My Tiny Kickstarter

[a.malin]

Hello EEVblog forum-goers, my name is Alexander Malin and I somewhat recently started a very small Kickstarter campaign called rLogic.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1953099853/rlogic-affordable-tiny-universal-logic

The Kickstarter page explains everything best, but for a brief summary, rLogic is any logic gate you want it to be simply be changing the location of a shunt (Jumper). There's also an alternative version that can be used on breadboards and configured using a jumper wire. It seems like it's mostly useful as an educational tool, though I do prefer them for small glue logic circuits. It annoys me to have to configure a CPLD every time I need a simple signal decoder, those Max V CPLDs only have 1000 flashes before they die. Plus not everybody can afford the PLD programmers. Of course large circuits would be impractical (Though very fun), that's why CPLDs/FPGAs exist in my book.

Since everybody here is probably experienced with electronics, I can say this. It's a hilariously simple board, pretty much just a breakout board with a convenient pin setup and a nice LED. All set up in a very small (Think DIP-6) and affordable package.

And now for a rainbow. (This was actually a fanout test, I haven't been able to hit the max fanout with just the 9 prototypes I have.)


Questions? Suggestions? Insults?

[daveshah]

What IC are you using? I'm just interested.

My guess is that it is the NC7SZ57/NC7SZ58 (http://www.fairchildsemi.com/ds/NC/NC7SZ57.pdf)

[a.malin]

Many companies produce these configurable gates, usually as part of their single-gate-IC lines. I chose Fairchild's TinyLogic because it had a very high sink/source (50mA) compared to the others, as well as being LV (3v3) but still overvoltage tolerant for interfacing with 5V systems. Though others offer some advantages, for instance the Diodes Incorporated 74LVC1G98 can be used also as a 2-1 Demultiplexer in one configuration.

daveshah, close I'm using the NC7SV57/NC7SV58. The low voltage versions of that same device.

[EEVblog]

Neat.
Feedback:
I would have made it a bit bigger and optionally coin cell powered, so no need for the external supply leads if not needed.
Having a board that small is a bit pointless when you have the those big header cables coming off them.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Would be much neater as boards that plug directly into the breadboard - much less wire tangling.

[a.malin]

mikeselectricstuff, many peoples agree, scroll down on the KS page until you hit the section rLogic+, that's the breadboard compatible option. Still working on getting a PCB milled for that and then I'll have a picture of the real thing, for now there's the layout. (Which is not the same as the layout to be milled.)

EEVBlog, well the small size is convenient for the breadboard variant, which will likely be more requested. I didn't include anything about power supplies simply because many people will likely have something (Any Arduino w/ 3v3 pin) or can buy something (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12618; https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10804). Maybe that sounds lazy on my part, but it would mean I have to produce a very awkward number of coin cell power supplies, an awkward amount that leaves me with a lot of overstock power supplies.

Now if you mean a coin cell on each of them, that's expensive on the user's part and most people I ask seem to say they wouldn't like it.

[tjb1]

Is there a reward for the rLogic+?  I didn't see anywhere to get those ones.

[a.malin]

Yeah I should definitely clarify that, I'll work on it now.

To order rLogic+, simply order rLogic, you will decide whether you want rLogic or rLogic+ in the survey which is sent out when funding is completed.