what have you bought lately that's cheap & cool?

[ralphd]

I'm into AVRs, and already have a collection of pro minis, a nano, full-size arduino clone, and a number of ATtinies - t13a, t85, t84a, & t88.  I also have a few different USBasps.  I've also got a couple HD44780 displays, some nrf24l01 modules, and 433Mhz ask/ook modules.
I also have a couple esp8266 modules, and have an esp-12e on order.
Any suggestions for something cool and cheap (under $5) to add to a nerd's collection?

[sporadic]

Cypress PSoC 4200 dev board at $4 is pretty good bang for the buck. If you're wanting to stay Atmel, the XmegaE5 series is interesting if you don't mind SMD parts. XCL on the E5 is fun and different.  The SAMD20's are nice for a Cortex M0+ part. You'll need to upgrade your programmer to something with PDI and SWD support though. The Atmel ICE at $50 is sweet and will give you debugging support for your AVRs. Aside from that, I'd spend the money on spinning your own dev boards for the nRF and ESP modules. NodeMCU is another great platform for the ESP-12 that you can use via Arduino with the ESP8266 project, around $10.

[ralphd]

Cypress PSoC 4200 dev board at $4 is pretty good bang for the buck. If you're wanting to stay Atmel, the XmegaE5 series is interesting if you don't mind SMD parts. XCL on the E5 is fun and different.  The SAMD20's are nice for a Cortex M0+ part. You'll need to upgrade your programmer to something with PDI and SWD support though. The Atmel ICE at $50 is sweet and will give you debugging support for your AVRs. Aside from that, I'd spend the money on spinning your own dev boards for the nRF and ESP modules. NodeMCU is another great platform for the ESP-12 that you can use via Arduino with the ESP8266 project, around $10.

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to trying out some ARM parts.  I forgot to mention I don't like IDEs and prefer to do my development from a shell and vim.  So although the PSoC looks interesting, the Windows IDE is an issue.  Top of my list for possible ARM parts to try are the STM32F030s.  They have a UART bootloader in ROM, so I wouldn't need a SWD programmer to get started with them.  I don't see the need for a hardware debugger (like Atmel ICE or SWD), as I prefer to understand the hardware well enough to debug the code in my head.  I write a lot of code in AVR assembler, and when I write in C, I usually look at the disassembly (objdump -D) before flashing it.

I tinkered with eLua on the ESP8266, and wasn't impressed.  I like Igor is doing, and even submitted a patch to esptool-ck to support my zero-wire auto-reset circuit.
http://nerdralph.blogspot.ca/2015/04/zero-wire-auto-reset-for-esp8266arduino.html

So what do you think of the  F030K6T6?  70c ea seems like a great price (cheaper than an ATMega328p-au), and I already have a bunch of 0.8mm QFP-32 to DIP breakout boards in one of my parts drawers.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/STM32F030K6T6-030K6T6-LQFP32-sell-SZNXDZ/32476188613.html

[miguelvp]

Still windows but the 5LP prototype board even at $10 instead of the 4200 $4 is a better deal:

http://www.cypress.com/documentation/development-kitsboards/cy8ckit-059-psoc-5lp-prototyping-kit

Comes with two 5LPs which cost about $10 each by themselves. The programmer part can program any PSoC so you don't need a miniprog nor a bootloader on the target PSoC.

[obiwanjacobi]

Hehehe same here...

I came across this the other day, couldn't resist (isn't in yet)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221728390701

I wanted to play with the TLC5940 led drivers so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291549056837?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
And to go with that some RGB LEDs (common anode!)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20Pcs-LED-DIFFUSED-RGB-common-anode-4-PINS-F5-5MM-Super-Bright-Bulb-Lamp-/171907287706?hash=item2806790a9a

Also I didn't have one of these so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321557647999

[donotdespisethesnake]

If you want some cheap STM32 modules then the Maple Mini clones are ideal, should be <$5. For some reason STM32 seems to be popular in China, there are many variants, mostly based on STM32F103.

You can ignore the Maple software, there are command line tools for Linux to download using the ROM UART bootloader.

I prefer to use a JTAG adapter for program/debug, there are cheap version of STLINK around, but the official ST one is not expensive. Can then use openocd, gdb according to preference. You also get a JTAG programmer built in to the Nucleo boards.

[neslekkim]

I wanted to play with the TLC5940 led drivers so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291549056837?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I wonder if that seller sells good stuff, or fakes, it seems that he often have very cheap ic's.. hm...

[jdraughn]

http://www.banggood.com/7Pin-0_96-Inch-IICSPI-Serial-128x64-White-OLED-Display-Module-p-969266.html

I'm into AVRs, and already have a collection of pro minis, a nano, full-size arduino clone, and a number of ATtinies - t13a, t85, t84a, & t88.  I also have a few different USBasps.  I've also got a couple HD44780 displays, some nrf24l01 modules, and 433Mhz ask/ook modules.
I also have a couple esp8266 modules, and have an esp-12e on order.
Any suggestions for something cool and cheap (under $5) to add to a nerd's collection?

[vinicius.jlantunes]

Also I didn't have one of these so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321557647999

I wanted to play with the TLC5940 led drivers so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291549056837?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I wonder if that seller sells good stuff, or fakes, it seems that he often have very cheap ic's.. hm...

Yeah, that protoboard PSU thingy is also very cheap at 0.99... makes you wonder indeed.

[neslekkim]

Also I didn't have one of these so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321557647999

I wanted to play with the TLC5940 led drivers so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291549056837?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I wonder if that seller sells good stuff, or fakes, it seems that he often have very cheap ic's.. hm...

Yeah, that protoboard PSU thingy is also very cheap at 0.99... makes you wonder indeed.

The protoboard psu is from another seller, i think I bought one of those, and it works.

The GC supermarket sells lots of ic's of various kinds, very cheap most of it, but it's kinda more involved to find out if an chip is ok or not..

[obiwanjacobi]

http://www.banggood.com/7Pin-0_96-Inch-IICSPI-Serial-128x64-White-OLED-Display-Module-p-969266.html

Yeah I wanted to get one of those too, but they're all sold out.. 

I wanted to play with the TLC5940 led drivers so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291549056837?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I wonder if that seller sells good stuff, or fakes, it seems that he often have very cheap ic's.. hm...

I know. Almost too good to be true, right? Well, we'll see. I have no experience with fake chips but if it works - that's all I need. And this is nothing serious, I mean I am not planning on making a product or anything, it's just tinkering... (nothing like the FTDI thing  )

[ralphd]

Hehehe same here...

I came across this the other day, couldn't resist (isn't in yet)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221728390701

I wanted to play with the TLC5940 led drivers so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291549056837?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
And to go with that some RGB LEDs (common anode!)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20Pcs-LED-DIFFUSED-RGB-common-anode-4-PINS-F5-5MM-Super-Bright-Bulb-Lamp-/171907287706?hash=item2806790a9a

Also I didn't have one of these so...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321557647999

I already have a couple of the breadboard power suplies.  Like most things, they're cheaper on Aliexpress than fleabay.
http://m.aliexpress.com/item/1751574564.html

[obiwanjacobi]

Ah man! 21 cents down the drain!   

[vinicius.jlantunes]

Jeez, that's unbelievable. What the heck, I will buy a few just for kicks, but it HAS to be dodgy, at that price! 

[ralphd]

Jeez, that's unbelievable. What the heck, I will buy a few just for kicks, but it HAS to be dodgy, at that price! 

The wonders of Shenzhen.  AMS1117 regulators are 3c ea, double-sided PCBs are 7-8c/sq in, mini USB connector and barrel jack are under 5c ea, and the caps are around 2c.  So the BOM is not much more than 25c.

[bitseeker]

Yeah, the prices sometimes do look too-good-to-be-true. However, after buying several things (microcontrollers, power modules, pots, knobs, etc.) from China via AliExpress or eBay, most have worked fine. So, it's hit or miss, but mostly good hits so far. One DC-DC buck converter I got via eBay had bulging SMD caps, but another module from the same seller was fine. It's funny, the replacement caps from Mouser cost more than I paid for the whole converter module, but we're still talking small change here, not big bucks.

The only real downside is that some shipments can take several weeks to arrive. Other times, they make it in about a week.

[obiwanjacobi]

The most amazing feat I think is shipping a single (very small) package all the way from china to (in my case) the Netherlands - for free! WTF!?

[bitseeker]

Yeah, I know what you mean. My current hypothesis is that some people go on to buy higher-value or larger quantities of items, or they already have customers who purchase a lot (e.g., locals), and that makes up for the losses on the single unit sales.

[motocoder]

I think the Chinese government is subsidizing quite a bit - it's a calculated strategy to wipe out competition, and then dominate the market. Seems to be working.

[bitseeker]

Ah, good point.

In order to minimize veering too far off-topic, I recently got one of these ESP-201 modules:

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=esp-201

It's like an ESP-12, but breadboard-friendly, or a NodeMCU module for those who already have a USB-to-TTL interface.

[motocoder]

Ah, good point.

In order to minimize veering too far off-topic, I recently got one of these ESP-201 modules:

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=esp-201

It's like an ESP-12, but breadboard-friendly, or a NodeMCU module for those who already have a USB-to-TTL interface.

I found an instructable on this device (ESP8266). This looks pretty useful. I was trying to remotely view some data coming out of a GPS chip, using one of the HC-06 modules, but it seems Microsoft broke the Bluetooth serial port implementation in Windows 10. I am looking for an alternative until they come up with a patch. I might be able to rig up something with this.

[dentaku]

EasyDriver http://www.ebay.com/itm/EasyDriver-Shield-stepping-Stepper-Motor-Driver-V44-A3967-For-Arduino-/400522271040
I can finally use all those bipolar stepper motors I salvaged from old stuff.

I'm also amazed that you can buy stuff from China inexpensively and the shipping is free. Of course it might take a month and a half to make it into Canada but that's what you have to deal with for that price. If you want something fast you order it directly from Amazon and it comes in a few days.
The cheapest stuff usually come in a padded envelope with the header pins not soldered so it will lay flat in the package.

[ralphd]

Ah, good point.

In order to minimize veering too far off-topic, I recently got one of these ESP-201 modules:

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=esp-201

It's like an ESP-12, but breadboard-friendly, or a NodeMCU module for those who already have a USB-to-TTL interface.

Those look like they take up most of the space on a breadboard.
My ESP-12E (it actually has ESP-12-Q silkscreened on it) arrived yesterday, and I plan to just solder short wires to a DIP-24 socket or a small pieced of protoboard with some header pins.

[ralphd]

I've seen a couple projects using PIR sensors, so I decided to order a few of them - only 75c ea!
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-HC-SR501-Adjust-Infrared-IR-Pyroelectric-Infrared-PIR-module-Motion-Sensor-Detector-Module-We/1564561530.html

[ralphd]

I think I've landed my best deal yet.  I found a seller listing 1000 DIP 74HC595 for just under $10.  I was a little suspicious, but I submitted the order anyway.  The vendor messaged me saying he made a mistake, and asked would I accept 100.  I countered saying his price was low for 1000, so I'd settle for 500.  He accepted, and said he would go out the next day to get them.
It seems he doesn't actually the parts, he just lists them on aliexpress, and when he gets orders he goes to Huaqiangbei (or someplace similar) to get the inventory.

At first it seems crazy that people can make a living doing this for what seems like so little money.  But then if you look at the data showing that around 2 billion people in the world live on less than $2/day.

Anyway, when the shift registers arrive, I'll have to find something to do with them.  One plan is to control a HD44780 display with an attiny13a.  I'll also start looking around for some cheap 8x8 LED matrix displays that I can control using 2 '595s for each.  I'm sure I'll end up giving away most of them though, maybe a tube for the local high school teacher doing a robotics class, another tube for the community college electronics prof....

[ralphd]

Didn't take long to find some cheap LED matrices.  3mm 8x8 were even cheaper than 5x8 or 5x7 - $3 for 5.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5x-16pin-LED-Dot-Matrix-Display-8x8-3mm-Red-Common-Anode-For-Arduiino-AVR-11693/32472177718.html

[Deathwish]

Didn't take long to find some cheap LED matrices.  3mm 8x8 were even cheaper than 5x8 or 5x7 - $3 for 5.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5x-16pin-LED-Dot-Matrix-Display-8x8-3mm-Red-Common-Anode-For-Arduiino-AVR-11693/32472177718.html

How long is delivery to Canada from that place typically? There are some things that look interesting and cheap there but I'm a little skittish.

takes about 10 days or so to the uk but dont be skittish, i  was till Tautech etc got me going and i use it more than ebay now, not had a problem so far.

[ralphd]

Didn't take long to find some cheap LED matrices.  3mm 8x8 were even cheaper than 5x8 or 5x7 - $3 for 5.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5x-16pin-LED-Dot-Matrix-Display-8x8-3mm-Red-Common-Anode-For-Arduiino-AVR-11693/32472177718.html

How long is delivery to Canada from that place typically? There are some things that look interesting and cheap there but I'm a little skittish.

Fastest I've received anything in Eastern Canada was 17 days from the China Post postmark.  Average is about 3-4 weeks.  About 1 in 10 will take around 6 weeks.
I don't mind the delay at all now that I have a steady pipeline of items on order.  Yesterday in addition to the esp-12e I received a new 145c pro mini.  They'll keep me busy for a few evenings, and in the mean time more goodies will arrive.

[ralphd]

Didn't take long to find some cheap LED matrices.  3mm 8x8 were even cheaper than 5x8 or 5x7 - $3 for 5.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5x-16pin-LED-Dot-Matrix-Display-8x8-3mm-Red-Common-Anode-For-Arduiino-AVR-11693/32472177718.html

How long is delivery to Canada from that place typically? There are some things that look interesting and cheap there but I'm a little skittish.

The other thing I like with Aliexpress is that all orders are escrow.  Until you confirm receipt, the funds aren't released to the vendor.  Most vendors are looking for good reviews, so most of the time I've requested a full or partial refund I've received it after providing evidence of the problem (photos, screen shots, etc)

[westfw]

I've now got a full set of Atmel Xplained Mini Eval boards: atmega168pb, atmega328p (practically an Arduino clone), atmega328pb, and SAMD10.
They sell for less than $10 each (and are sometimes swag at trade shows or seminars), and include an mEDBG chip, with provides debugging (with Atmel Studio) as well as USB/Serial functionality.
The 328pb is the most interesting of the lot - in a blaze of poor naming, Atmel has added a bunch of features to the 328p (more timers, 2nd uart, 2nd TWI, touch controller, (documented) unique chip ID,  AND MORE!)

And yes, you can stick a bootloader on the AVR boards and use them with Arduino.  The boards all "feature" the Arduino "shield" pinout.

The mEDBG chip is a little young (doesn't work quite right at 115200bps, for example.)  It implements CMSIS/DAP; an ARM-standardized debug access protocol, which they use to "wrap" AVR debug commands as well.  It's not clear whether this will ever allow non-Atmel debugging; I don't think they're documenting the AVR debug commands, so the fact that they've documented "use this CMSIS/DAP command to wrap an AVR debug command" isn't very useful (why, Atmel, why?)

[obiwanjacobi]

Haha 500 74HC595's!! Everything will look like a nail with your brand new hammer.
I have got 595 code for the HD44780 in my library (see signature).

Hooked up a pro-mini I got in to an USBasp but avrdude did not see it. I hate when that happens (used USBasp successful with breadboard atmega1284)...

[ralphd]

They sell for less than $10 each (and are sometimes swag at trade shows or seminars), and include an mEDBG chip, with provides debugging (with Atmel Studio) as well as USB/Serial functionality.
The 328pb is the most interesting of the lot - in a blaze of poor naming, Atmel has added a bunch of features to the 328p (more timers, 2nd uart, 2nd TWI, touch controller, (documented) unique chip ID,  AND MORE!)

Did I read one of your earlier posts right saying that the 168pb also has the 2nd UART and TWI?

Just checked avr-libc and it still has no headers for the pb  (even though pitchumani is busy making commits to the SVN).  And there's NO WAY I'm going to start using that elephant of a software package called Atmel Studio...

[FreddyVictor]

The 328pb is the most interesting of the lot - in a blaze of poor naming, Atmel has added a bunch of features to the 328p (more timers, 2nd uart, 2nd TWI, touch controller, (documented) unique chip ID,  AND MORE!)

have to agree with you on the naming, would have been better to make it more obvious its a souped-up version

alternatively, maybe just move on to ATXmegaA4U's
they have 5xUSART + 2xTWI + lots of other bits and are supported in AVR Studio 4

[ralphd]

Haha 500 74HC595's!! Everything will look like a nail with your brand new hammer.
I have got 595 code for the HD44780 in my library (see signature).

My days of heavy C++ coding were waning just as templates and STL were becoming popular.  I avoid Arduino programming as it typifies a plethora of bad coding practices.
While C++ templates are a clever way to get compile-time determination of device configuration, it doesn't separate code and configuration data.
With a good ol' makefile I can do compile-time configuration like:

Code: [Select]

LCD_EN ?= 2

I've already written a 4-bit HD44780 library (partly based on Peter Fleury's code), so I won't be starting from scratch.  I'd also like to support both '595 and '164 shift registers, something few (if any) existing libraries seem to do.

[neslekkim]

Didn't take long to find some cheap LED matrices.  3mm 8x8 were even cheaper than 5x8 or 5x7 - $3 for 5.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5x-16pin-LED-Dot-Matrix-Display-8x8-3mm-Red-Common-Anode-For-Arduiino-AVR-11693/32472177718.html

How long is delivery to Canada from that place typically? There are some things that look interesting and cheap there but I'm a little skittish.

takes about 10 days or so to the uk but dont be skittish, i  was till Tautech etc got me going and i use it more than ebay now, not had a problem so far.

I have done some orders, about 10 or so, almost all of the orders, the seller have waited like 2-3 week before shipping the item.. so I don't use it unless i must, but maybe I have choosed the wrong sellers..

[obiwanjacobi]

Odd. Almost all orders I place go to shipped status the same or next day..?

[ralphd]

I have done some orders, about 10 or so, almost all of the orders, the seller have waited like 2-3 week before shipping the item.. so I don't use it unless i must, but maybe I have choosed the wrong sellers..

The listings on aliexpress have a "ships within" date.  If two sellers have the same price and similar satisfaction ratings, I pick the one with the shortest shipping time.   Most things I buy are "ships within" 5 business days, and some as low as 3.

[neslekkim]

I have done some orders, about 10 or so, almost all of the orders, the seller have waited like 2-3 week before shipping the item.. so I don't use it unless i must, but maybe I have choosed the wrong sellers..

The listings on aliexpress have a "ships within" date.  If two sellers have the same price and similar satisfaction ratings, I pick the one with the shortest shipping time.   Most things I buy are "ships within" 5 business days, and some as low as 3.

Ah, I saw something about that, I thought it was aliexpress that had such dates, not that the seller sets it themself, need to check out that better, thanks!

[motocoder]

Unfortunately the state of Washington is in some sort of tiff with aliexpress, so no orders shipped here are allowed. Been waiting years for them to resolve it.

[westfw]

Did I read one of your earlier posts right saying that the 168pb also has the 2nd UART and TWI?

I don't think so.   There's a doc on differences between the 168pb and 168 (AT06609), and they are more subtle (contributing to the "blaze of poor naming")

Just checked avr-libc and it still has no headers for the pb

There's a "328pb support package" on the AS download page that contains mostly a snapshot of a newer gcc (including libc)
The datasheet that correctly (?) documents the new peripherals is mere days old...

maybe just move on to ATXmegaA4U's

The xx8pb's are 32pin packages...

[bson]

Received a CY8CKIT-059; it has some interesting looking configurable analog components and ADCs that seem fun to experiment with, along with a Cortex-M3 based SoC.  For <$10 from Mouser, why not...  http://www.cypress.com/documentation/development-kitsboards/cy8ckit-059-psoc-5lp-prototyping-kit

[eas]

Ah, good point.

In order to minimize veering too far off-topic, I recently got one of these ESP-201 modules:

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=esp-201

It's like an ESP-12, but breadboard-friendly, or a NodeMCU module for those who already have a USB-to-TTL interface.

I found an instructable on this device (ESP8266). This looks pretty useful. I was trying to remotely view some data coming out of a GPS chip, using one of the HC-06 modules, but it seems Microsoft broke the Bluetooth serial port implementation in Windows 10. I am looking for an alternative until they come up with a patch. I might be able to rig up something with this.

This might come in handy then:  https://github.com/jeelabs/esp-link

[motocoder]

Ah, good point.

In order to minimize veering too far off-topic, I recently got one of these ESP-201 modules:

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=esp-201

It's like an ESP-12, but breadboard-friendly, or a NodeMCU module for those who already have a USB-to-TTL interface.

I found an instructable on this device (ESP8266). This looks pretty useful. I was trying to remotely view some data coming out of a GPS chip, using one of the HC-06 modules, but it seems Microsoft broke the Bluetooth serial port implementation in Windows 10. I am looking for an alternative until they come up with a patch. I might be able to rig up something with this.

This might come in handy then:  https://github.com/jeelabs/esp-link

Thanks, eas. That looks interesting. I will check that out.

[obiwanjacobi]

I'd also like to support both '595 and '164 shift registers, something few (if any) existing libraries seem to do.

What is so special about the '164?

[tautech]

Unfortunately the state of Washington is in some sort of tiff with aliexpress, so no orders shipped here are allowed. Been waiting years for them to resolve it.

 
Really? What's behind that?

[motocoder]

Unfortunately the state of Washington is in some sort of tiff with aliexpress, so no orders shipped here are allowed. Been waiting years for them to resolve it.

 
Really? What's behind that?

It has something to do with their payment escrow service being unregistered/unregulated/illegal according to Washington state law. I don't know all the details, but after being this way for years now, it seems unlikely to be resolved.

[neslekkim]

I'd also like to support both '595 and '164 shift registers, something few (if any) existing libraries seem to do.

What is so special about the '164?

No latch.

One would think that 165 would be more interresting, shift-in register.

[cncjerry]

I think the Chinese government is subsidizing quite a bit - it's a calculated strategy to wipe out competition, and then dominate the market. Seems to be working.

I think their gov't is imbedding all kinds of code in the firmware.  What was that book where a guy named Mouse had done that with mouse drivers and took over everyone's computer?

don't laugh.  look at what they did to Boeing with all the hacking.

[eas]

I think the Chinese government is subsidizing quite a bit - it's a calculated strategy to wipe out competition, and then dominate the market. Seems to be working.

I think their gov't is imbedding all kinds of code in the firmware.  What was that book where a guy named Mouse had done that with mouse drivers and took over everyone's computer?

don't laugh.  look at what they did to Boeing with all the hacking.

What goes around comes around, eh? It was only a few centuries ago that western traders and missionaries were opening China to "Free Trade." Might not have worked, if someone didn't save the day with the clever idea of getting them hooked on opium...

[eas]

Unfortunately the state of Washington is in some sort of tiff with aliexpress, so no orders shipped here are allowed. Been waiting years for them to resolve it.

 
Really? What's behind that?

It has something to do with their payment escrow service being unregistered/unregulated/illegal according to Washington state law. I don't know all the details, but after being this way for years now, it seems unlikely to be resolved.

Apparently the cost of filing the required paperwork shouldn't be particularly high, $1200 filing fee + a tax depending on sales to WA residents that is capped. Google, PayPal, Amazon, and others don't find it too onerous, but I guess Alibaba does. Meanwhile, they actually have employees in the state, and are considering adding a lot more, but, presumably, they can't actually make purchases through the company's services.

Apparently the check on their site is, or has been, purely client-side, so some people have just deleted some javascript using debugging tools and successfully made orders with WA delivery addresses.

[motocoder]

Unfortunately the state of Washington is in some sort of tiff with aliexpress, so no orders shipped here are allowed. Been waiting years for them to resolve it.

 
Really? What's behind that?

It has something to do with their payment escrow service being unregistered/unregulated/illegal according to Washington state law. I don't know all the details, but after being this way for years now, it seems unlikely to be resolved.

Apparently the cost of filing the required paperwork shouldn't be particularly high, $1200 filing fee + a tax depending on sales to WA residents that is capped. Google, PayPal, Amazon, and others don't find it too onerous, but I guess Alibaba does. Meanwhile, they actually have employees in the state, and are considering adding a lot more, but, presumably, they can't actually make purchases through the company's services.

Apparently the check on their site is, or has been, purely client-side, so some people have just deleted some javascript using debugging tools and successfully made orders with WA delivery addresses.

No, they check on the server side now. The info you saw on the Javascript hacks is out of date. However, what does work is to pick another state, enter your city as "City, WA", and then in instructions to seller ask them to correct the address on shipping. I'm not sure I would try this on a large ticket item, as there's some risk that they don't correct the address, and then you are probably screwed. OTOH, I wouldn't be ordering any large ticket items from some no-name seller on AliExpress.

[zapta]

Got this 5V geared bipolar stepper motor + driver. $2 shipped for a single unit. Works well with Arduino or any other MSU. This is a very popular model and is available from many sellers on ebay.  I am using it for a motorized solder paste dispenser discussed here in another thread.

http://robocraft.ru/files/datasheet/28BYJ-48.pdf

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291175980196

[obiwanjacobi]

Was thinking about building a retro Z80 computer and ran into these. Have no idea if there's even a die in them but for that price I am willing to find out.

20MHz Z80 CPU
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271612621247

M.

[Richard Crowley]

Price:US $1.38
Shipping: $99.00 ePacket delivery from China

[obiwanjacobi]

Really!? I see free shipping (worldwide)?

[bitseeker]

Probably depends on the country you're in. The funny thing is that on the shipping tab, I see $99 for both US and outside US options.

[mtdoc]

Unfortunately the state of Washington is in some sort of tiff with aliexpress, so no orders shipped here are allowed. Been waiting years for them to resolve it.

 
Really? What's behind that?

It has something to do with their payment escrow service being unregistered/unregulated/illegal according to Washington state law. I don't know all the details, but after being this way for years now, it seems unlikely to be resolved.

AliExpress seems to be working for Washington state now.  I've ordered a few things in the last few weeks including this cheap ESP8266 development board

[ralphd]

Got some DS18B20 temperature sensors in stainless steel probes for about a buck each.  Tested the accuracy with an ice bath and they are well within the 0.5C spec.
http://nerdralph.blogspot.ca/2015/11/ds18b20-temperature-sensor-calibration.html

[NiHaoMike]

I managed to get some Ethernet over coax adapters for $1.25 each, and here's a teardown:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/teardown-directv-ethernet-over-coax-adapter/

I also recently ordered some Android smartphones for $5 each, a pair of "gigabit" Homeplug adapters for $10 each, a $10 4.3" composite LCD, and a $25 802.11ac Ethernet extender kit (includes router and a 802.11ac to Ethernet adapter). Look forward to some teardowns once I actually get them.

[cncjerry]

2.5Ghz VFD display 9 digit frequency counter module off ebay  Actually really well built with a beautiful display.  $15.47 shipped.  Still can't believe how well it is built.  I checked it with my GPSDO and it was right on the money at 10,000,000hz.   don't know why I bought it as I have more frequency counters than I can count. 

[Deathwish]

I forgot her name, but she had some good convo strangely enough, not that I care for Tarot cards and black magic, or her idea of waking me up with gargling.

[timb]

I forgot her name, but she had some good convo strangely enough, not that I care for Tarot cards and black magic, or her idea of waking me up with gargling.

Was she gargling on you?


Sent from my Tablet

[Deathwish]

No but horrible noises in my bathroom do not make me wake happy

[dannyf]

I checked it with my GPSDO and it was right on the money at 10,000,000hz. 

Likely by chance.

Its reference is a 2.5ppm tcxo -> most of the 2.5ppm tcxo I have used measured to be within 0.5ppm at room temperature.

[rqsall]

2.5Ghz VFD display 9 digit frequency counter module off ebay 

I searched ebay for "9 digit frequency counter" and found it quick enough (http://www.ebay.com/itm/171967974827?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT right?)

Interesting gadget, would his be useful to roll your own basic frequency counter? Is there any datasheet for it? Won't match a Fluke or HP for accuracy of course, but may give me a fighting chance to do basic adjustment of my analog oscilloscopes and function generator?

Any reason why you bought the VFD model and not the regular LED one which is about half the price: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-1-60MHz-20MHz-2-4GHz-RF-Singal-Frequency-Counter-Meter-LED-display-module-RED-/331681032636?hash=item4d39bae9bc:g:8vYAAOSwNSxVZIUg

Thanks

[cncjerry]

I liked the VFD.  That is what makes this thing worth the money in my opinion.  I have lost about half my vision due to glaucoma and opt for bright or red LED where possible.  I don't remember seeing a data sheet on it.  But all you would need is a front end which you could steal from about any counter as they are so simple.  I didn't look at the master oscillator to see what frequency it is but I have a few OCXOs around that would be easy to integrate.  I bought it on a whim thinking I would hang it of my tracking generator as it has an aux rf output for frequency counting.  My HP spectrum analyzer has a frequency counter in it but both that and my Advantest slow down when you engage it.

[rqsall]

Thanks for the info. Sorry to hear about the eye condition. VFD does look nicer, I agree. I was just wondering if there was maybe a more technical reason for it.

I guess I will be studying frequency counter front end circuits shortly...

Thanks again.

[brobbuilder]

don't know why I bought it as I have more frequency counters than I can count.

Time for frequency counter counter!

[brobbuilder]

If only I had reserved the one at the store that isn't 70 miles away

Will have to wait until next week. So sad.

[miguelvp]

A $5 RPi Zero.

I thought you bought the $29.95 RPi Zero Budget Pack. Then again $14.94 for the extra stuff is not a bad deal either.

[zapta]

Got today the iFixit Jimmy. Works much better than one ebay tools. It's strong, thin, flexible and has a great handle.  I use it mostly to open cell phones.

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Jimmy/IF145-259-1

[Bruce Abbott]

Was thinking about building a retro Z80 computer and ran into these. Have no idea if there's even a die in them but for that price I am willing to find out.

20MHz Z80 CPU
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271612621247

M.

I have two of those. Mine are definitely Z80's, but the 3.5V logic high level and 150mA static current draw are a worry... I tried running a simple test program at 8MHz and it seemed to work, so I suspect they are actually the Z80B or Z80H NMOS version.

Here's my collection of 'new good quality' (yeah right!) re-branded old chips. The HD63C09E is actually the non 'E' version (subtle but important difference, since one takes external E and Q clocks while the other has a built-in crystal oscillator). The MCM2114P20 1kx4 static RAMs are actually BU2114F 8 bit shift registers!

 

[obiwanjacobi]

So you power them with 5V and they only output 3.5V!? 

[Bruce Abbott]

So you power them with 5V and they only output 3.5V!? 

NMOS logic outputs have passive pullups made from N channel FETs, which increase resistance as the voltage approaches Vcc.  TTL logic high is >=2.0V. The Z80 doesn't have to pull its outputs up to +5V, so it doesn't!


 

[obiwanjacobi]

I bought some adapter PCBs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/151916828644

But it seems the solder mask on the 0.5mm pitch side has come loose. The 0.8mm pitch side seems ok.
You have been warned.

[diyaudio]

For some novel projects I just bought this.   
RGB LED Ring 24 Bit WS2812B 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252222767754

Learning FPGA/CPLD material for 2016 I bought this.

Xilinx XC2C64A CPLD Core Module CoolRunner2 Mini Board
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280790348232

Xilinx Platform USB Download Cable Jtag Programmer for FPGA CPLD C-Mod XC2C64A
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181100412793

1PCS NEW EPM240 Altera MAX II CPLD Development Board
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272086159418

1PCS Altera CycloneII EP2C5T144 FPGA Mini Development Board
http://www.ebay.com/itm/27208617165

[ea_man]

I got this cheap "desktop PSU", now I can drive LEDs with current and voltage. Super small and cute:
- http://www.aliexpress.com/item/B3603-Precision-CNC-DC-DC-Constant-Voltage-Constant-Current-Buck-LED-Driver-Module-Solar-Charging-Power/1625052409.html
You can use an old laptop PSU with it or something new like:
- http://it.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-Hot-Sale-12V-1A-12W-Switch-Power-Supply-Driver-for-LED-Strip-Light-Display/2013711623.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_1_71_72_73_74_75,searchweb0_0,searchweb201560_9&adminSeq=220698018&shopNumber=1352056
- http://it.aliexpress.com/item/Newest-AC-100V-240V-to-DC-24V-2A-48W-Voltage-Transformer-Switch-Power-Supply-for-Led/32338467464.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_1,searchweb201644_3_10001_10002_10005_10006_10003_10004_62,searchweb201560_8,searchweb1451318400_6149

For uC boards:
- Linux embedded: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Orange-Pi-PC-set-1-Orange-Pi-PC-USB-to-DC-4-0MM-1-7MM-power/1553371_32451459094.html + http://www.aliexpress.com/item/100-Real-Capacity-SD-Card-32GB-Memory-Card-16GB-8GB-4GB-SDXC-Transflash-Flash-Memory-Card/32345588868.html
- Maple mini, NodeMcu, MSP432, PSOC
- AVR: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-10PCS-ATTINY2313A-SU-ATTINY2313A-ATTINY2313-TINY2313A-2313-ATMEL-SOP-20/32452377502.html + http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-Sale-10PCS-SOP20-SSOP20-TSSOP20-to-DIP20-PCB-SMD-DIP-Adapter-Plate-Pitch-0-65/32510968213.html
- Some OP amp fun: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-10-pcs-DIP-IC-8pins-UA741CN-UA741CP-UA741-OP-Amp-LM741-741-TI-Original/2038452759.html


-  USB Power  Current Test, just to see what my Arduino is doing when I'm in the lab with my laptop: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pc-New-Hot-USB-Charger-Doctor-Mobile-Battery-Tester-Power-Detector-Voltage-Current-Meter-free-shipping/32547414253.html
- ULN2803 to drive some stuff: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-ULN2803-ULN2803A-ULN2803APG-2803-DIP18-NEW-ORIGINAL-SHORT-LEADTIME/925460404.html


- OMG slow RGB LED are beautiful on my depron RC airplanes: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/100-pcs-5mm-Fast-RGB-Flash-Red-Green-Blue-Rainbow-Multi-Color-light-emitting-diode-Round/32327291593.html (not diffused)
- These RXs for RC stuff are very cheap and light for the prototype toys: http://www.lemon-rx.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=95

Lab:
- USB 2.0 Cable Adapter Rear Panel: these are cheap and good if you want to connect some more gadgets directly to the PC, :
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Motherboard-USB-2-0-Cable-Adapter-Rear-Panel-Bracket-CLSL/1968886164.html
- This lamp with clamp comes useful when you're working with something big or you just need a lateral light with no cables involved: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Flexible-USB-Battery-Power-Clip-on-LED-Table-Desk-Lamp-Light-28-LED-Bedside-Book-Reading/32327203814.html
-  These headphones have very good reviews but actually I don't like them so much, YMMV: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/KZ-ED2-enthusiast-bass-ear-headphones-copper-forging-7MM-shocking-anti-noise-microphone-sound-quality/2046242550.html

BTW: I'm a shopping addict
I also have a list of these things for students / labs, not in English sorry:
- http://lab.piffa.net/accessori.html
- http://lab.piffa.net/lista.html

[bitseeker]

That's quite a list, ea_man, but definitely neat stuff in there. I may have to get me some as well.

[MickM]

Hi, I had to check, thought it was a typo - 20MHz Z80.

Sure enough they were real.
I think the fastest that I had were 2 or 4Mhz.
So "back in the day", how much was a 20MHz 80?

I presume white ceramic with a gold top.

[obiwanjacobi]

They didn't have a 20MHz Z80 "back in the day". Highest I can remember is 8MHz.

[mikerj]

For some novel projects I just bought this.   
RGB LED Ring 24 Bit WS2812B 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252222767754

Looks like the seller missed a 'd' out of their user name "deainthebox"

[Kerns_jw]

Just bought another rpi 2 and accessories to get one of my 3d printers up on octoprint. Still thinking of upgrading that printer to 24v too, but haven't decided what route to go.

[Macbeth]

I bought some adapter PCBs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/151916828644

But it seems the solder mask on the 0.5mm pitch side has come loose. The 0.8mm pitch side seems ok.
You have been warned.

That's why I would normally look at these things and buy in a larger qty - the uncut boards of 20x for example. (Though they do break them up to fit in China post mail limits). Less middlemen in the chain.

Even if you only went to buy 5 you could have http://www.ebay.com/itm/151916828936 spent a few piddling cents extra and had some stock (and possible decent 0.5mm pitch boards) too.

I am an utter tightwad though. 

[legacy]

this board, which comes with a debug unit 

[diyaudio]

For some novel projects I just bought this.   
RGB LED Ring 24 Bit WS2812B 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252222767754

Looks like the seller missed a 'd' out of their user name "deainthebox"

nice catch. 

[obiwanjacobi]

Found these GALs - nice for retro projects and cheap!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5PCS-IC-GAL16V8D-GAL16V8D-25LP-DIP-20-NEW-GOOD-QYALITY-T1-/400985450618