SEG Market - What a shopping experience

I saw this video on the ultimate electronics shopping experience.  I can't imagine having the ability to have on demand access to components like this:

If you don't have time to check out the video, I reposted the content from DangerousPrototypes.com:



SEG market is the best known electronic part market in Hua Qiang Bei neighborhood. It’s two giant floors of component and tool stands. The upper floors are full of computer parts and consumer electronics, also very cool, but we’re here for the electronics.
This is an overview of the second floor of SEG Market. It’s not as crowded and narrow as the 1st floor. Check the ultimate stop on our Global Geek Tour below the break.


Small glass display cases with sample components line each isle of the market floor. If you ask to see a component the shop owner slides open the top and pulls it out. Sample quantities are usually available for immediate sale, but larger quantities of many things are couriered from somewhere nearby in 5-10 minutes.
Stands represent distributors or factories. There’s lots of stands with the exact same thing, either from competing manufacturers or distributors. Parts like switches, pin headers, coin cell holders, pogo pins, programming adapters, and LEDs are all sold like this.

Stands with wire piles do custom cable assembly. The stand on the right is numbered 2368. Each stand has a business card with its number to help you find it again.

Each stand has a card. Take the card and write down the price of stuff you like. Use the stand number printed on the card to find your way back later.This stand has bundles of cold cathode tubes.
Tully, one of our guides, said it was more important to build a relationship than bargain. Once you have a relationship the price is the same for 1 or 1000. This in mind, on the second day we also gave our card, which was accepted graciously by everyone.

Breakout boards for potted chips. These are the kind of low cost chips you see in calculators and watches, they bond directly to the PCB. This stand has breakouts for several dozen.

The ultimate selection of programming adapters. SOIC, SSOP, QFP, QFN, even 10×10 ball grid arrays! Unfortunately nobody was there to give us prices.

You need magnets? We got 1000 for about two bucks.

This shop was well equipped with all kind of programmers and development boards. Notice the number – 2860 – this is printed on the business card too so you can find it again.

Part displays get creative. Most stands are run by salespeople, not engineers.

Despite the six floor market dedicated to LEDs across the street, SEG Market also has all kinds of LED and LED sign shops.

A stand with two dozen different microscopes. We bought the USB version of this scope. Look for a review later today.

Checking out a photography light box. The SEG price was half of the Hong Kong price, and exactly the same as on TaoBao (the Chinese eBay).

On the 3rd and up to the 10th floor there were more shops, but unfortunately no more component shops, only consumer electronics stores. Prices on components beat anywhere else, but a lot of the consumer electronics are more expensive than in the US.
Lets move on to the next component market!

What SEG Market looks like from the outside.

A Good Offer

I was introduced to a great deal yesterday that I wanted to share for all my hardware and software friends out there.  If you are using a Real-Time Operating System today you probably recgonize the name Micrium with their uC/OS operating system versions.  They have just paired up with Renesas and are offering their kernel for free, middleware for free, and one year of support if you use a Renesas RX or RL78.  If you use all the middleware components that is estimated to be greater than a $100k value.  There are some stipulations to the deal (such as it must be for a commercial product), but if you are looking for a quick way to get started on a 16bit or 32bit microcontroller this might be a way.  Check out the post to learn more:

http://am.renesas.com/products/mpumcu/promotions/micrium/index.jsp

Brewing Beer with MSP430

One of my hobbies is brewing beer, check out how one engineer made a simple control system to automate some of the process:

A MSP430 Double-Kettle Electronic Brewing System

Dave brews beer at home on a stove, but waiting and standing for water to boil takes most time and fun out of it. He came up with an improved automated system with an electric brewing system. A MSP430 Launchpad commands solid state relays which control  5500W heating elements which significantly reduces boiling time to 15 minutes for 5 gallons.
A zip file on his Element14 blog post has schematics, BOMs and documentation.

A Large Box of Fry's Please!

So we are not going to talk about fast food today, but some of my favorite electronic stores for hobbyist electronics.

I have started to accumulate my collection but it definitely is a slow process.  First off, I have to secretly hide my purchases so my wife cannot see the amount of new stuff I am buying.  Secondly, I am starting to already run out of room.  I plan to someday build a larger lab, but for now it is two folding tables.  I use one as my rework / teardown station and the other as my debug station. 

When I was in college I could visit the Radio Shack or our school's EE lab and buy all the discrete components I needed (This also explains why my designs were so simple).   One of my first projects was to create a stopwatch using standard logic parts.  I was able to source all the components right from the Radio Shack next to my apartment.  Now, as box stores have declined, I have noticed that the number of electronic stores carrying parts has also been on the decline.  Radio Shack still has the sliding shelves of components but the inventory is never as plentiful and the variety is never as diverse as what it once was.  Perhaps my perception is skewed because my interests have also moved to more complicated parts that would not be able to be purchased there anyways.

On one of my recent trips to Texas, I went with a friend to a store I wish we had in Wisconsin - Fry's Electronics.  For those of you that don't have one in your area, I highly suggest a field trip to a local store near you.  I felt overwhelmed, excited, and wish I had more time to spend navigating the aisles of components.  So if Fry's is reading this post, please keep me posted if you plan to build in Wisconsin because you definitely have a customer. 

Today the majority of my components are sourced from the web.  I use AvnetExpress for all my components and evaluation kits.  I also have been known to hang out on Ebay and look for that great mega-deal (like the 10000 piece resistor packs).  For other design tools and supplies I have used Amazon and SparkFun.  Are there any other good sites I should be checking out?

Getting Political with Electronics

Happy Election Day America!  I woke up early this morning and it made me reflect on the sacrifice of the men and women who have and are still making America great.  No matter what political views we hold it makes me proud to be able to cast my vote.  But before I go into a political rant (which I will always avoid in my posts), let's turn the discussion over to electronics.

We have started to see electronic voting in America. Unfortunately these systems have not had the best press because people have found ways to hack into them.  While many companies make great products that are not hacked, it only takes one incident to raise questions about the integrity of their electronic voting system.

However as I stood in line, I wondered, will we see the voting system go purely electronic?  Can we stay at home, log into the web, and cast our vote in the future?  As a technology guy, I only see the system moving towards that direction.  However, it is a great feeling waking up early, sitting out in the cold, and casting your vote with your fellow Americans.

Thanks to everyone who has served our country!

How Do You Stay Current

I work in the world of silicon chips and I am constantly looking at new ways to stay current.  I did find a good website out there (Thanks to a friend for the suggestion), and wanted to repost the Podcast and the website.  The following information is from Chip Report TV, a website dedicated to talking about some of the recent chip releases out there:

The following information is from ChipReportTV, a new Podcast I listen to:

ChipReportTV #6 — CC2564, LT8300, MAX5318

Oct 20

CC2564 from Texas Instruments

• What it does
  • Bluetooth
• Industry it is targeted at:
  • Everything in wireless consumer electronics
• Project Ideas
  • Adding Bluetooth to your uC projects
• Comparable to
  • CC254x (2.4 Gig)
  • Bluetooth modules like the SPBT2632 from ST (higher cost)
• What’s The Special Sauce?
  • This is the all in one radio chip and MAC
  • Best-in-class range of about 2x, compared to other BLE-only solutions.
  • On-Chip Power Management (Can reliably operate for 7 years).
  • Easy Integration with Stellaris and MSP430 MCUs (need a stack, included)
• Power
  • Power Supply Voltage 2.2-4.8V.
  • I/O Power Supply Voltage. 1.62 -1.92.
• Packaging
  • footprint: 76 pins, 0.6-mm pitch,8.10- × 7.83-mm mrQFN
• Price
  • $2.14 @ 1K
• Comments/Thoughts
  • Aside from FCC cert, why WOULDN’T you put this in a project? We’ve finally reached the point where Bluetooth is as standard to implement as Ethernet.

LT8300 from Linear Technology

• What it does
  • Isolated flyback converter for isolated power delivery.
• Industry it is targeted at
  • Anything requiring an isolated power supply. Telecom, automotive, industrial, medical, etc.
• Project Ideas
  • Isolated USB (2.5W), Isolated anything
• Comparable to
  • UCC28600 from TI
• What’s The Special Sauce?
  • Integrated 150V, 260mA DMOS power switch.
  • Vout set with a single resistor.
  • Boundary Mode Operation at Heavy Load.
  • Low-Ripple Burst Mode Operation at Light Load.
• Power
  • 6-100V input
  • 70uA in Sleep, 330uA in Active.
• Packaging
  • TSOT-23-5
• Price
  • 3.58 @1K
• Comments/Thoughts
  • Great if you need isolation and don’t have a ton of space or requirements. The no 3rd turn is a cool feature and the regulation on this thing looks great.

MAX5318 from Maxim Integrated

• What it does
  • 18 Bit High Accuracy DAC with Digital Gain and Offset Control
• Industry it is targeted at:
  • Data-Acquisition Systems, Medical, Communication, Automation
• Project Ideas
  • Voltage source
• Comparable to
  • DAC9881
• What’s The Special Sauce?
  • Accuracy Guaranteed with ±2 LSB (max) Over Temp.
  • Buffered Voltage Output Directly Drives 2kΩ Load
  • Rail-to-Rail.
  • Fast Settling Time (3µs) with 10kI || 100pF Load.
• Power
  • Continuous Power Dissipation (T= +70C): 1111.1 mW (1.1W)
• Packaging
  • 4.4mm x 7.8mm, 24-lead TSSOP
• Price
  • $24.88 @100
• Comments/Thoughts
  • Eesh, is the resolution worth it? I’m not so sure. What kinds of applications need 18 bits? What are you wrapping around it? That could immediately kill your resolution.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

A Tribute to a Legend

I just listened to a great Podcast from a friend of Jim Williams.  If you are not sure who Jim is, check out LT's application notes, he is one of the authors of some of the most impressive application notes.  I wanted to repost the information about the Podcast, so other geeks out there could enjoy:

The following post was taken from the Amp Hour Episode 119:

The Amp Hour #119 — Luculent Linear Legacy

Luculent Linear Legacy [ 1:23:26 ] Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Welcome, Dr Kent Lundberg!

• Kent has been a lecturer at MIT and now teaches at Olin College.
• He also keeps a great blog called “Reading Jim Williams”. Kent personally knew Jim through Jim Roberge
• Kent also has a bibliography of all of Jim’s publications, which were very numerous.
• As fans of JW’s will know, some of his app notes were epic. AN47 clocked in at 130 pages.
• Kent has had one student in particular he remembers and has seen all over the place, including the cover of Wired: Limor Fried (AKA Ladyada) of Adafruit Industries.
• In his control systems classes, he doesn’t use network analyzers but uses Dynamic Signal Analyzers like the HP3562A.
• Dave says “Bow-duh”, Chris and Kent say “Bow-dee”, Bode’s family (but not him), say “Bow-dah”. Dave has been to Bodie, California.
• Kent is a fan of the Severed Heads, a long time Aussie band that did a lot of experimentations with synths.
• Kent also has a bunch of synths of his own, including Moog and Dave Smith synths.
• When he’s not teaching, Kent consults for industry for analog. His company is called Keeling Flight Hardware, Ltd. “Flight Hardware” also refers to hardware that is ready off the shelf.
• He also works at Lincoln Labs and has worked indirectly with Dr. Greg Charvat, who was a guest on show 115.
• When he’s not teaching or consulting, he also collects and repairs scopes, thanks to JW’s inspiration:
  
• Kent has a 511, a 556 and a 7104. Great hardware! He also has one digital scope from the older era: 7854
• Kent was the historian and editor for the IEEE Control Systems magazine and did a feature about analog computing.
• Beyond all this, he’s also an avid book collector and has hard-to-find books from the Rad Lab and the Manhattan Project (the ones that are allowed to be collected).
• He’s now developing a new class along with students to teach EE Prototyping. We can’t wait to see how that turns out!

Thanks again to Dr Kent Lundberg for being on the show! Find him on Twitter at @DoctorAnalog or at the variety of sites linked above.