Machina Speculatrix
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mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Machina Speculatrix
@mspeculatrix.bsky.social
8 followers 24 following 14 posts
Journalist, writer, photographer, maker and electronics botherer. I like to tinker with electronics, robotics, home automation and other tech projects until they either work or catch fire. https://mspeculatrix.substack.com/
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mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Another day, another new batch of PCBs. These ones have me slightly intimidated, but I hope to write about them soon on Machina Speculatrix.

mspeculatrix.substack.com

#tech #technology #maker #electronics
Close-up photograph of red printed circuit boards.
November 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Pro tip: Don’t shave in the vicinity of a breadboard. That is all.

#electronics #maker #tech #technology
November 9, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Reposted by Machina Speculatrix
zolachrome.com
Can you read it?

linktr.ee/zolachrome

#photography #originalphotography #artphotography #abstract
Abstract photograph of a metal surface with areas of rust some of which hint at the former presence of text.
November 9, 2025 at 8:40 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Maybe we need to update #RTFM. Manuals are rare these days. The information you need is online, as PDF datasheets, forum posts, Git gists. It should be RTFAI (‘Available Information’). Perhaps just RTFI. Or we could just say ‘Read’, followed (if you feel strongly) by FFS. RFFS?

#tech #technology
November 9, 2025 at 11:16 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Trying to make it easier to play with an SMD microcontroller. New article on Machina Speculatrix (for subscribers).

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/creating-a...

#electronics #maker #microcontroller #AVR #tech #technology #PCB
Creating a dev board for an ATmega microcontroller
Experimenting with tiny, surface-mount microcontrollers is a lot easier with a breakout board.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:26 PM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Any day you get new PCBs is the post is a good day. I’ll be writing about these soon.

mspeculatrix.substack.com

#tech #technology #maker #electronics #pcb
A collection of purple printed circuit boards.
November 5, 2025 at 11:12 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
This is how I go about writing #code for #AVR #microcontrollers. (For subscribers).

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/avr-progra...

#tech #technology #maker #computer #computer #programming #coding #atmega
AVR programming: a dev environment
The toolset you use to program a microcontroller is a very personal choice. This is what I landed on.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:45 PM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
A trip back to 1950s-style #mainframe #computing. New article for subscribers in Machina Speculatrix.

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/elliott-40...

#tech #technology #maker #computer #computer #retrocomputing #vintagecomputing
Elliott 405: Mainframe computing 1950s-style
A small treasure trove of documents gives a taste of computing the vintage mainframe way.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:52 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
New piece in Machina Speculatrix (for subscribers).

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/fun-with-c...

#tech #technology #maker #electronics
Fun with chips: SN76489 sound generator IC
Audio is an important component of a computer’s power. And producing sound can be surprisingly simple.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:27 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Back in the day I got to review the #Amstrad PPC 640. Seems like I wasn't impressed.

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/from-the-a...

#tech #technology #computer #computer #retro #retrocomputing #vintage #vintagecomputing #review
From the archive: Amstrad PPC 640 review
This was one of the strangest PCs I ever used. Luckily, I didn’t have to use it for long.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Finding myself increasing drawn towards the #AVR 0-series #microcontrollers, especially the small but capable ATtiny1604. I'm toying with the idea of a breakout board for it. Should I do it?

#tech #technology #maker #electronics
October 29, 2025 at 9:32 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Today I shall mostly be hanging my head in shame at having reversed the polarity of the power wires going to a #sensor. That sensor is now having a lie down, perhaps forever.

#tech #technology #maker #electronics
October 29, 2025 at 8:49 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Starting to move my #homebrew #computer posts over to Substack.

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/zolatron-a...

#tech #technology #maker #computer #computer #retro #retrocomputing #vintage #vintagecomputing
Zolatron: A homebrew computer of my own
There’s no better way to understand computers than to design and build one of your own. All you have to do is go back in time.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:29 AM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
Why I love microcontrollers. Starting to move the Machina Speculatrix blog to Substack.

mspeculatrix.substack.com/p/the-joy-of...

#tech #technology #maker #computer #computer #electronics #code #coding #programming
The joy of AVR 8-bit microcontrollers
Microcontrollers are becoming insanely fast and capable. But there’s something about the simpler types that appeals.
mspeculatrix.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 3:16 PM
mspeculatrix.bsky.social
My first attempt at a serial interface for my #homebrew computer. (Medium sub required.)

medium.com/machina-spec...

#tech #technology #maker #computer #computer #retro #retrocomputing #vintage #vintagecomputing
Creating a serial interface for a homebrew computer
It’s not really a computer unless it has input and output. And a serial interface can handle both of those tasks.
medium.com
October 27, 2025 at 1:30 PM