$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[kikook]

Thanks Markus,
It's curious because I don't have any problem to compile Karl-Heinz's firmwares.
Trying re-install winavr without any success.

[madires]

It's curious because I don't have any problem to compile Karl-Heinz's firmwares.
Trying re-install winavr without any success.

When winavr compiles the k-firmware without any problems then there has to be another reason. I remember a special #define which we had to add for one IDE. Maybe it's something like that. Can someone using winavr help with this issue?

[madires]

Looks like 644 based devices starts popping up now: https://www.ebay.com/itm/113001217497

Nice! This one includes the extended frequency counter option with the low and high frequency oscillators for testing crystals and a prescaler (or some variant of it).

[Cliff Matthews]

Odd question: Is the company name "Original Hiland"? (or do they claim all stolen idea's are "original"?)

[madires]

Banggood has this M644 for 24.98 usd https://www.banggood.com/Original-Hiland-M644-Transistor-Tester-LCR-Diode-Transistor-Zener-Quartz-Measurement-p-1279042.html?

"Original Hiland M644 Transistor Tester" More likely "genuine clone".

[madires]

Odd question: Is the company name "Original Hiland"? (or do they claim all stolen idea's are "original"?)

It's the clash between our concept of copyright and Chinese culture. If I got this right, the copying of a original design or a piece of art is some kind of honoring the inventor/artist while cheating buyers at the same time.

[mauroh]

Banggood has this M644 for 24.98 usd https://www.banggood.com/Original-Hiland-M644-Transistor-Tester-LCR-Diode-Transistor-Zener-Quartz-Measurement-p-1279042.html?

They must love me!!! Looks like the new M644 version use the same case of my current tester and apparently they even copyed my solution to mount the ZIF socket in the case!!! Great 
I must have it!! Looking forward for the new improvement available with the bigger microcontroller 

Mauro

[pepe10000]

It's curious because I don't have any problem to compile Karl-Heinz's firmwares.
Trying re-install winavr without any success.

When winavr compiles the k-firmware without any problems then there has to be another reason. I remember a special #define which we had to add for one IDE. Maybe it's something like that. Can someone using winavr help with this issue?

Hi.

If it fails you can try to compile with my WinAVR:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/45ybva33chnak9g/WinAVR-20100110.rar

Just replace your WinAVR folder with the downloaded one.

A greeting.

[casinada]

For some reason you need the right version of WiAvr, specially in windows 10. This has been discussed a few times in this thread. 

The wrong version will give you code too big to fit on the microcontroller. Follow Pepe's link and also install Cygwin 64.

[bitseeker]

Looks like 644 based devices starts popping up now: https://www.ebay.com/itm/113001217497

Nice! This one includes the extended frequency counter option with the low and high frequency oscillators for testing crystals and a prescaler (or some variant of it).

Oh, interesting. And the ZIF socket is socketed.

They must love me!!! Looks like the new M644 version use the same case of my current tester and apparently they even copyed my solution to mount the ZIF socket in the case!!! Great 
I must have it!! Looking forward for the new improvement available with the bigger microcontroller 

I guess so. Hmm, does this mean that if you come up with an idea, you should post it all over the net? That way, if China copies and manufactures it, you can buy it for less money and effort than if you made it yourself?

[Per Hansson]

Looks like 644 based devices starts popping up now: https://www.ebay.com/itm/113001217497

Nice! This one includes the extended frequency counter option with the low and high frequency oscillators for testing crystals and a prescaler (or some variant of it).

This M644 seems to be the same one unless I'm mistaken? And at prices rivaling some M328 designs! Hell I'll order one right away, $17.70 including shipping can't be beat!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253794953057

[mauroh]

I guess so. Hmm, does this mean that if you come up with an idea, you should post it all over the net? That way, if China copies and manufactures it, you can buy it for less money and effort than if you made it yourself?

That's the plan  . I know I don't have that power, but all this small tools manufacturers are paing attention on what is posted all over the interweb so here are my suggestions:

Dear clones manufacturer, please consider to add a companion case for this tester with an exposed smd test area like the ESR02PRO or provide an smd accessory, LiPo battery, microusb port for external power, recharge the battery and usb serial interface.

While you're at it, please combine the two firmware variants m and k and provide an open souce Marcus-Heinz GitHub repository.
Thank you 

Mauro

[bitseeker]

I like it.

[garthk]

Haven't seen anyone mention it yet, so I'm just going to mark 200 pages of posts, here. Onya!

[mauroh]

Yeah geat achivement for a small but usefull device...
The issue is that 180 pages are just for "How can I upgrade the firmware" or "I blew up my tester with a charged capacitor..."

It should be nice if it was possible to sort the topic by "most thanked post", or "most quoted message in the the topic" .....

Someone knows if it is possible to apply some filters like this in the advanced search?

This could be a simple way to extract a FAQ from 200 pages 

Mauro

[BradC]

Haven't seen anyone mention it yet, so I'm just going to mark 200 pages of posts, here. Onya!

It's only 100 here, but yeah it is still an impressive tally.

I recently built a new one and upgraded an old one with a 20mhz crystal, decent regulators and real 0.1% resistors rather than the cheap grunge it came with. To be honest the improvement in tolerance and accuracy was not really noticeable for what I use it for.

The biggest improvement I've seen with these units is the faster crystal combined with the latest m firmware.

Seriously impressive little machines, but they don't seem to like 400uF at 400V.

[madires]

Seriously impressive little machines, but they don't seem to like 400uF at 400V.

That would give you a good bang for the buck

[bitseeker]

Yeah, if you forgot to discharge it.

[BradC]

Yeah, if you forgot to discharge it.

Resulting in "holy atmega batman". Thankfully no other damage and it prompted me to wire up a programming header and start the improvement process. Cost : one atmega, Education value  : priceless.

[mebel]

[/quote]

Oh, interesting. And the ZIF socket is socketed.


[/quote]

Where can I buy such socket for ZIF socket?

[bitseeker]

It's a DIP IC socket. Choose one with the matching number of pins.

[mauroh]

I have used this.
Mauro

[Azure]

Where can I buy such socket for ZIF socket?

You can buy quality ones form element14 and other brand name suppliers, otherwise you can get cheap ones from ebay.  Just search for "ZIF socket".

For a socket for the ZIF, same suppliers just search for "DIL socket".  You can just buy a normal socket the same size to use as the socket for the ZIF, or use 0.1" pin strips.  Be careful about using machines sockets as some ZIF pins do not fit into them.

[vinceroger]

Whats people thoughts on these testers
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Transistor-Tester-TFT-Diode-Triode-Capacitance-Meter-LCR-TC1-ESR-NPN-PNP-MOSFET/123243495651?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D52945%26meid%3Ddc158dbd5ed6422f97eeabca7510c15f%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D222991613357%26itm%3D123243495651&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[madires]

One major drawback of the TC1 is the additional MCU which controls power and the test button. That design is incompatible with the standard one and prevents firmware upgrades (k/m firmware). A while ago I released a simple circuit for replacing the control MCU to remove the incompatibility. Of course this will render the TC1's modified firmware useless. There could be another big problem with the design of power supply which I still have to investigate. My TC1's Vcc jumps around wildly, especially when it runs longer than a few seconds. Also the boost converter gets hot. Could be a bad component or bad design. The current draw seems a tad low compared to values others have reported. A common issue with the TC1 is a shorted cap in the power supply circuitry (backlight lit, but no display).