June 2025

The Styloclone

We present a new take on the classic stylus-operated mini musical instrument. Using straightforward discrete components on a through-hole printed circuit board, this is a satisfying project for beginners to tackle. The Styloclone uses a quality PCB ‘keyboard’ and has vibrato control and a built-in audio amp driving a loudspeaker directly. Full constructional details are included.

The History of Electronics (Part 6)
Inventors and their Inventions

The final part of this exceptional compilation concludes by showcasing in chronological order the contributions made by universities, institutions and the private sector in developing consumer electronics and personal computing from the 1960s to 2020.

Intelligent Dual Hybrid Power Supply

This advanced and highly sophisticated power supply offers two separate outputs, each capable of delivering up to 25V DC at 5 amps. They can be ganged-together to form a dual tracking supply. Both channels are controlled and monitored using a graphical LCD screen. Based around a PIC32-type microcontroller, a partial kit is available from Silicon Chip – see magazine for full details.

Circuit Surgery

This highly-acclaimed series continues on the theme of digital signal processing. This month sees the start of a tutorial on implementing DSP on a microcontroller.

Dual Mini LED Dice

This project revisits and updates the classic design for an LED-display dice, using surface mount components  and 74HCT logic. As an added twist, a vibration-switch is included which rolls the dice with the shake of a hand!

Surface mount components are used throughout and  good soldering skills are needed to complete this project successfully.

Audio Out

For electric guitar musicians, this project describes how to building a ‘phantom-powered’ Direct Injection (DI) box using a JFET/ BJT cascade circuit.

Techno Talk

Max reflects on the increasing potential that humanoid-form robots may play in our lives.

Max’s Cool Beans
Weird & Wonderful Arduino Projects
Part 6: shift registers and 8-segment displays

More advances are made on the retro games console project, including some cunning software-based switch debouncing routines.

Skill Tester 9000 Buzz Wire game (Part 2)

This is a 21^st century take on the old ‘buzz wire’ dexterity game that’s been popular for decades. Its sectional construction adds a variety of features and novelties that enhances the fun factor: there are timers, lights, sound effects and competition between players. It’s built on a single board using classic 4000 CMOS chips and there’s plenty for old and young constructors alike to tackle and enjoy. Discrete through-hole components are used throughout (no SMD here!) and this second part describes its constructional details in full.

Precision Electronics
Part 6: Digital-to-Analog Conversion

Previous articles have focussed on sources of error and imprecision in analog circuitry. Eventually these analog systems interface with the digital realm, such as microcontrollers, so we also need to understand the precision approach to ADCs and DACs, the subject of this month’s instalment.

Next month

Compact OLED Clock & Timer; 180-230V DC Motor Speed Controller; Another use for the Mains Power-Up Sequencer. These and all the regular features in the July 2025 issue. Contents may be subject to change.