Super Easy ESP32-S3 Dev Board Making an ESP32-S3 dev board is way easier than it looks. I simplify the datasheet reference: skip the external crystal, wire native USB D+/D− (pins 19/20) straight to a USB-C with 5.1k CC pulldowns, add a BOOT switch and an EN RC reset, and power it with an LD117 LDO that’s happy with ceramic caps. In KiCad I build the schematic with Espressif libraries, add LEDs for 5V, 3V3, and a blink GPIO, set up net classes, route a clean USB differential pair, stitch a solid ground plane, and label everything. It’s a bit wide—just gang breadboards together—and you end... 01 February 2026
Dodgy Circuit Defused - fixing the silly red thing. I’ve got all the bits to bring this little arcade game back to life: swapped the dead 3.3V regulator (had to buy 100… oops), tried and successfully revived the totally flat Li‑ion with a trusty charger board, and I’m adding a couple of Schottky diodes to handle USB vs battery power. Used the mini hot plate to reflow the regulator (not my finest soldering and, of course, the microscope didn’t record), confirmed 5V in and 3.3V out, and the screen actually boots. Next up: stick the charger board down with Kapton, wire B+/B− to the test points, cut the right... 01 February 2026
Dodgy circuit could have caused a fire! So, I got this red mini handheld game thing from AliExpress and it died pretty quickly. After a bit of tinkering, I found that it still draws current but isn't turning on because of a dead battery and a burnt voltage regulator. I removed the faulty components and injected 3.3 volts directly into the system, and guess what? The screen lights up and it works, but there's no sound. Despite the hiccup with my microscope, which stopped recording some interesting bits, you get the picture. It's partly revived but not quite there yet. Big shout out to PCB way who... 01 February 2026
Forget the Arduino Serial Plotter - try this instead! Hey everyone! So, you're probably familiar with the Arduino serial plotter, right? It's useful for basic stuff, but I wanted something better, more cross-platform, and runs right in the browser. Enter the web serial plotter, using the web serial API! It's super flexible with zoom, export options, and light/dark mode. You can even pan through history or switch to absolute time. Plus, it's all secure and runs locally. It's open source, and I'd love your contributions or bug reports on GitHub. It's still a work in progress, but I think you'll find it pretty handy! 01 February 2026
Tearing Down a Bistable Cholesteric Display So, I finally tried out this bistable cholesteric display from my AliExpress stash after seeing Big Clive's teardown. It's super cool to play with, and I mean, it just clears up with a button press after you scribble on it. Gave it a whirl to understand the voltage involved and even ended up sparking it with some reverse polarity action (not the smartest move, I know). I might've broken it, but hey, it still sort of works manually. Check out Big Clive for a deeper dive into its reverse engineering, and remember to like and subscribe! 01 February 2026
This brings back happy memories Unable to generate a summary because no transcript was provided. Share the transcript or a brief outline of the video and I’ll craft a concise, author-voiced summary. 01 February 2026
This Number Does Nothing… when you have native USB This video's all about how the baud rate setting on an ESP32S3 with native USB does absolutely nothing. Testing with different baud rates showed no effect on performance; every rate worked flawlessly. With USB full speed, you can expect data transfers of up to 7 megabits per second. So, baud rate? Totally irrelevant with native USB—it's full steam ahead, folks! Grab my test code from GitHub, give it a go, and share your results in the comments. If that blew your mind, don't forget to like and subscribe for more ESP32 insights! 01 February 2026
I Made a Digital Twin for my PCB - IMU Visualiser Hey everyone! In this video, I’m diving into testing the cool functionality of my new board that I designed, and demonstrating how to use both an accelerometer and gyroscope with my favorite little tool. The board is rocking an LSM 6DS3 sensor, which works like a charm, despite the tiny LED snafu from before (watch my 'ninja repair' in the previous video, haha). I walk through the different modes, including a fusion mode that magically blends sensor data for accuracy. Also, there's some cool 3D modeling in play where you can bring any model to life on my public website... 01 February 2026
Nice fix - what do you think? In this video, I attempt to fix my previous PCB mishap where I mistook a common anode RGB LED for a common cathode. This required some soldering surgery with a hot plate, flux, and soldering iron. I maneuvered a pre-shaped enamel wire to complete the circuit properly and avoid previous mistakes. Despite a minor mishap with too much solder resist, the repair was ultimately successful, and the LED works beautifully now! 01 February 2026
Oops I Did It Again… Swapped VCC and GND, on My PCB 🙈 Hey everyone! In this video, I made a little snafu with my PCB layout by confusing a common anode with a common cathode for my RGB LED. I walked through fixing it by a bit of desoldering, applying solder resist, and reconnecting with a fine wire. Thanks to PCB Way for their awesome service, and as always, all the mistakes you see are mine alone! It's all sorted now, and our LED is shining brightly once again. Let's take a look at the process! 01 February 2026
Crowd Funding Success? I must be rich! Hey guys! So, I wrapped up my ZX Spectrum crowdfunding project, and boy, it was quite a ride! The campaign went gangbusters with 146% funding, and I shipped everything out. Total revenue was £12,839.57, but after costs, I pocketed a neat £4,273.91—though, spoiler, that's before considering my labor! There was quite a learning curve understanding COGS, pricing strategies, and the hidden costs of hardware projects. It took about 13 months from idea to fulfillment, and I amassed 436 hours of work! I discussed vital strategies like working with distributors and how PCBs' cost plummets with bulk orders. Plus, the unknowns,... 01 February 2026
World’s Smallest USB-C Li-Ion Charger?! I found some super compact USB-C lithium battery chargers on AliExpress, and they're tiny! The PCB is just 10mm by 6mm, but it packs a punch with a linear lithium-ion battery charger chip, LP 4054. It's equipped with indicator LEDs for charging status and includes essential resistors and capacitors. Be cautious, though, as it can get warm during use. I've decided to recreate this neat design in Keycad, showing you each step, paying tribute to our Patreons and PCB Way along the way. Let's see how the design translates and if it passes all checks! 01 February 2026
Surprisingly not CR*P - Vibing hardware Well folks, what an adventure! After vibe coding our vibing button, I took up the challenge to vibe code the actual hardware for an ESP32 S3 dev board. Used a tool called at pile and gave it a whirl with some AI help from Claude. Interestingly, it handled everything from sourcing components with LCSC part numbers to wiring them up. Had a wee hiccup with missing capacitor in the RC circuit, but overall it was a thrilling ride watching the AI process! A bit of tweaking here and there, and we're good to go! Can't wait to see it in... 01 February 2026
A Vibe Coded One-Button Mechanical Keyboard - ESP32-S3 USB+BTLE Hey folks! So, I've been tinkering with a compact PCB featuring an ESP32 S3 Mini, and it's been a blast! This little guy has a USB-C and battery connection, with nifty chips like a charge controller and voltage regulator. I'm diving into mechanical keyboards with some cherry switches, and guess what? I made this cool 'Vibe button' for a single key keyboard! I even used AI to vibe code it, so it sends command-enter when pressed. PCB Way did a stellar job on the assembly, and now I'm setting up the RGB LED for charging status. Let's make coding more... 01 February 2026
Blinkety Blink #electronics #arduino #arduinoproject This video is a mesmerizing musical journey that captivates the audience with its enchanting tunes and harmonious melodies. It's all about appreciating the beauty of music. 01 February 2026
Flying sparks #electronics Unable to generate a summary because no transcript was provided. Share the transcript or a brief outline of the video and I’ll craft a concise, author-voiced summary. 01 February 2026
787 Volts From a $2 Board! Let's have some fun with high voltage experiments and LED filaments! I've been dabbling with 300-400 volts, testing out capacitor charging, and saving some flickery Philips bulbs. With a new ESP32 Rainbow project in the works and a nifty minimalist ESP32 S3 board arriving soon, there's lots going on. Despite some high ripple issues and quirky sounds from the modules, swapping to an old-school surface mount board provides smooth performance with almost no ripple. Join me as I explore the limits and potential projects with these LEDs. And for a shocking tidbit at the end, explore some high voltage calculations—it's... 01 February 2026
800 volt DC DC converter In this video, I tinker with high-voltage circuits to light up LED filaments salvaged from broken light bulbs. Using a makeshift setup with a MOSFET, inductor, diode, and smoothing capacitor, I explore switching at high frequencies to achieve bright light. However, limitations with low-voltage capacitors led to some explosive results. I also experiment with a DC/DC converter to reach higher voltages, but it too failed, leading to a troubleshooting session under the microscope. Despite these setbacks, I'll keep tinkering and waiting for replacement parts to continue my experiment. 01 February 2026
Not what I was expecting! Why are all my lightbulbs failing? So, we've been dealing with a little epidemic of light bulb failures in the house. I took apart a couple of dead bulbs to get to the bottom of what's going on. Turns out, one of the bulbs is kind of flickering and faintly working, while another bulb's base gets surprisingly warm. After some poking around, I found the PCB inside the bulb has a bridge rectifier and a LED driver IC, but all components test out fine! The investigation took a turn when I checked the LED filaments with a makeshift power supply, and surprise surprise, some filaments are... 01 February 2026
Electronic Chopsticks? So, I got this free gift from Secure - some HT140 solder tweezers, and they're pretty nifty! The kit comes with a stand, a power supply, and these tiny grub screws. Gave them a test run by desoldering components on a Pico board, and they heat up impressively fast! It's really handy, especially for smaller components. Thanks to Secure for sending these over. Definitely a great addition when working on my PCBs. Check them out in the description if you're interested! 01 February 2026
Taking KiCad Silk Screen to the Next Level! Take a peek at how my ESP 32 ZX Spectrum project is coming along! We're funded on Crowd Supply, ordering components, and adding a cool silk screen design to our PCB. Using tools like KiCad and Affinity Designer, I've jazzed up the back of the board with detailed graphics. It's been an exciting journey, making adjustments and ensuring everything works perfectly before ramping up production. If you haven't yet, head over to Crowd Supply and support the ESP 32 Rainbow project! 01 February 2026