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Advertising Index Altronics.................................27-30 Blackmagic Design....................... 9 Dave Thompson........................ 111 DigiKey Electronics....................... 3 Electronex................................OBC Emona Instruments.................. IBC Hare & Forbes............................ 6-7 Jaycar..................IFC, 11, 15, 52-53 Keith Rippon Kit Assembly....... 111 Lazer Security........................... 111 LD Electronics........................... 111 LEDsales................................... 111 Microchip Technology................ 37 Mouser Electronics....................... 4 PCBWay....................................... 13 PMD Way................................... 111 Rohde & Schwarz........................ 41 SC GPS Analog Clock............... 109 SC Programming Adaptor.......... 67 Silicon Chip Back Issues........... 14 Silicon Chip Binders................ 111 Silicon Chip PDFs on USB......... 48 Silicon Chip Pico Gamer........... 25 Silicon Chip Shop............ 106-107 Silicon Chip Songbird................ 72 Silicon Chip Subscriptions........ 31 The Loudspeaker Kit.com.......... 10 Wagner Electronics..................... 12 Notes and Errata Skill Tester 9000, April & May 2024: in Fig.2 on p64 of the April issue, IC6 at lower left (NE555) is incorrectly labelled IC2. In Fig.3 on p69, the V+ and RS labels for pins 4 & 8 of IC9 and IC14 are swapped (pin 4 is RS, pin 8 is V+ in each case). In the text on p70, the 33nF, 470nF & 1μF values mentioned in the third paragraph of the righthand column should be 10μF and 22μF instead. Finally, on p71, the 470nF value mentioned in the fourth line of the left-hand column should instead read 33nF. Next Issue: the July 2024 issue is due on sale in newsagents by Thursday, June 27th. Expect postal delivery of subscription copies in Australia between June 26th and July 12th. 112 Silicon Chip is code that deals with this “NEC encoding”. After I compiled and uploaded the code, nothing happened when I pressed any button. Can you help? (F. C., Maroubra, NSW) ● The 0xFFFFFFFF code means that the IR receiver is seeing an NEC repeat code. When a button is first pressed, the remote sends a code related to the key; then, if the button continues to be held down, the repeat code is sent after a delay (repetitively until you release the button). For example, pressing “2/up” and holding it down should see the sketch receive a code like 0xFF18E7, followed by a sequence of 0xFFFFFFFF for as long as the button is held down. This is handled with the line: if (code==0xFFFFFFFF) {code=lastcode;} Which simply repeats the last command if 0xFFFFFFFF is received. So it’s quite common to see 0xFFFFFFFF, but it should only follow another code if a button is held down. It seems like the hardware is working because you are seeing something being received. It would help to know which sketch you are compiling (IR_ Code_Typer_and_Serial.ino?) and the output from the bottom window of the Arduino IDE when you compile it. More information about your setup (computer/PC, Arduino hardware) could also be helpful. Unable to calibrate ILI9488-based display Some time ago, I built the V3 Backpack with the latest firmware (V5.0505) and have been using it with the 2.8in ILI9341 display. I also have two 3.5in and one 4in ILI9488 display. I wanted to use a larger screen, so I loaded the ILI9488 driver as per the instructions and restarted the processor. However, all three ILI9488-based displays I have will not calibrate. After I touch the first two targets, I get a Touch Hardware Error, but they all calibrate OK on a PicoMite. (P. C., Balgal Beach, Qld) ● This is a new one for us as we have built many BackPacks with ILI9488based displays and have not had trouble calibrating the touch sensors. Many of our readers have also built designs combining the two without reporting such problems. Australia's electronics magazine The fact that they are working with the PicoMite suggests that the problem does not lie with the LCDs, and that the V3 BackPack is working with the 2.8in panels suggests it’s also fine. Please send us the output of the OPTION LIST command so we can check that the touchscreens have been set up correctly. Try comparing the result to the OPTION LIST from the PicoMite. The Micromite firmware version 5.05.05 was released after we designed the V3 BackPack; it could be that the newer version has some incompatibility that we have not seen before. Still, we would be surprised if nobody else had reported that by now if that was the case. It might be worth trying V5.05.01, as that is what we used for testing. You can find older versions of the Micromite firmware at https://geoffg. net/Downloads/Micromite/Archives/ Can eFuse be used with AC for DCC? I’m building an N-gauge model railway and considering how to manage the power regions in my layout. I was wondering if it is possible to adapt the eFuse featured in the April 2017 issue (siliconchip.au/Article/10611) for power region protection. It would be easy if I were planning on using a DC layout, but I will be using DCC. As you will know, DCC is a modulated AC signal at around 4-6kHz. I propose interposing the eFuse in the DC load side of a full bridge rectifier, using schottky diodes, in one leg of my DCC supply. Your thoughts on this plan would be appreciated. (B. P., Jeir, NSW) ● It should work if you place the eFuse within a schottky diode bridge so that only a DC voltage is applied to it. The rectified DCC would need to be filtered using a capacitor to remove the modulation; the result should be around 15V DC. That’s suitable for powering the NIS5112 ICs used in the eFuse project. The DCC supply must be able to charge the filter capacitor within the diode bridge without significantly rounding the DCC square wave. Each eFuse IC draws around 2mA, for a total of 4mA. A 1μF MKT polyester capacitor should be suitable as the supply filter capacitor. The resulting ripple would be around 1V when powering the two NIS5112 ICs. SC siliconchip.com.au