Very neat solution. Used an Arduino nano for a DIY 10 channel MIDI fader controller, also first experience with it. Amazed the AI being so smart generating and improving the code. Great stuff!
This is very interesting Manuel. I had the same problem early on with the switches on the original design, so will follow this project closely. Many thanks for your continued contributions to the channel.
That is thinking outside the box Manuel. I played with Arduino a few years ago but found the programming hard due to diminished eyesight at the time. I still have a huge amount of Arduino components. As for low current switch problems. When aircraft started going digital they still used mechanical switches for the flaps, the switches would go intermittent over time. The Sparkies would flash the switch with a lead and light bulb plugged into the wheel well light socket to refresh the switches. Replacing the switch pack assy was a huge job, this method could be done during aircraft turnround.
It's really amazing how well this works for Arduino, just started to try, I also started with Fortran 77 > 40 years ago .... but I'm a retired mechanical engineer, electronics is just a Hobby. 😊 in fact everything is a Hobby now, there is a Saba Freiburg in stock that needs some attention, your Videos will be a great support, muito obrigado!
Interesting timing. I’m building one of these now to drive latching relays. I’m doing this with old school tti logic and non of that fancy pants microcontroller stuff.
Hi Manuel, that's a great project! I worked with relays AND very small signals as a part of my job for more than 20 years. I highly recommend to use gold plated relay contacts, if available. In case of normal contact surfaces (for switching eg. home appliances), it could be neccessary to use a micro fitting circuit. This is not a big deal, while your circuit is AC coupled and a relatively "high" voltage (9 volts) is available on the board. Very helpful is to clean the contacts (self cleaning due to mechanically interaction of the contact surfaces) before use. This can be easily done by the Arduino... Switch each relay 10 times (or more) shortly after power on. Regards Kassen
Very good. A thought for a future design perhaps is to use analogue switch ICs (depending on max current requirements), some of which are available with very low on resistances. Plus, of course, digitally controlled potentiometers and Alexa control.
Nicely done. A rotary switch would not let you go over the maximum and will start at the minimum, I would make it nicer IMHO. But this is functioning and works. So it would just be ascetics :)
Manuel, Amazing! AI, Arduino, Coding and Translations! When are you going to stop expanding the boundaries and scope of your vintage radio restoration channel......Never I hope!
Very interesting video, thank you. It will be necessary to modify this to pass it with a raspberry microcontroller and written in micro python. But chatgpt and Gemini are our new friends.
Hmmm, Like you my programming is restricted to Fortran 99 & C++ as a grad & undergrad student roughly 20 years ago although due to being severely injured in my twenties I was rather old by being in my forties at the time. Several years ago I picked up an Arduino, but have done little with it. I have picked up a Python book to refresh my lost language skills because I want to use the Python language to gather sensor values. While A.I. is both new & interesting I can't say for me it's a path I want to ever use. I'd rather build nearly all aspects of the project whether it's building an acoustic guitar or a regenerative radio. Obviously I don't cut down the trees and mill the lumber for a guitar or manufacture the copper clad boards for the radio receiver thus there are limits to how much of my skills went into the project, but I really don't want an A. I. writing my papers, & etc., pretty much like I don't want to have an aide tie my shoes, dress me, and create for me everything I'd like to have. As a sidebar, you have to really ask, if A. I. takes off by being ubiquitous will anybody in humanity downstream of us have any real skills other than asking a machine to do what they can not do. My field is pure mathematics & I shudder over the thought of the theoretical mathematician tomorrow can't add integers let alone anything else but he is capable of asking a machine to expand the field of knowledge.
very interesting, the arduino board got processor with it's clock generator. After completing this project, make a test to see if there is noise passed from digital board to analogue output. Thank you.
I would be interested to compare your original sketch with the final CHATGP sketch. On another note what would happen if you input a stronger signal to your current attenuator possibly output to a 50 Ohm dummy load and repeatedly flipped the switches? Would it 'clean' the switch contacts?
Yes, it probably would, especially if I direct coupled it (bypassing the capacitor). As for the two sketches, I’ll probably make both available when I complete the project. The PCBs have been ordered already 😊
@@electronicsoldandnew Manuel, thank you for your reply. I'll look forward to the next episode. I'm interested in both versions as I'm looking at a method of protecting inputs to my spectrum analysers. Perhaps I can work out how to automatically prevent an overload.
Yes, that could be a good application for this type of project …. Start high to protect the device, and drop the attenuation progressively until it’s suitable for the SA. You could have the Arduino read the input level to the SA and decide what attenuation to apply. I like it.
I wonder about RF noise from the Arduino getting picked up by the attenuator. Processors are noisy, and you are working with VERY small signal levels in your attenuator. Maybe your radios will pick up this noise. Maybe it doesn't matter really as you are just using it for alignment I think, not for Hi Fi listening. I assumed you made it two separate boards so you could physically distance them and provide metal screening between them. Maybe you also need feedthrough capacitors for the wires to the relay coils.
The boards were built separately precisely to test for that issue. There is a ground plane on the underside of the arduino board but that may not be enough. Only testing will tell.
A good Fortran programmer can still be worth a lot these days as a lot of banking systems still use Fortran.... It is a little different to C++ that Arduino sketches use. It's amazing what AI can do, almost scary.....
Arduino ports can act as low power electronic relays using the pin mode command. The analog pins are best as the off resistance is lowest I think. I f this works you could save relays, transistor’s etc. and simplify programming a lot. However you may have noise problems and not enough pins . You could Increase the PIN number by adding an electronic switch chip. I find the miracle of AI is not that it can write a program but that it can translate your typed request into working code. I find that is a good start but the code is usually a bit clunky. I enjoy trying to write tight minimalist code that does exactly what you want. I really like the arduino nano although it is old and has many limitations it still can do amazing things if you program it correctly. You get lazy coding on more modern hardware with acres of ram and speed.
I still prefer to write my own code and for the reasons that you've shown here. To many mistakes and futzing around with GPT to get it working the way you want. Plus writing your own code allows you to understand the entire process much better, which for me, is all part of the hobby.
I can see that, but the fact remains: I took over a week to get to grips with writing my own version, and then did another version I. Less than an hour. For someone who’s forgotten most of the coding leant 40 years ago, this can seem quite miraculous 😊
@@electronicsoldandnew For me it's all about learning. Rebuilding old tube radios is a minor hobby for me. Yet here am I scraping bits and pieces of info and trying to learn what I can: building my own test gear, watching hours upon hours of video, and adding to my list of knowledge. I completely understand where you are coming from, really I do. I trully enjoy programming and a chance to use those skills though. A guy I work with loves using chat GPT even though he has the skills. It's always missing something though, iterative testing. He always has to fix all the bugs that crop up because it was never tested iteratively to ensure stability. Having to rewrite a large majority of code from GPT is actually slower for him now. For projects like yours it's pretty damn good though. All inputs and outputs are completely known and simple. I'd be highly interested in seeing both the code that you wrote and what chat gpt came up with.
Crikey, I wasn't expecting that! There's an old adage that goes "Be careful what you ask for" and it seems that at the current state of the art that applies in spades when asking Artificial Idiots to write code.🤣Can you imagine debugging anything but the simplest piece of AI generated software, especially code that doesn't produce immediate visual clues like yours did when it's broken? Nightmare. In time AI will likely surpass us (OK, that wouldn't be hard to do on the idiocy front 🙄) if we let them but I believe we're a long way from that at the moment.
I sure hope you’re right 😊 Because of my engineering background, I’ve always felt that I sort of understood the basics of what made all tech developments work. There was some comfort in that (and often some awe), but with the AI fad, I’m at a loss. As I said, it scares me a little 😊
@@electronicsoldandnew they are out there on mouser but not that cheap. You can use two SPST, one on each leg and control both from the same source so they act as a dpdt. but yeay dpdt aren't cheap mostly not used in lower power applications. that how change my fridge switch to a SS relay from a the normal replay since it did have some funny behaviour
YT autodubbing. Star Trek universal translator. Real life mimics fiction. If it works well you are hopefully going to gain many subs 🤞 Like you I haven't done any programming since the late 70's and then only machine code and BASIC. I was for most of my working life using high tech complicated equipment, but I have lost touch over the last 10 years since retiring and so much now astounds and bamboozles. You are not alone in your wonder of these new development aids.
I noticed that the auto-dubbing is still not active on this video. They informed me that my channel was eligible, but I guess it’ll take a while to kick in. As for programming, I also did machine code and basic, starting when I got one of the first ZX80 computer kits from Sinclair in the late seventies. This modern code is actually not that difficult to understand, especially when all I’m doing is altering an existing program. Quite fun, actually.
Very neat solution. Used an Arduino nano for a DIY 10 channel MIDI fader controller, also first experience with it. Amazed the AI being so smart generating and improving the code. Great stuff!
👍
This is very interesting Manuel.
I had the same problem early on with the switches on the original design, so will follow this project closely. Many thanks for your continued contributions to the channel.
My pleasure
That is thinking outside the box Manuel. I played with Arduino a few years ago but found the programming hard due to diminished eyesight at the time. I still have a huge amount of Arduino components. As for low current switch problems. When aircraft started going digital they still used mechanical switches for the flaps, the switches would go intermittent over time. The Sparkies would flash the switch with a lead and light bulb plugged into the wheel well light socket to refresh the switches. Replacing the switch pack assy was a huge job, this method could be done during aircraft turnround.
I’m never getting into an older plane again without feeling a little panic 😊
It's really amazing how well this works for Arduino, just started to try, I also started with Fortran 77 > 40 years ago .... but I'm a retired mechanical engineer, electronics is just a Hobby. 😊 in fact everything is a Hobby now, there is a Saba Freiburg in stock that needs some attention, your Videos will be a great support, muito obrigado!
Good luck with the Saba Freiburg. It’s probably the best of the best
Interesting timing. I’m building one of these now to drive latching relays. I’m doing this with old school tti logic and non of that fancy pants microcontroller stuff.
😊 sometimes it’s fun to try on the fancy pants too 😊
Agreed! I suck at digital logic so that’s why I’m going this route.
Hi Manuel,
that's a great project!
I worked with relays AND very small signals as a part of my job for more than 20 years.
I highly recommend to use gold plated relay contacts, if available.
In case of normal contact surfaces (for switching eg. home appliances), it could be neccessary to use a micro fitting circuit. This is not a big deal, while your circuit is AC coupled and a relatively "high" voltage (9 volts) is available on the board.
Very helpful is to clean the contacts (self cleaning due to mechanically interaction of the contact surfaces) before use.
This can be easily done by the Arduino... Switch each relay 10 times (or more) shortly after power on.
Regards Kassen
👍
Very good. A thought for a future design perhaps is to use analogue switch ICs (depending on max current requirements), some of which are available with very low on resistances. Plus, of course, digitally controlled potentiometers and Alexa control.
😊 my Siri will get jealous 😊
Nicely done. A rotary switch would not let you go over the maximum and will start at the minimum, I would make it nicer IMHO. But this is functioning and works. So it would just be ascetics :)
👍
Amazing Manuel, You keep surprising me with test bench refinements know AI Wow.
I’m a curious guy 😊
Manuel, Amazing! AI, Arduino, Coding and Translations! When are you going to stop expanding the boundaries and scope of your vintage radio restoration channel......Never I hope!
😊 maybe I’ll do a favourite recipe video 😊 Just kidding. When it’s my turn to make dinner, I do so. With a phone call to the Pizza delivery 😊
Do you think that the relay contacts will be more reliable than the classic switches?
Yes, I’m sure they will be. Time will tell 😊
Very interesting video, thank you. It will be necessary to modify this to pass it with a raspberry microcontroller and written in micro python. But chatgpt and Gemini are our new friends.
👍
Hmmm,
Like you my programming is restricted to Fortran 99 & C++ as a grad & undergrad student roughly 20 years ago although due to being severely injured in my twenties I was rather old by being in my forties at the time.
Several years ago I picked up an Arduino, but have done little with it. I have picked up a Python book to refresh my lost language skills because I want to use the Python language to gather sensor values.
While A.I. is both new & interesting I can't say for me it's a path I want to ever use. I'd rather build nearly all aspects of the project whether it's building an acoustic guitar or a regenerative radio.
Obviously I don't cut down the trees and mill the lumber for a guitar or manufacture the copper clad boards for the radio receiver thus there are limits to how much of my skills went into the project, but I really don't want an A. I. writing my papers, & etc., pretty much like I don't want to have an aide tie my shoes, dress me, and create for me everything I'd like to have.
As a sidebar, you have to really ask, if A. I. takes off by being ubiquitous will anybody in humanity downstream of us have any real skills other than asking a machine to do what they can not do. My field is pure mathematics & I shudder over the thought of the theoretical mathematician tomorrow can't add integers let alone anything else but he is capable of asking a machine to expand the field of knowledge.
very interesting, the arduino board got processor with it's clock generator. After completing this project, make a test to see if there is noise passed from digital board to analogue output. Thank you.
I sure will. I designed the board to break in two to separate digital from the signal path if necessary.
you can also replace these transistors with 1 x uln2003
I would be interested to compare your original sketch with the final CHATGP sketch.
On another note what would happen if you input a stronger signal to your current attenuator possibly output to a 50 Ohm dummy load and repeatedly flipped the switches? Would it 'clean' the switch contacts?
Yes, it probably would, especially if I direct coupled it (bypassing the capacitor).
As for the two sketches, I’ll probably make both available when I complete the project. The PCBs have been ordered already 😊
@@electronicsoldandnew Manuel, thank you for your reply. I'll look forward to the next episode. I'm interested in both versions as I'm looking at a method of protecting inputs to my spectrum analysers. Perhaps I can work out how to automatically prevent an overload.
Yes, that could be a good application for this type of project …. Start high to protect the device, and drop the attenuation progressively until it’s suitable for the SA. You could have the Arduino read the input level to the SA and decide what attenuation to apply. I like it.
I wonder about RF noise from the Arduino getting picked up by the attenuator. Processors are noisy, and you are working with VERY small signal levels in your attenuator. Maybe your radios will pick up this noise. Maybe it doesn't matter really as you are just using it for alignment I think, not for Hi Fi listening. I assumed you made it two separate boards so you could physically distance them and provide metal screening between them. Maybe you also need feedthrough capacitors for the wires to the relay coils.
The boards were built separately precisely to test for that issue. There is a ground plane on the underside of the arduino board but that may not be enough. Only testing will tell.
A good Fortran programmer can still be worth a lot these days as a lot of banking systems still use Fortran.... It is a little different to C++ that Arduino sketches use. It's amazing what AI can do, almost scary.....
Yep, scary indeed 😊
Arduino ports can act as low power electronic relays using the pin mode command. The analog pins are best as the off resistance is lowest I think. I f this works you could save relays, transistor’s etc. and simplify programming a lot. However you may have noise problems and not enough pins . You could Increase the PIN number by adding an electronic switch chip. I find the miracle of AI is not that it can write a program but that it can translate your typed request into working code. I find that is a good start but the code is usually a bit clunky. I enjoy trying to write tight minimalist code that does exactly what you want. I really like the arduino nano although it is old and has many limitations it still can do amazing things if you program it correctly. You get lazy coding on more modern hardware with acres of ram and speed.
I remember what it was like to have limited memory. My final year project at varsity used an Intel 8749, if memory serves 😊
I still prefer to write my own code and for the reasons that you've shown here. To many mistakes and futzing around with GPT to get it working the way you want. Plus writing your own code allows you to understand the entire process much better, which for me, is all part of the hobby.
I can see that, but the fact remains: I took over a week to get to grips with writing my own version, and then did another version I. Less than an hour. For someone who’s forgotten most of the coding leant 40 years ago, this can seem quite miraculous 😊
@@electronicsoldandnew For me it's all about learning. Rebuilding old tube radios is a minor hobby for me. Yet here am I scraping bits and pieces of info and trying to learn what I can: building my own test gear, watching hours upon hours of video, and adding to my list of knowledge. I completely understand where you are coming from, really I do. I trully enjoy programming and a chance to use those skills though.
A guy I work with loves using chat GPT even though he has the skills. It's always missing something though, iterative testing. He always has to fix all the bugs that crop up because it was never tested iteratively to ensure stability. Having to rewrite a large majority of code from GPT is actually slower for him now. For projects like yours it's pretty damn good though. All inputs and outputs are completely known and simple. I'd be highly interested in seeing both the code that you wrote and what chat gpt came up with.
I’ll be making both versions available when I receive the boards and do the project.
Olá! Ainda não está dublado. Mas já assisto alguns. Fiz um vídeo na quinta-feira, mas também não entrou dublado. Sucesso!
Creio que pode demorar algum tempo antes de ficar activo.
Crikey, I wasn't expecting that! There's an old adage that goes "Be careful what you ask for" and it seems that at the current state of the art that applies in spades when asking Artificial Idiots to write code.🤣Can you imagine debugging anything but the simplest piece of AI generated software, especially code that doesn't produce immediate visual clues like yours did when it's broken? Nightmare. In time AI will likely surpass us (OK, that wouldn't be hard to do on the idiocy front 🙄) if we let them but I believe we're a long way from that at the moment.
I sure hope you’re right 😊 Because of my engineering background, I’ve always felt that I sort of understood the basics of what made all tech developments work. There was some comfort in that (and often some awe), but with the AI fad, I’m at a loss. As I said, it scares me a little 😊
Can't beat switches very low HF noise. 🙂
👍
Why not straight up use Solid State relay? then you never have problems with the switches
I actually looked into that option, but couldn’t find dpdt SS relays, and since I had these on hand, they were out to good use.
@@electronicsoldandnew they are out there on mouser but not that cheap. You can use two SPST, one on each leg and control both from the same source so they act as a dpdt. but yeay dpdt aren't cheap mostly not used in lower power applications. that how change my fridge switch to a SS relay from a the normal replay since it did have some funny behaviour
@marijndegezelle3819 : yep, very pricey 😊
YT autodubbing. Star Trek universal translator. Real life mimics fiction. If it works well you are hopefully going to gain many subs 🤞 Like you I haven't done any programming since the late 70's and then only machine code and BASIC. I was for most of my working life using high tech complicated equipment, but I have lost touch over the last 10 years since retiring and so much now astounds and bamboozles. You are not alone in your wonder of these new development aids.
I noticed that the auto-dubbing is still not active on this video. They informed me that my channel was eligible, but I guess it’ll take a while to kick in.
As for programming, I also did machine code and basic, starting when I got one of the first ZX80 computer kits from Sinclair in the late seventies. This modern code is actually not that difficult to understand, especially when all I’m doing is altering an existing program. Quite fun, actually.
@@electronicsoldandnew I understand your speech perfectly, Manuel, but am anxious to "hear" you speaking spanish 😁
So am I 😊 actually, I can sort of get by in Spanish. Indonesian or Japanese should be interesting