Latest Consumer Electronics Technical Articles

This project brief describes how to build a compact dual-channel power amplifier module that delivers 38 W per channel…

This project brief describes how to build a compact dual-channel power amplifier module that delivers 38 W per channel into 4-ohm speakers using STMicroelectronics' STA540 audio amplifier IC.

Explore how frequency-modulated waves resist interference. We break down the demodulator architecture and derive the…

Explore how frequency-modulated waves resist interference. We break down the demodulator architecture and derive the exact output signal power for a sinusoidal message.

Build a low-noise, 32-bit delta-sigma ADC board designed around the ADS1262. This 10-channel design features integrated…

Build a low-noise, 32-bit delta-sigma ADC board designed around the ADS1262. This 10-channel design features integrated signal conditioning for RTDs, thermocouples, and strain gauges.

Envelope detection is simple, but that simplicity has a noise-performance cost. Here’s how much SNR conventional AM…

Envelope detection is simple, but that simplicity has a noise-performance cost. Here’s how much SNR conventional AM gives up compared to its coherent counterparts.

Build an ultra-low-noise preamplifier with a JFE150 JFET and OPA202 op-amp, perfect for high-impedance sensors,…

Build an ultra-low-noise preamplifier with a JFE150 JFET and OPA202 op-amp, perfect for high-impedance sensors, hydrophones, guitar pickups, microphones, and turntables.

Using a graphical approach, we show that coherent SSB demodulation leaves the input and output SNR unchanged, then…

Using a graphical approach, we show that coherent SSB demodulation leaves the input and output SNR unchanged, then compare its noise performance to DSB-SC and baseband systems.

Visualizing how correlated and uncorrelated signals combine offers an intuitive look at power transformation. See how…

Visualizing how correlated and uncorrelated signals combine offers an intuitive look at power transformation. See how this difference boosts baseband power to double the output SNR.

Learn how to build a constant-bandwidth band-pass filter covering 20 kHz to 60 kHz, with an integrated frequency counter…

Learn how to build a constant-bandwidth band-pass filter covering 20 kHz to 60 kHz, with an integrated frequency counter for precise tuning.

In this article, we'll learn how to calculate the noise power and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a double-sideband…

In this article, we'll learn how to calculate the noise power and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a double-sideband suppressed-carrier communication system.

This project brief explains how to construct a PCB-based audio-processing platform with an ATmega328 microcontroller. A…

This project brief explains how to construct a PCB-based audio-processing platform with an ATmega328 microcontroller. A link to Arduino code for creating an audio echo is also provided.

This project brief provides the instructions for building a weight-sensitive LED lamp with an Arduino Uno and a handful…

This project brief provides the instructions for building a weight-sensitive LED lamp with an Arduino Uno and a handful of commercially available parts.

To complete this project, we add backlight control and temperature-sensing functionality to the clock we built in the…

To complete this project, we add backlight control and temperature-sensing functionality to the clock we built in the previous installments.

We continue our design of a clock that uses analog ammeters to display time and temperature. In this installment, we…

We continue our design of a clock that uses analog ammeters to display time and temperature. In this installment, we examine the second of the two circuits that enable the timekeeping function.

This project turns old-school analog ammeters into a working clock that can also display the ambient temperature.

This project turns old-school analog ammeters into a working clock that can also display the ambient temperature.

The phase-locked loop (PLL) is widely used in contemporary analog and digital communication systems. In this article, we…

The phase-locked loop (PLL) is widely used in contemporary analog and digital communication systems. In this article, we develop a nonlinear model for the analog PLL by analyzing its key components.

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we turn our hardware assembly into a functioning soundboard by adding the necessary…

In Part 2 of this two-part series, we turn our hardware assembly into a functioning soundboard by adding the necessary code in Arduino IDE and uploading soundbites.

Learn how to turn an ATmega328 microcontroller and an assortment of readily available parts into a dedicated hardware soundboard.

Learn how to turn an ATmega328 microcontroller and an assortment of readily available parts into a dedicated hardware soundboard.

Follow my upgrade of a handheld game controller as I add a new 1.8-inch color LCD for animated graphics and an…

Follow my upgrade of a handheld game controller as I add a new 1.8-inch color LCD for animated graphics and an accelerometer module for motion control input.

In this Radio Shack Classic Circuits Remix, we add modern microcontroller functionality to the vintage Electronic Timer…

In this Radio Shack Classic Circuits Remix, we add modern microcontroller functionality to the vintage Electronic Timer project for the Science Fair 65-in-1 kit.