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Project Notes

#267 Cuttle Scope Tag

Get the Boldport Cuttle to write its name on a Digital Oscilloscope with an MCP42010 digital potentiometer.

ScopeTag_test_run

Notes

I just built The Cuttle so time for a quick test.

I thought I’d borrow an idea from the XYplotter project and get The Cuttle to write its name on an oscilloscope.

The Python script make_data.py is used to interpolate plotting points over the fundamental text structure. It generates the data.h used by the ScopeTag.ino sketch:

python make_data.py > data.h

When running on The Cuttle, it produces the image below. I’m using a Hantek MSO5074FG oscilloscope, and the image was captured with the following settings:

  • XY plot mode
  • 0.2s persistence
  • display as vectors
  • average over 4 samples
  • CH1/X offset by -4V
  • CH2/Y offset by 40mV
  • 570mV per grid

scope_text

The time-domain plot for the generated output is like this:

scope_text_xt

Construction

Breadboard

Schematic

ScopeTag_breadboard

Credits and References

About LEAP#267 BoldportATmegaATmelArduinoDigital PotMCP42010Oscilloscope
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This page is a web-friendly rendering of my project notes shared in the LEAP GitHub repository.

LEAP is just my personal collection of projects. Two main themes have emerged in recent years, sometimes combined:

  • electronics - usually involving an Arduino or other microprocessor in one way or another. Some are full-blown projects, while many are trivial breadboard experiments, intended to learn and explore something interesting
  • scale modelling - I caught the bug after deciding to build a Harrier during covid to demonstrate an electronic jet engine simulation. Let the fun begin..
To be honest, I haven't quite figured out if these two interests belong in the same GitHub repo or not. But for now - they are all here!

Projects are often inspired by things found wild on the net, or ideas from the many great electronics and scale modelling podcasts and YouTube channels. Feel free to borrow liberally, and if you spot any issues do let me know (or send a PR!). See the individual projects for credits where due.