recently the FBI made arrests at a company that imported counterfeit components from Asian suppliers. Some of those chips went into aerospace and military equipment!
Q: Any recommendation to design/build my own DVM?
A: Good grief, no. Buy from Extech, Triplet, or Fluke. Those are brands I trust. People can recomment other brands and models, too.
Q: Jon, is Terasic a trustworthy supplier?
A: Sorry, I don't know them.
Q: This question is a bit off subject, but what is the job market like for an independent application designer? Is there a niche for the small business person?
A: The problem is making contacts that lead to business. It's a difficult road to travel unless you have a solid reputation and a lot of experience. You're probably better off starting work with a company where you can learn on the job and then take those skills to your own business. It's good to have that experience on your resume. Whatever path you take, stay up to date on new technologies pertinent to your field. These days It's easy to fall behind.
Q: The problem with pcb manufacturers is it only becomes cost effective if you do multiple boards of the same type. Small batches etching at home is more cost effective.
A: By the time you get all the materials, create a good 1:1 negative or positive film, etch the boards, and drill them, let alone deal with through holes, a commercial board service proves more economical and without the problems of safe and legal chemical disposal. I have etched boards with a commercial UV-sensitive film and the results were OK, but not great. Maybe the process has gotten simpler and the photo-sensitive films better, but even for small hobby projects it's a pain.
Q: Does Digi-Key have an ongoing blog site for topics like these - nice forum for interaction?
A: Yes, check out the Digi-Key "TechXchange." Also go to a new site, microcontrollercentral.com.
Q: How to choose the I/O pins for self diagnose routines, such as JTAG interface? What's the software tools for micro-controller to browse through stack info? again what pins are involved?
A: The MCU manufacturers designate pins for the JTAG connections, but often they share functions with other devices, such as general-purpose I/O, analog-to-digital converter input, and so on. So, you might not have the pins available for JTAG in a real design. While using a development board or prototype, you want those pins free for the JTAG connections. For self diagnostics you use the MCU to check its connections, write a test message on any attached display, let someone test a keypad, and so on. There's more to it, of course, but the idea is to ensure the MCU and the attached devices operate properly before you go into the actual application code.
those schmartboard adapters really look very convenient, thanks for the great tip.
Jon, thank you very much for a lot of useful tips.
Thanks much Jon, week of info was great
Thanks, Jon! have nice weekend.
I'm taking a lunch break, back later to answer more questions. Check back in a few hours for my responses. Thank you all for participating. It was fun. --Jon
Q: @Jon: Is there any tips'n tricks available for other microcontrollers, like MSP430 family from Texas Instruments or for LPC family from NXP ?
A: Sure, and a lot of helpful application notes, too. Go to the MCU manufacturers' web sites and look through their literature, or search their sites for "tips tricks" (without the quotes). You'll find more than you imagined.
Another type of dead bug style is known as Manhattan style - made with pads cut from pcb material and glued to a copper board.
Another good alternative to breadboards for analog is good-old wire wrap.
Q: with regard to the sw interrupt 2nd type, some AVR chips hardware automatically disable all interruptswhen an interrupt is entered, so the delay executing the entire routine in the interrupt may cause a timing problem. What other method do u like to use in a case like this??
A: Some MCUs do that--disable all interrupts when they enter an ISR. I'd bet you can turn the interrupt back on , though, via a bit in a register.
How to choose the I/O pins for self diagnose routines, such as JTAG interface?
What's the software tools for micro-controller to browse through stack info? again what pins are involved?
Q: Jon, Breadbords generate lots of nosie, any other way recommand?
A: Yes, they do, and for analog circuits, the capacitance between contacts can cause problems. To reduce noise and capacitance use the "dead bug" prototype approach. Ren a Google image search for "dead bug prototype" (without the quotes). One of my colleagues used 10-megohm resistors soldered to a copper PCB ground plane and binding posts (the ungrounded end) and built a circuit from resistor to resistor. Analog expect Bob Pease at National Semiconductor (now TI) used this technique a lot.
We ended up adding a USBDM board to the mix
KevinJam, be careful - we have driver issues from our Freescale HCS12 boards - cadets here at the Academy get their laptops reimaged to Win7 64-bit and Freescale is not planning any upgrades to the USB drivers for their board. The latest and greatest may be different.
Q: @jon: do you prototype with through-hole parts? When do you go for SMD parts?
A: Both. I use through-hole devices as much as possible for prototypes because these old eyes have a tough time seeing the tiny SMT parts. I have glasses (see photo at tope) and use a magnifier, too. It's also easier to replace through-hole components if I need to modify something. I like the SMT chip adapters from SchmartBoard and use them to turn SMT chips into through-hole components. Their boards "self align" chip pins with contacts. Get some good solder flux, too. I recommend ChipQuik.
MPLAB !CD3 works great with Windows 7
With Windows 7 now out, Can I effectively run software tools in XP emulation mode? Have Microcontroller manufacturers started to upgrade their software tools to be compatible with Win 7?
If you add extra rectifiers, you automatically drop the supply voltage by the voltage across two diodes (1.4 volts for a bridge) and those diodes give off heat! You could include one diode to prevent blowing the MCU circuit with a power supply of the wrong polarity. Better: Buy and use good-quality power supplies.
What about http://batchpcb.com? It looks real cheap, any experience with them?
Q: It should be noted that it can be sometimes tricky to program older PIC chips such as PIC16F84 using pickit2/3 which most circuits on the web and in books are based on. Must use the application provided by the programmer rather than through MPLAB.
A: Good point. Check for compatibility between MCU programming tools and the MCU you want to use. Some older hardware will not program newer chips. Manufacturers provide this compatibility information.
Does Digi-Key have an ongoing blog site for topics like these - nice forum for interaction?
Question : Can you indicate some good reference books on digital hardawre troubleshooting? Thanks!
Q: manya: Alright. Thank you. Jon just seemed to be emphasizing that Chinese microcontrollers aren't very good.
A: I want to emphasize the lack of support and lack of true compatibility with such products. If they fail, how do you get in touch with them? Do they support software upgrades and bug fixes? Probably not.
For choosing the OP-AMP most important factor is Low OFF-Set of op-amp. Mostly this type of Op-Amps are more expensive.
Thanks, Jon, for all those lectures. I liked Part IV specially. Gave a lot of idead and insights about debugging. :)
Q: I tend to use simple tools to start deciding my troubleshooting approach. It seems to be more intuitive to me by feeling my way around the situation. then go to appropriate test equipment for the detail.
A: Good point. No need to use an expensive sophisticated tool if something simple (and easy to set up) does the job.
Jon, thank you for all week lectures
ooohhh... now that is a compelling book title: "30 arduino projects for the evil genius" :-D
Thank you Jon for a informative week. I have lots of new ideas to consider now!
Q: @Jon knowing the assembly language of an MCU is just for curiosity or is it useful?
A: I learned FORTRAN II on an IBM mainframe and then assembly language on a minicomputer. The assembly-language experience helped me better analyse what I wanted to do and it put me in complete control of the processor. I liked it and found the education helpful. Now, though, I'd rather use a high-level language such as C or even BASIC. I guessw it depends on how much you want to know about how the MCUs work down at the chip.
Thanks Jon, I mostly use 1 k-ohm for TTL and 10k-ohm for CMOS.
Thank you, Jon
@Jon - Is there a way for us to download only your audio stream from the Design News site? We might be able to have our own archive of the slides AND the audio stream that goes with it.
There is also IC Op-Amp Cookbook by Walter Jung
Q: Jon, for +5V Vcc, what is best range of pull-up resistor?
A: It depends. You need enough resistance to pull up an input to a logic-1 state. A 1-kohm resistor usually does fine, although CMOS circuits can use a 10 Kohm resistor. In the "old days," we used 1K resistors for all pullups. I still have a drawer full of them.
The minimum PCBs required at both of their PCB houses is jus two.
2.2 k ohm pull-up resister for 5 V (TTL) - (TTL CookBook)
A good op-amp text I use is "Operational Amplifiers and Linear Integrated Circuits" by Coughlin and Driscoll.
Q: Do you have a recommendation for learning the "basic" building blocks of circuit design? Like those in the today's slides.
A: Yes. Buy "Make: Electronics," by Charles Platt, from O'Reilly Media. ISBN: 978-0-596-15374-8. About $35. Very good book for beginners.
The problem with pcb manufacturers is it only becomes cost effective if you do multiple boards of the same type. Small batches etching at home is more cost effective.
PCB123 and ExpressPCB are good free schematic capture and board layout programs. It's hard to do BGA though.
Jon, for +5V Vcc, what is best range of pull-up resistor?
Q: If you have to chose an opamp chip,..how do you choose between ttl and cmos?
A: You wouldn't consider an op-amp as either TTL or CMOS. Instead, look at the characteristics you need, such as bandwidth, noise, etc. I bet Analog Devices, Linear Technology, Microchip, and Texas Instruments have op-amp selection guides and application notes. See also, "Op Amp Application Handbook," from Newnes-Elsevier (publisher). ISBN: 978-0-7506-7844-5.
start with breadboard, then solder on a perf board, then home made pcb, then outsource pcb.
Plated through holes become a challenge as well - you may end up spending a lot of time creating your own vias.
This question is a bit off subject, but what is the job market like for an independent application designer? Is there a niche for the small business person?
Q: When you have completed testing and wish to commit to final circuit board design, is it better to outsource board design or long-run better to obtain own board design equipment?
A: Do it yourself. You know details about the circuit that a design house doesn't know. For example, where does the current flow. A design house might use a 10 mil trace where you are running an amp of current.
Don't bother building boards at home. There are companies that do it better and cheaper.
@kevinjam, I prototype first PCB at home, then use a fab house to make the PCB's, much better quality and I can't do anything more than double sided at home. All design files Gerber files are done at home. The chemical process is messy.
, Diode should be germanium, even worst
A: I didn't say germanium is good for regulator. Germanium diod is better for use in the comprator circuit for detection of low Battery. Because germanium is liner, even is very good for temperature sensor up to 100 degree celsius.
Q: A question about communications between micro's. If I need to have a group of modules each with a microcontroller communicating with a master microcontroller( and potentialy up to 15 feet between them), is RS485 a good protocol to use or would one of the others mentioned be better?
A: RS485 is fine for that type of application. You can find many good '485 driver ICs. Use high-quality wire for communications.
Q: When you have completed testing and wish to commit to final circuit board design, is it better to outsource board design or long-run better to obtain own board design equipment?
A: Having an outside service design the board will cost a lot of money. You can follow design guidelines and create your own good board. There are articles on the Internet about the typical "design rules" that help you create a solid design. Things like proper grounding, use of ground plaves, decoupling of signals between layers, etc. Some of the large tool companies probably have online courses and white papers, too.
the only things I found that are useless, are the things I don't know.
Forrest Mims is a legendary DIY author from the old days, as is Don Lancaster, of TTL and RTL Cookbook fame. Both are still alive, I should add. Didn't mean to imply otherwise.
Thanks for the course Jon.
A question about communications between micro's. If I need to have a group of modules each with a microcontroller communicating with a master microcontroller( and potentialy up to 15 feet between them), is RS485 a good protocol to use or would one of the others mentioned be better?
@Franchzilla: knowing the assembly language of an MCU is just for curiosity or is it useful?
I've found it useful. It sometimes lets you do things you can't do with C. Also, it let me understand and work around a compiler bug.
Great week Jon. Looking forward to the next sessions. I do believe I will go back and listen to the archived lectures once again. When I take notes, my ears seem to shut off.
@franchzilla: necessary: no. useless: no.
If you have to chose an opamp chip,..how do you choose between ttl and cmos?
@jon: Do you have a recommendation for learning the "basic" building blocks of circuit design? Like those in the today's slides.
Q: Use of passive impedance matching also - Pi or T resistance networks; helps with power
A: Good point. You must think about conducted EMI and radiated EMI. Many companies make good EMI line filters. Thanks for mentioning that.
@s.schmiedl We learned assembly before C in university. It was useful, but I don't know if it was neccessary.
Q: When you have completed testing and wish to commit to final circuit board design, is it better to outsource board design or long-run better to obtain own board design equipment?
@Alex - might be helpful to listeners if you had some way to boost the gain on the audio. I had to max my laptop's audio gain to hear everything Jon was saying.
Also, someone made the suggestion that the chat archive be "scrubbed" to remove extraneous comments like "is the audio on", etc. That's a good idea.
All in all, a great 5 session Intro. Here's hoping the rest of the 180 Days of Education as good as these have been. I am signing up for everything that's available.
Q: Jon, do you know any good books on hi-tech C for PIC's?
A: Not for Hi-Tech specifically. For a good C book, look at "Practical C Programming," by Steve Oualline.
@franchzilla: if you learn it out of curiosity, you will find it useful. Happened to me :-)
Q: Whats your opinion on forrest mims books?
A: I like them. Forrest is a good guy and a good writer.
@FrankBishop couldn't agree more. If you know fundamentals and know how to educate yourself, you can do anything.
@Jon, do you know any good books on hi-tech C for PIC's?
@Jon knowing the assembly language of an MCU is just for curiosity or is it useful?
Fundementals are key so dont think
older obsolute stuff has no value
Much of what you learn can be
updated when you get your hands on
better equipment and componets
Another book for PIC enthusiasts: "PIC Programming for Begibbers," by Mark Spencer, but it uses assembly-language, not C. ISBN: 978-0-87259-089-2.
Use of passive impedance matching also - Pi or T resistance networks; helps with power
Jon, thanks for the great presentations all week.
To all, I enjoyed the chatter and picked up some new ideas along the way. Thanks.
Thank you for your time. Good intro for newbies.
Here, Ran. Be patient. :)
Thank you Jon !!
very helpful. thanks
The internet is really great for young engineers. I am still in my electronic engineering course and it is sometimes kind of osbolete here in Brazil. But with the internet I am always updated about new technologies and new projects to develop.
Jon, Thank you for the excellent course.
What does he mean, "We'll see you on the other side with live chat?" Where do we go for that?
thank you .. great session .. great week
great presentation, thank you alex and jon
Thank you, Jon!
Thank you Jon and Alex. Has been a great week!
Thanks Jon and Alex!
Thank you Jon
Many thanks, Jon!
thanks Jon for your presentation
Thanks Jon and Alex
Thank you Jon, this was great itro for me
thanks Jon
danlafleur - I agree, depends on the problems. The best is if you don't have problems.
Great, thanks!
Here's the book Jon mentioned:
@caa028 Thank you!
@kenstan: can I contact you on e-mail ?
Thank you Jon and Alex. I can't say enough how good this overview into today's MPU's world. I'm looking forward to next week's module.
Thanks Jon for the series of lectures. I have gained a lot of understanding from your experience and knowledge. Thanks. I hope I will learn more from you in future..
Yes Jon You are right. When I passed out Engineering in 1971, I didnot have such resources of the web lectures or on line materials
I personally like electronics-lab.com/blog
slk, I tend to use simple tools to start deciding my troubleshooting approach. It seems to be more intuitive to me by feeling my way around the situation. then go to appropriate test equipment for the detail.
Just foung a couple of good blogs...
1) http://handsonelectronics.blogspot.com/
2) http://handsonarduino.blogspot.com/
Thanks Jon..Great course. Enjoyed thoroughly.
Whats your opinion on forrest mims books?
@caa028 thank you
@Gwailo88, i believe it was "Make: Electronics"
"Make: electronics" by Charles Platt
Thank you Jon for talking about built in test features! picture being on a deserted island, how do you test?
danlafleur - if you have a logic analizer, if not, a scoppe is good too
book name:
make: electronics
I don't know if there is any other portuguese speaker here, but in Portuguese there is Saber Eletronica, which is quite good.
What was the book he said?
thanks bobybace how do i get in touch?
I loved Popular Electronics!
I agree, logic probe is a great way to troubleshoot by "walking" down the signal chain. It also checks for activity if something is dead.
For the archived version of the course presentations can someone scrub the posts? There is a lot of good information from the posts but things like "I have a lot of trouble geting the audio to work", "Use google to open the ppt" and "Hello everyone." take up a lot of space in the post area but don't add anything to the course. They just make it harder to read. Also could the off-ilne/post threads be sorted and placed together? it is kind of hard to follow the thoughts when two or three threads are mixed together.
I have the Arduino Cookbook by Orielly which I
enjoyed very much and I felt it covered alot of material
Nuts and Volts has a digital version if you are outsider of the shipping range
jsh yes, now is more real
How do you get Nuts & Volts in India?
Yes cheap is bad, inexpensive is good.
for boards try to attend seminars, workshops, ... etc in you area, and most of the time you can get them for free, or in the worst case, 50% off
logic probes work well in a tight for troublshooting
Nuts & Volts is great for beginners, Circuit Cellar is better for more advanced. Elektor is in between.
@slk, cheap isn't always bad, just need to do more research before making a purchase.
Thanks Raghu, the simplier the better :)
i agree with JM Ashcraft and slk... you get what you pay for
try nutsvolts.com for the nuts and volts site
krhohio, Nuts & Volts magazine will have series of articles on various MCUs, so it is a good resource for beginners.
@kenstan: Maybe I can help you mentoring
One advantage of buying development tools from the vendor (e.g. Microchip) is that with the exception of the PicKit 2 or 3, Microchip will replace a broken programmer, ICE or whatever no matter why the tool broke. This support is worth a lot more than the savings buying a knock-off device.
Nuts& Volt is a magazine
slk, good logic
There is also a lab manual for that workshop and it is a good place to start.
@Leovargas- I guess use resistor ladder, measure the voltage by adc and process it in mcu, display on LCD.. isnt it the way to do?
I am going to buy a SMT hot air soldering iron from ebay (china), a lot cheaper than metcal/oki.
@john.evans I think that I missed the details (on "what is") the Nuts& Volts reference?
A lot of ham radio operators have learned basic pic programming with a tutorial available at - http://www.amqrp.org/elmer160/ - based on the 16F84, but the techniques are still valuable.
the lecture so far as reformatted me please i need an experienced uC programmer as mentor
microchip is running a promotion (20% off) on PICKit3 - use the code "MPLABX" upon checkout from the microchipDIRECT site
Thanks tcryar
or, ... cheap = bad
price = quality...usually
@snandu13 and others - TI has what I hope will be a good intro to the MSP430
@agraybill, even the "official" ones are made in china, as long as it comes out of the same factory it doesn't matter. The only difference is the price.
the lecture so far as Reformatted me please i need an experienced Uc programmer as a mentor.
@raghu: it is a MCU practice, measure up to 60Vdc, 6 digits
I too use a wall wart with a linear voltage regulator. Second-hand shops (good will, etc.) are a good source of wall warts for a buck each!
It should be noted that it can be sometimes tricky to program older PIC chips such as PIC16F84 using pickit2/3 which most circuits on the web and in books are based on. Must use the application provided by the programmer rather than through MPLAB.
is it a good practice to add power recifying circuits to any project (be prepared for a dirty power)?
Ragu, for a debounce circuit using a schmitt trigger, check out "The CMOS Cookbook" by Lancaster. Good reference for external logic.
So buying knock-offs from China are generally a bad idea, even though they might be cheaper?
@jon: do you prototype with through-hole parts? When do you go for SMD parts?
I use a wall wart through an lm317 volt regulator for my prototyping power supply
Thanks Jon for 5 days of tuting.
Thanks Guys,
I also enjoyed this week of bite size presentations
and listening you you both.
BG Micro or MPJA has a decent selection of power supplies
Jon, Breadbords generate lots of nosie, any other way recommand?
Thank you Mr. Titus. Can't wait for the advance classes.
I'm just getting into microcontrollers and am learning a lot this week. Thanks for the presentations! And the info on some products to start experimentation- Great stuff to know!! Thanks for everything.
with regard to the sw interrupt 2nd type, some AVR chips hardware automatically disable all interrupts
when an interrupt is entered, so the delay executing the entire routine in the interrupt may cause a timing problem. What other method do u like to use in a case like this??
thank you Jon
Thanks Jon for the lesson. Its good.
Thanks for sharing your valuable experience, Jon
@Leovargas- why do you want design a dvm? is it as a mcu practice project or are the existing dvm's inferior in any way?
thanks, Jon. learned a lot this session...
Thanks Jon & Alex
Jon, thank you for another excellent lecture!
back to my dark age experience. I usually go to my roots and start a fresh design on breadboard if I can. Then troubleshoot/debug the design with lots of room to work.
some msp430s have an internal temperature control ... requiring a heat sink for something like that would be weird :-)
Muchas gracias :)
Thanks for an interesting and informative week
Great presentation, thanks!
THis week has been a valuable refresher and learning opportunity.
MSP430 Microcontroller Basics Amazon.ca John Davies, John H. Davies Books
Jon, Thanks again for sharing with us your knowledge and experience.
Some chinese products are o.k, http://www.terasic.com.tw/en/, this is for FPGA's
Thank you !
Again excellent thank you Jon
It has been a very informative week. Thanks!
Thank you very much, Jon! This is super series of presentations!
Thank you jon
Thank you Jon!
I am looking for similar tips for MSP430 Series
Good presentation Jon
Thanx Jon & Alex!
@luizcosta for Altera FPGAs I can say they are trustworthy.
Thanks Jon.
Thank you Jon.
Nuts& Volts is a good resource for beginners. Also, lots of beginner projects are documented and linked on youtube, believe it or not.
Great presentation again, Jon! I am an experienced uC programmer and I still learned a TON!
any good link for logic design in assembly programing
Thank you Jon!!
conterfit products, how often does this occur?
most of the time if you don't by reliable distributors.
@Jon: Is there any tips'n tricks available for other microcontrollers, like MSP430 family from Texas Instruments or for LPC family from NXP ?
Jon, is Terasic a trustworthy supplier?
I know we can view past presentations in the archived area of the Design News web site. But how might we download the .ppt, the audio stream or both (user selected)?
Any recommendation to design/build my own DVM?
Pick'n up the Pace -- Microcontroller Application Guide http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/190-3173240-2106054?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=pic%27n up the pace
few good books regarding the PIC
Serial PIC'n : PIC Microcontroller Serial Communicationshttp://www.amazon.com/Serial-PICn-PIC-Microcontroller-Communications/dp/0965416224
button press interrupt triggers interrupt routine,
check if button is released, if yes perform some action, if not check again
clear interrupt flag
************* Slide 19 **************
i always turn WDT off if not critical. less headaches...
Great slk. Thanks
yes there are dedicated chips for that. check Maxim
************* Slide 18 **************
using watch-dog timers help establishing deterministic characteristics
@timmer: Many controllers have open collector drive capability on some or all pins. This can be used to ground the one end of the divider with no extra external components.
i've been bitten by the WDT, good idea to turn off while debugging.
for hardware debouncing people use smitt trigger switch..is there a suggest about which particular chip people used?
snandu13 20ms is a standard delay, or use dedicated debounce chips.
The PIC 18F4550 is neat in that a 4MHz xtal osc with the internal PLL allows you to run code at 48MHz while chip is plugged into a solderless breadboarding socket!
timmer116, PNP on high side
Oh, good. Glad you got that sorted, at least.
External crystals pose problem in regard to load capacitance matching !
good idea. I'll have a slight voltage drop that I can add back in. Would it be better to use a NPN on the low side or PNP on the high side?
for audio, F5 (refresh) should do the job
You can, snandu13, but the delay has to be as long as the worst case. Might as well execute some code.
Audio good now. Refresh doesn't help, but log out and in solved the audio prob. Thanks.
************* Slide 17 **************
manya, the issue is whether it is in the off position only temporarily due to bouncing.
For debounce elemination, can we use a small delay within the loop?
@timmer116: use voltage devider.. and a transisitor to connect to ground.. connect it to ground only when you want to measure the Volate.. that way you dont lose the current.
Check for switch in off position after it has switched on before clearing interrupt.
************* Slide 16 **************
Of course, this isn't a good idea if the interrupt itself may need to be interrupted again by a new version of itself.
************* Slide 14 **************
Mostly in the bridge circuitsgermanium diod is used
Why germanium? Silicon has higher voltage drop.
Perhaps don't clear the interrupt flag so soon. :)
Refresh is the best option.
What would be your recommendation for measuring Battery voltage thru a micro A/D, say a 9-volt battery? Simply using a voltage divider causes current draw while the micro is shut down.
use a 3V3 power supply chip !
Please help..the audio just went silent.
Diode should be germanium
even worst
Also, LEDs are much more constant voltage drop than regular diodes.
True, diodes are not linear but most devices allow power +/- 5%
I like yer LED idea Zwilrich
5Volt regulated supply >>-- three diodes in series -->> 3.3Volt supply
not stable because diodes are not liniar -> Vd depends on Id. bad idea.
************* Slide 13 **************
@danlafleur I just worked with AT89S52 from the 8051 family. It was kind of limited.
Why not connect unused inputs to ground instead of to 5V through resistor?
Instead of series diodes you can use an LED. You then also get an indication of current draw.
@raghu Elektor, CircuitCellar
I wish there is an analog electronics class too in CEC..will be a great help with MCUs
Jon, can that jumper shorting trick activate ifdef debug code?
I think thay most microcontrollers have weak pull-up selectable for the port or each gpio. turn it on or off as you wish.
************* Slide 12 **************
5Volt regulated supply >>-- three diodes in series -->> 3.3Volt supply
heatsink ? ... depends how much power you need, but for sure you will need one.
The audio is running perfect
@cnorton: A strong pullup means using small value resistor for pull up whereas a weak pullup means using high value resistor for pulling the signal to Vcc. A strong pullup reduces the RC time constant.
Have not thought about using a high-bright LED at low current. Worth looking into. :-)
A port without an internal pull-up is useful for bit banging an I2C interface
Weak is large value resistor, strong is a lower value resistor. Weak/strong indicate the amount of current.
, you always should use heatsink
Another solution is to use a 5V zener diode with a resistor in series, but the energy wastage is a lot more.
do not forget that 7805 is a LINIAR regulator.
************* Slide 11 **************
How static sensitive are Pic gpio pins?
Can you define the difference between "Weak" and "Strong" Pull-up Resisters?
I found out that a port without an itnernal pull-up can be very useful. I used one to turn a LED into a light sensor.
problem with 7805s or with any other VRs is that they heatup a lot when the input V is high..heatsink bcomes a must.
************* Slide 10 **************
Nice Hardware tips are used. But to find out the times do you use specific codes? Sorry I lost myself
@luizcost, ppt, is powerpoint, use openoffice or a free viewer from google
try logging in, that fixed it for me
for 7805 check first the package. not all ca deliver full 5A without the proper heatsink (external or on the pcb board)
files.ppt = Microsoft Office PowerPoint
Use google to open the ppt
can't download and successfully open slides: it comes with *.ppt.download and my computer doesn't open this type of package.
************* Slide 9 **************
For charlieplexing have to use tristate I/O pins, selecting high impedance as the 3rd state, I think.
With a BJT you have to take the VBE drop into consideration (5V - 0,7 V)
how can u get 5a from 7805
************* Slide 8 **************
yes, FET or BJT
I always thought this was a cleaver idea!
I thought 78L05 was only rated to 1A ?
************* Slide 7 **************
@Mazianlab, is that by using an external FET?
looks like it is elektor.. not elector magazine.. thanks!
************* Slide 6 **************
With 78L05 you can make higher surce of current(up to 5A)
There are also isolation modules that can be used when working with higher voltages
Lots of comments are good
Comments that duplicate what the code says are not
************* Slide 5 **************
I use a 78L05 - 5V linear regulator to be safe
also you can use doxygen, it's quite easy to use and you can create documentation in various format (html, pdf, ps etc.
Test programs are great help to debug.
@isoptera how much trouble could be avoided if I didn't use variables such as "a, b, c, t, s".
post working code on a personal private blog..thatway we can go look at it anytime.. blogs are free from coffee spills.. once my opamp part is working, i post the code; same for pwm, adc, interrupts.. small bit of code for each feature.
if you're taking the trouble to document: document the What? and the Why?. Don't just restate what the code already tells
For clear code that can be self documenting, I recommend using meaningful names for variables.
does slide 3 affect programmable variable linear digital power supplies?
first bullet, best advise...document, document, document
@s.schmiedl thanks... personally, I prefer just to download it. It's faster and easier.
brownout detector has looked like a code problem at times. turn it off if you can.
refreshed, audio player doesnt show/play
Microchip's IDE is a download or you can order a CD from them
ti: after registration you can download an iso image of a dvd
microchip: download, too
Hi Jon and Alex. I'm ready to go.
no audio for me..
I just got a glance on the last slide and this question came to mind: the full version of companies' IDEs come only in CD? Or is there a way to legally download it?
Hi all
@raghu .. Elector, Circuit Cellar
audio IS running. If you don't see it, try refreshing your browser.
the audio is running fine
How Do!
Is audio running?
From yesterday brief discussion and with more to come in next cycle. Please give your thoughts about quality differences between this level of programming and safety level programming/equipment? What safeguards are there to prevent this type of device (quality) getting used in a larger safety device as a part/piece? Do you think that this is happening? High level there are regulations, etc, but when you get down to this level...is there a problem?
@danlafleur .. :). Malvino is a great reference..
hello there...
hi everyone!
hi all
Hi Everybody!
greetings all
Here the Audio starts........
audio is starting...
raghu, you've been around for a while! I trained with the Malvino text.
Morning all
Is there a popular hobbyists MCU magazine? with few projects each issue?
I still have a hard copy of the Embedded Handbook but it getting really ratty with use :-)
happy (tobehere);
I recall a company - Sencore - some really good bench tools
I agree, the Embedded Handbook was a great start to many projects. I think it still exists on some old Microchip CDs.
I mostly follow Paul Horowitz and Malvino.
Hi from Chihuahua
I really miss the Embedded Handbook that Microchip used to print in the "old" days - It was a great reference volume and I referred to it often. Its been probably 6 years or so since the last version was printed.
OK guys, I really do use modern test equipment now. I have to!
Different logic families require different power/voltage requirements....interfacing, proper temination, sourcing and sinking
@danlafleur Still, I'm curious to try some more advanced tools. In the company I work, I've already seen those agilent scopes with logic analyzers.
well, here in Germany :-), I also start with a voltmeter ... because my soldering is not what it should be.
franchzilla, good to know that someone still understands the basics.
Jon, appreciate for your time and giving us valuable information.
@danlafleur Here in brazilian universities, we still debug with voltmeters and scopes. :P
There will be no test. Grade is related to your attendance and interaction with the lecturer.
Hello All.
Will there be a test at the end of the series to qualify for grade?
Be sure to click 'Today's Slide Deck' under Special Educational Materials above right to download the PowerPoint for today's session.
Archived shows (parts 1 thru 4 of Jon's MCU Basics series) are here: http://www.designnews.com/lecture-calendar.asp
The streaming audio player will appear on this web page when the show starts at 2pm eastern today. Note however that some companies block live audio streams.
Jon, great tip about checking the power supply. I learned digital troubleshooting back when measurements were made with volt meters and scopes, no logic probe or analyzer. Power supply voltage and stability was a big deal when begining to troubleshoot or debug. We also learned about voltage characteristics of wounded inputs and outputs.
For those fans of analog-circuit guru Jim Willams, his final work, the book "Analog Circuit Design: A Tutorial Guide to Applications and Solutions," is now in print. The book provides a collection of 41 application notes from Linear Technology Corp. that have stood the test of time and reader interest. The 932-page volume costs about $62 in hardback from Amazon. ISBN: 978-0-12-385185-7. I just got a copy. Excellent reference. --Jon
The audio should start automatically when Alex and I go live by phone in about 45 minutes. If you still have problems, you might have audio blocked by a company firewall--some companies block streaming audio. I'm not a browser expert, so perhaps someone who knows about audio has some ideas for best audio streaming settings. I know the audio for the archived sessions works well here with my Mac and Safari browser. --Jon
I have a lot of trouble geting the audio to work
Although labeled "Tricks with PIC: Using the Trusty PIC Microcontroller," many of the tips relate to MCUs in general and to some overall tips about MCU-based projects. I hope you will join us. --Jon
hello all
@diego88, you will have to go to each topic and under special Education Materials you will find a link called Today's Slide Deck. That will allow you to download it. It is next to the picture of Jon Titus and his info
Where can i download all presentations of this
Good presentations all week Jon
Great tips
This session includes 19 Power Point slides, which should leave plenty of time for "live" questions and answers, and activity here on the chat section. --Jon


text:
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS: Interview At Newsarama
Published in Work
WARREN ELLIS is a graphic novelist and author of the NYT best-selling novel GUN MACHINE. His graphic novel GLOBAL FREQUENCY is being developed for television by Jerry Bruckheimer and FOX. He is the writer of the graphic novel RED, adapted into the film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. His next book is NORMAL from FSG.

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Courtesy of Julie Cooley
Courtesy of Julie Cooley
I noticed this sign has been added to the trash can at my neighborhood park on Bennett Street. Really, don�t we want the public to deposit trash? Animas High students are in the park weekdays. I think we need to give them clearer direction. � Julie Cooley
At first glace, this looks like an ominous instance of the city �privatizing� a public facility.
Which is nothing new. A couple years ago, Action Line took note of a sign on the southwest corner of the Durango School District 9-R Administration Building that said �private property � no trespassing.�
So we have spurious declarations on taxpayer-owned offices, and now private trash in a public park. What could be next on this slippery slope?
The city could condemn the Durango Community Recreation Center and convert it into an exclusive members-only health retreat.
Or we could pay off the Florida Road reconstruction bond by selling the street to investors who would install toll booths.
But that�s not going to happen.
The city attached the sign after numerous problems of folks dumping household trash.
It�s La Plata County�s worst-kept secret that many people dwelling outside the city try to save money by canceling their trash pickup. They then haul their garbage into town, dumping it in any available receptacle.
The only thing is that the people in the city pay for it. One person�s thrift is another person�s theft.
�It�s a big problem,� said one city worker who asked not to be named but who knows a lot about the situation.
The Animas City Park receptacle was always overflowing, so the city attached the sign, albeit a confusing one fraught with a dubious claim.
�We want the trash can to be for people in the park� and not a public Dumpster, the city worker said.
Perhaps the city sign shop could come up with something better, such as �Trash can is for park users only. No household trash.�
But if unscrupulous residents choose illegal dumping as their waste-management strategy, a new sign isn�t going to change things.
Bad behavior at the garbage pail will still be beyond the pale.
So now that the city has single-stream recycling, which is great, what are we supposed to do with the rectangular blue containers? Can the bins be recycled? � Curious
How ironic that Mrs. Action Line was wondering this very thing just a couple weeks ago.
And speaking of ironic, you�ll never believe this.
The old blue recycling bins? They are not recyclable!
There�s no triangle-number symbol on the bottom of the containers, a sign of nonrecyclability. A quick call to the city�s Garbage Collection and Recycling Services division confirmed it.
But that doesn�t mean you should be seeing red and singing the blues because recycling bins aren�t very green.
Quite to the contrary. The bins can serve as a handy, dandy container for glass, which the city no longer collects curbside.
Bin handles make it easy to tote your bottles to recycling stations, at north City Market, Wagon Wheel Liquor, the Fort Lewis College Physical Plant building and the Durango Tech Center recycling facility.
In June, more glass-recycling stations will be added.
If glass recycling is not your thing, you could always repurpose your bin into a garden planter.
After all, people use old toilets and worn-out tires as planters. Why not a raised bed of blue plastic?
The bins have predrilled drainage holes, and the �Durango Recycles� logo on the front will show your civic pride.
A planted blue bin would look wonderful flanked by garden gnomes, a ceramic donkey, some pink flamingos and one of those plywood statues of a woman bending over showing polka dot bloomers.
Consider this your Action Line horticultural hortative. Today, April 1, would be the ideal time to begin such a tasteful garden project.
Email questions to email@example.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. You can request anonymity if you take the sugar out of the salt shaker and remove the rubber band from the kitchen sink sprayer.


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The Curiosity rover took its first scoop of Martian soil last month. This achievement, like nearly everything the rover has done since its dramatic landing on Mars, was made possible by 31 actuators. Each actuator consists of an encoder, a brushless DC motor, a planetary gearbox, a brake, and a resolver.
The actuators, made by Aeroflex Corp., are located throughout the rover, and are responsible for most of its moving parts, including its wheels, robotic arm, and remote sensing mast (the rovers head), among others.
Today, these actuators are driving Curiosity around on the surface of Mars. But engineering difficulties with the actuators caused the missions launch to be delayed by two years (the first such launch-date slip since the Viking program in the 1970s), and put the program at risk of cancellation by Congress.
Click on the image below to see images of the rover on Earth and on Mars.
This engineering drawing shows the location of the arm on NASA's Curiosity rover, in addition to the arm's turret, which holds two instruments and three tools. The arm places and holds turret-mounted tools on rock and soil targets. It also manipulates the sample-processing mechanisms on the 66-lb (30-kg) turret.
The arm has five degrees of freedom of movement provided by rotary actuators known as the shoulder azimuth joint, shoulder elevation joint, elbow joint, wrist joint, and turret joint. (Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
I spoke with Rob Manning, NASAs chief engineer for the Mars Science Laboratory (the official name for the Curiosity rover), about these difficulties, and how his team successfully overcame them. I started my conversation with Mr. Manning by mentioning that many Design News readers daydream about the kind of work he and his teammates do.
Sometimes we daydream about having a normal life, he replied. Managing a high-profile space mission can be a rocky road, but thats typical when building things of this complexity.
Manning is starting his 33rd year at NASA. The Mars Science Laboratory is his 14th project, and his third as chief engineer. Before Curiosity, Manning was the chief engineer for NASAs previous Mars rover missions, including the Spirit and Opportunity rovers in 2004, and Mars Pathfinder, the vehicle that landed the diminutive Sojourner rover in 1997.
Sojourner was designed for a seven-day mission, although it survived for a total of 83 days. Spirit and Opportunity were each designed for 90-day missions. Spirit survived for six years. Opportunity is still active today, but must hibernate during the Martian winter, which lasts more than four months. During this season, temperatures drop as low as -120C (-184F). The demise of the Spirit rover has been attributed to these extremely cold temperatures.
In contrast, Curiosity was designed to operate throughout the Martian year. This means that its actuators must be capable of functioning even during the cold of the Martian winter. As the temperature decreases, the viscosity of liquid lubricants increases exponentially. To put this into perspective, a grease that, at room temperature, has a base oil viscosity similar to SAE 20 motor oil, at -120C would have a base oil viscosity higher than that of molasses.


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Ella Beatrice Wingard
WARRENVILLE, S.C. – Mrs. Ella Beatrice Wingard, 88, of Warrenville, SC, wife of the late Douglas E. Wingard, entered into rest on Friday, September 6th, 2013. Born in and a lifelong resident of Aiken County, SC, she was a daughter of the late John and Pearl Gladys Johnson Richardson. She was affectionately known by many as the "Avon Lady". She absolutely loved flowers and enjoyed painting. Mrs. Wingard was a member of the former New Testament Baptist Church. In addition to her husband and parents, family members include her children, Janis (J.B.) Jennings, Warrenville, SC, the late Paula Saxon and John (Sheryl) Argo, Warrenville, SC; a sister, Nellie Riddle, Aiken, SC; grandchildren, Michael Jennings, Sherry Munns, Terry Miller, Louanne Rzaca, Tony Argo and Kristle Banks; eight great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, September 8th, 2013, at 3 o'clock in the chapel of Hatcher Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Langley, SC, with Pastor Stanley Wingard and Pastor Billy Ray Wingard officiating. Interment will follow in the Aiken Memorial Gardens, Aiken, SC. Pallbearers will be Tony Argo, Danny Banks, Terry Miller, Justin Miller, Matt Clary and Steven Leady. It has been requested by the family, if so desired, memorials in memory of Mrs. Wingard be made to the charity of choice. Friends will be greeted by the family on Sunday from 1:30 until the time of service at Hatcher Funeral Home & Cremation Service, U.S. #1, Langley, SC.
Visit www.HatcherFuneralHome.com to leave a message of condolence for the family.


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Lawn & garden equipment for homeowners
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Copyright © 2008-2015 Husqvarna AB (publ). All rights reserved. Illustrations and product images are as accurate as known at the time of publishing. Husqvarna reserves the right to change product specifications or images with or without prior notification.
Excellent ride-on mowers, built for all kinds of garden work. And with our wide range of accessories there's work all year round.
It is the finishing touch that makes a garden perfect. Our efficient and easy handling trimmers do the job.
A servicing dealer has both the experience and the knowledge to know the outdoor trade inside out.


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An intricate motif on the plate's rims evokes the precision of fine handwork in this Corelle® dinnerware set. The plates feature aqua and indigo blue stitching, complemented by the blue mug and blue-banded bowl. Like all Corelle dinnerware, Folk Stitch is easy to use and incredibly strong.
World Kitchen, LLC will replace any item of Corelle® Vitrelle® glass dinnerware that should crack, break or chip within THREE YEARS from date of purchase. PORCELAIN AND STONEWARE MUGS ARE NOT INCLUDED. If the exact item is not available, it will be replaced with a comparable item. This warranty only applies to products damaged during normal household use. It does not cover damage resulting from misuse, negligence, accidental breakage or attempted repair.
For this warranty to apply, the owner must follow the Safety, Use & Care instructions. If you wish to make a warranty claim, contact the World Kitchen Customer Care Center
KEEP THE PRODUCT, as you may be asked to return it. Incidental and consequential damages are expressly excluded from this warranty. Some jurisdictions do not allow this exclusion or limitation, so the above may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You also may have other rights, which vary.
Read these Instructions Carefully and Save them for Future Reference Corelle® plates and bowls are made of Vitrelle® glass. Mugs are made of porcelain or stoneware as noted on the package. Please review information on bottom of items prior to use.
Corelle® products can be used for serving and re-heating food in microwaves or pre-heated conventional ovens up to 350° F (176° C). To warm empty dinnerware for serving, use pre-heated conventional ovens only. Porcelain and stoneware mugs are microwavable.
ALL GLASS, PORCELAIN AND STONEWARE CAN BE BROKEN and care should be taken in handling. A drop or knock against a hard object may cause immediate breakage or enough damage so that the item breaks later for no apparent reason. Such breakage may make a noise and can break into many small pieces. Be careful in handling as pieces may be sharp.
Wash Corelle® dinnerware items by hand or in an automatic dishwasher. Load items to avoid bumping against other items during cycle. To remove gray or rust marks, clean with non-abrasive cleanser. If scouring is necessary, use only plastic or nylon cleaning pads with non-abrasive cleansers. DO NOT allow stoneware or porcelain mugs to soak/stand in water for an extended period of time. Applied heat after soaking may cause glaze cracking.
Failure to follow the warnings below may cause an item to break or shatter immediately or late, resulting in personal injury or property damage. Corelle® glass dinnerware is intended for normal household use only. It is not intended for camping, industrial, or commercial use.
DO NOT USE ON STOVETOP, under a broiler/griller, under a microwave browning element, in a toaster oven, or on or near any other direct heating source such as range heat vents, pilot lights, open flames, etc.
AVOID SUDDEN TEMPERATURE CHANGES. DO NOT add liquid to a hot item, place a hot item on a wet surface, or handle with a wet or cold cloth. These sudden temperature changes may cause the item to break or shatter. Handle hot items with a dry cloth or potholder.
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This handsome looking young man is my 2x great-uncle Ernest Arthur TROWER. He was the son of Ebenezer and Annie TROWER, who was born in Sayers Common, Sussex in 1895. He was baptised in the parish church at Sayers Common on the 13th October 1895. His life was tragically cut short when he was killed in action in France on the 23rd September 1917, aged 22 years old.
I first became aware of Ernest Arthur TROWER many years before my interest in family history began. Before family history and local history one of my interests was military history and militaria. My father encouraged this interest by giving me various items, some with family connections and some without.
One of these items was a memorial plaque for Ernest Arthur TROWER. Whilst I knew the significance of the memorial plaque I had very little concept of family history beyond first cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. So I didn't actually know who Ernest was and how he was related to me.
As well as the memorial plaque I was also given the medals which Ernest had been awarded. These gave me the first clues to Ernest's military service, inscribed on the edge of each medal is 52700 PTE. E. A. TROWER. DURH. L. I.
I knew that the information was his service number, rank, name and regiment, but this was in the days before widespread internet access, in fact probably even before I had ever seen a computer in real life. I had no idea where I could find out more about Ernest, no idea of the existence of medal index cards, service records or any of the records and publications that I take for granted these days.
I knew DURH. L. I. was the Durham Light Infantry, which is probably why there is a Durham Light Infantry cap badge in my collection. The medals are not in brilliant condition, they have obviously been kept on display as the colour of the ribbons has faded quite a bit. I would imagine that they once formed part of display or shrine in memory of Ernest Arthur TROWER.
See Also:
- Remembrance: Ernest Arthur TROWER (part two)
- Remembrance: Ernest Arthur TROWER (part three)
- Remembrance: Ernest Arthur TROWER (part four)


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This year I am remembering the six members of the BOXALL family recorded on the war memorial in the parish church at West Dean (near Chichester), Sussex.
The identity of Arthur BOXALL on the West Dean war memorial is not absolutely clear. This is largely due to a lack of evidence, neither the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website or Soldiers Died in the Great War provide any information on his parentage or his age.
What is clear is from both of those sources is that Arthur was a private in the 1/4th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, his regimental number was 280201, and he died on the 23rd August 1916 in Mesoptamia. Soldiers Died in the Great War gives his full name as Arthur Thomas BOXALL, his place of birth as Stedham, Sussex (about seven miles north of West Dean), his residence as Chichester, Sussex and that he enlisted at Petersfield, Hampshire. Petersfield is not that many miles as the crow flies from West Dean or Chichester.
It seems likely, but is by no means certain, that Arthur was the son of George and Rosa BOXALL of West Dean, making him the brother of Alfred BOXALL that I wrote about yesterday. As there is no age or date of birth recorded I cannot be certain, Arthur Thomas BOXALL was the youngest of George and Rosa's eight children, being baptised the 6th March 1892 at West Dean.
Of course Stedham is not far away from West Dean, but it does introduce an element of doubt, as does the fact that he enlisted at Petersfield, rather than Chichester where he was living. I obviously need to spend some more time trawling through newspapers trying to find some mention of his death.
As well as West Dean war memorial Alfred BOXALL is remembered at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq.


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It was as if it was a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
The Fourth of July festivities around Aiken County were more than a slice of Americana.
Independence Day Celebrations at the Villages of Woodside and Gaston Livery Stables were accompanied by smiles, corn hole tosses, dunking booths, pie making competitions, watermelon seed spitting competitions and, most importantly, patriotism.
You could almost feel the sand between your toes and the ocean breeze at the Villages of Woodside's second Fourth of July Beach Blast celebration. Families picnicked, children played on the inflatables and in the sand, and there was a Bruster's Ice Cream Truck at the event from Brand Mortgage of Augusta. Hot dogs and hamburgers were available with a donation to the Aiken-Augusta Wounded Warrior Charity Golf Classic.
"When we brought the Aiken-Augusta Wounded Warriors in with us, it meant the world," said Eddie Elkins, who manned the grill for the Brand Mortgage event truck. "It's a true calling for anyone who came out. For a wounded warrior to step up and do what they do, how can I not come out and volunteer?"
The Gaston Livery Stables provided the backdrop for the Aiken July Fourth Celebration.
The historical significance of the day sent more than salvos into the horizon as an array of vendors, featuring food items and other wares, a variety of activities offering something for everyone and the musical talents of Preston and Weston carried the symbolic message of freedom and liberty, evoking a sense of patriotism making the heart of those in attendance swell with pride.
This was the second Aiken Fourth of July Celebration held at the Gaston Livery Stables, and for the event's organizer, Jane Page Thompson, it was very personal.
"This is one of America's historic barns," said Thompson. "If you think of Paul Revere's ride, you think of George Washington's stately horse named Nelson, which was bred by my family.
You think of the great equestrian history of Aiken and our nation. It's fitting to have a celebration for the people who founded our country and preserved those freedoms and liberties that we enjoy."
The Aiken Fourth of July Celebration was free to the public, and the sponsors played a critical role, said Thompson. The event wouldn't have been possible without their support. AllStar Tents and Events upgraded the size of the tents at the celebration and acted as the event's co-sponsor providing a number of services.
"It's always a team effort," said Thompson. "We appreciate our sponsors, AllStar Events, Atlantic Broadband, Security Federal Bank, Rep. Bill Taylor, Rep. Tom Young, Councilwomen Price and Diggs, K.T. Ruthven and Coldwell Banker, Aiken Properties and Paula Blessing and the Friends of the Gaston Livery Stables, Colleen Reed, Gary Dexter, Elliot Levy and Dave Tavinier."
The first Fourth of July Celebration was held in Eastport, Maine, said Colleen Reed. Aiken's festivities held true to its predecessor, inspiring a deep sense of palpable patriotism.
"The community has been very generous with their time, finances, expertise and supplies," said Reed. "One way that we're able to give back to the community is by hosting the event."
Ben Baugh has been covering the equine industry and equestrian sport for the Aiken Standard since 2004.
Haley Hughes is the news editor for the Aiken Standard. She joined the newspaper in 2007 and covered the Aiken County government until her promotion in 2013.
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Vinsent Schillinger plays with a few beach balls at the Villages at Woodside celebration.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Ariana Brantley gets a bucket full of water dumped on her head at the Villages of Woodside beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Bentley Beard plays with an American flag at the Villages at Woodside beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Eddie Elkins mans the Brand Mortgage grill at the Villages at Woodside beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Mackenzie Mormon, 1, enjoys the brief sunshine at the Villages at Woodside beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Cheryl Ramirez, Patricia Shy and Vanessa McKnight dance to the shuffle song at the beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Payton Lark and McKenzie Christensen play together in the wet sand at the beach blast.×
Preston and Weston were the featured musical act at the fourth of July Celebration at the Gaston Livery Stable. (Photo by Ben Baugh)×
Plant Foods Matha Musolf and Liz Socha were among the vendors at the Fourth of July Celebration at the Gaston Livery Stables. (Photo by Ben Baugh)×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Jeslyn Boehnke, Aubrie Boehnke and Katelynn Eagel dance together at the beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Sydney Newell, Olivia Newell, Kyle Stearns and Gage Newell beat the heat with icercream at the beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Cheryl Ramirez, Patricia Shy and Vanessa McKnight dance to the shuffle song at the beach blast.×
Staff photo by Haley Hughes Wounded Warrior Daniel Smith poses with his service dog Jefferson Davis at the beach blast.×
Artists Siva Aiken and Gary Dexter were at the Fourth of July Celberation at the Gaston Livery Stable. (Photo by Ben Baugh)×


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Police have arrested a 22-year-old central Florida man they said was involved in a street-racing crash that injured several people.
Ronald Lastra faces numerous charges, including leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving that caused injuries and unlawful racing.
The crash happened early Sunday morning near Orlando International Airport. Lastra was arrested Sunday night.
Orlando police said Lastra crashed into five other vehicles and pedestrians.
Two people -- a 17-year-old and a 28-year-old man -- were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition. Other pedestrians were injured, and police said they sought medical attention on their own.
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College Financial Aid Guide is a great site to help the college students as well as prospective students choose their financial resources.


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The Lions are not pleased with your old, worn-out team apparel. Show 'em this Nike 50-Yard Line tri-blend tee and they'll be happy. The front of this shirt boasts a distressed Detroit Lions logo printed over the famous white lines of a football field and the 50-yard line. A small applique team logo sits near the bottom left hem. You'd better get this shirt soon or the Lions are gonna come after you!
- Distressed screen print graphics
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- 50% Polyester/25% Cotton/25% Rayon
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Evelyn from A Canadian Family left a comment on my post of a postcard of Nuthurst Parish Church. This got me thinking about whether postcards of parish churches are undervalued.
In terms of collecting, postcards of parish churches are probably the cheapest topographical cards that you can buy. There could be several reasons for this, there probably is a greater supply of parish church postcards (because they were once more common), but more than likely it is because churches just don't seem as interesting as a high street with shops, public houses or Post Offices.
Evelyn is right of course, in many cases they may represent the only surviving images of some headstones. In most cases the inscriptions on the headstones are not readable, but many of the headstones pictured on these cards have disappeared.
Take for example the two images below of St. George's Church, West Grinstead, Sussex. The first is a postcard published by A.H. Homewood of Burgess Hill, Sussex, it was posted in 1908.
The next image is a photo I took in 2008, and apart from the growth of the trees, in the intervening 100 years the headstones in front of the church have gone.
Sometimes this is from deterioration but sometimes this is through deliberate clearance, to create space for wedding groups to be photographed outside the church. Now of course health and safety also comes into play, with stones toppled in the name of safety.
How different it must have been for our ancestors to walk through rows of gravestones on their way to church services, rather than today where gravestones are dotted around the churchyard.
As a family historian and postcard collector I am happy that parish churches may not be as eagerly collected by others (it means I can afford them), but for me they are also an essential part of my collection and they are probably the only postcards where I can say for certain that "my ancestors were there".


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I don't think I've seen this much complaining after a win lol.
Yeah, it's bad Blake lost his cool and fouled out, and it isn't good the Suns managed to pull it back pretty close in the final minutes. What matters though is that the Clippers got it done in the end yet again, unlike my Blazers.
Also hope there aren't bogus calls against Blake again in the Warriors game but who knows with nba refs.
21 TO's and loose defense in the late 2nd half made it a little closer then it should have been.
Rockets! With a win it brings the Thunder closer to us in the Standings with half a game separation from us.
I rather Blake hold out on knocking someone out aka suspension for Ibaka.
Enough with the "Blake lost his cool" narrative. Those were bogus calls on him, period. If anyone lost their composure, it was the refs.
If we get payback on GS and blow them out, all will be forgotten. Still pissed at how Tucker situation went down but... teams that keep their composure win. So we need to learn that.
Good win, not the best due to too many turnovers and the offense stalling here and there. But a quality win against a tough opponent for sure. Blake Griffin just tore it up- that may have been the most jumpers Blake has ever hit in a game. What a job by Blake. CP was a little off but was a pest on D, got some big rebounds and made that big bank shot jumper that helped to seal the deal. Collison another good game hitting jumpers and getting layups. DJ had a nice one as well guarding the paint & rebounding. Barnes was a bit off, but made some big shots & FT's. That 3 at the end of the third Q turned out to be HUGE.
Nice to see Granger have another solid performance as he seems to be getting into a groove. The rest of the bench was so-so as Willie had a rough night & Turkoglu had a few too many TO's.
Another revenge game coming up vs the Warriors. Certainly you want the Clippers to be a little sharper for that one.
We need to clean this up asap Blake needs to calm it down and stop the cross court and shots in traffic.
Ok I'm sorry but those last fouls on blake were offensive fouls, especially the last one. That wasn't the refs screwing him. He is the best player and we need him down the stretch, can't have him fouling out. It really seemed he just kicked into turbo gear.
On a side note. Memphis twitting a big thank you to LAC in the form of a zbo ass whipping and a foot to the face. Other I'll advice things like vomiting and go grizzlies.
The last one looked like an offensive foul, but the foul Frye 'drew' was a heat of the moment, "let's not let this get out of hand" call y the refs. Lowering the head like that to clear space is classic Kobe, I doubt he's EVER got whistled for it.
Not getting why Doc is giving DNP to Bullock these past two games his size at the two could of been useful.
The problem is blake has tried at a few times and has always been whistled. I was just waiting for the whistle. He shouldn't try that.
As one who lived through the Lakers most recent three years Finals run, they did the same infuriating crap the Clippers are now doing. They used to build up twenty point leads and win by one to seven points.
I have a theory on that. Except for the occasional statement or revenge game (the Clips 48 point win), the REALLY good teams throttle it down and tend to win by four - six points. It is simply too much effort to keep the twenty point lead until the end.
This is a typical win of a Finals-bound team.
I agree that the fifth was bogus. The 6th I've seen called both ways, mostly against us when our guy is set but doesn't get hit square in the chest. Not upset about that though, what upset me was how Blake lost interest and started cruisig when we got the big lead.
I swear, Jerry Stackhouse is an idiot. He was saying that Blake still needs maturing to do within that skirmish with Tucker. What does he expect him to do???
I agree on first foul. Second was bogus to me. Defender was still sliding over when Blake was airborne.
Bright spot of GSW game is that the Warriors will be on a back to back.
So happy to see Granger play well tonight. He's going to be our X-factor this season.
wait.. wasn't Stack house one of the leagues tough guys?
Good win, keep that streak alive
Blake's rebounding numbers should go up in the playoffs since playing Glen Davis and Hedo Turkoglu together doesn't not work well, the Clippers will have to either have DeAndre Jordan or Blake Griffin on the court at all time.
Since Davis and Turk are not very good rebounders Blake will have to be the one going for the rebound and taking less outside shots. But Blake does need to do a better job of grabbing the defensive rebounds.
we'll be alright when crawford comes back
I don't know why they didn't give the ball to Blake as much in the 2nd half. Blake should have attempted 25 shots at the very least. I honestly thought he would get to 50. Gotta cut down on TO's. We need Jamal back ASAP. Dragic is good. Very good. 8 game win streak and still in 4th place. Shyt!! the west is loaded!
Dam that's the most I seen Espn First Take talk about the Clippers mostly Blake Griffin MVP talk!!! Stephen A Smith says BG32 is a close third in the race due to his team success with is due to his much improved game & toughness!!! Did anyone else see this today??
The best part of the game was Blake paying homage to the OG mailman.
PJ Tucker got a 1-game suspension... excellent.
http://www.nba.com/2014/news/03/11/suns ... ef:nbahpts
Can't wait to beat the Warriors tomorrow night. I hope we can run them off the court by jumping on them early. We just got revenge on the Suns (twice), now it's the Warriors turn.