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The final candle code(?)

Those who have been with this channel for awhile would know that this fake candle obsession of mine dates back at least to 2017!

Over the years this one project has driven my understanding of code, both C and ASM, as well as some deep dives into microprocessors such as the PFS154 and the ATTiny13A. I've learned about "randomness" and even written a book on Assembler.

Now I feel like it's time to release all the code into the wild (well as wild as github gets) and also pose a question for you - if you could download working candle code for an ATTiny13, or ATTiny85, or a CH32V003 - would you be interested?

The code is pretty mature now and the latest version (just 1.8kB compiled) contains such elements as:

• 32 bit PRNG Xorshift code
• Noise seeding the random generator using the timer and the comparator
• Dusk/Dawn Hysteresis
• Code efficiencies including array dimension
• Super capacitor over discharge protection

Enjoy the video, and the repository, and please comment if you'd like to see the project extend to other micro-controllers, and name your favourite!

Links:

• PFS154 Code Repository
• ATTiny13 Candle (C)
• ATTiny13 Candle (ASM)
• AVR code by example book
• Hysteresis
• FreePDK Repo
• Dieharder

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Cheap Bluetooth Speaker Set

Forever I've wanted to build a Bluetooth Speaker - they seem hideously expensive IRL (and recently I've had one fail on me) but the components seem fairly cheap, so I wanted to see if we are being ripped off by the retailers (spoiler alert: holy hell yes!)

It all started when I spied a TSA3110 module on AliExpress for about $2, and a similarly priced HW425 Bluetooth module/decoder.

I also had a few old (free) computers lying around so I grabbed an ATX breakout module which gives me the slightly underpowered +12V for the amplifier board and +5V for the Bluetooth board.

Also, you don't really need to buy speakers if you frequent (as I do) local recycling depots - what people throw out is scandalous, but also great for you and me! But I did splurge on two speakers which had great reviews and more than doubled the cost of the project. Good speakers are worth the search!

Anyhoo - this project resulted in a lovely sounding Bluetooth speaker which is a little butt ugly due to my complete lack of carpentry skills (see building montage), but I'm sure it will be a great addition to the lab for those long days/nights of soldering.

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Success! (...and failure)

This video and post is a quick follow up on the last one where I thought it was remiss of me not to actually test the TPS61023 to see if it could actually charge the 3.8V LIC SuperCap. Spoiler alert - it can!

Also I talked briefly last time about the nonsense PCB I made which featured a "fake battery" to fool the QX5252 into output - as it turns out the fool was me! Lesson learned...

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Back from the edge

Hi all! It's been awhile (last blog Wednesday, April 22, 2026:  132 days)

In that time I've had  ̶m̶y̶ ̶b̶r̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶o̶v̶e̶d̶  a tumour in my brain removed, and have been slowly recovering from what has been a ludicrously intense few weeks.

I have also been working on a few things:

1. The supercap candle (video)
2. An RPi NAS via Tailscale and Nextcloud
3. Some writings

I have also been thinking about how on earth I re-introduce myself to you all after such a long break - and it seemed easiest to just dive in and do what I've done in the past - take a deep dive into an IC and then wreck it by soldering some silly nonsense to it.

Enjoy and thank you for waiting...