On vacation again… 8 bit computer time!

https://eater.net/8bit

I’ve been staring at Ben’s videos for the last 6 or so months and really wanted to dig a little deeper.. however, with as much knowledge and experience as I have with technology, I really don’t (didn’t..) understand electricity at all, except for the experiences I’ve had with accidentally grounding out light switches in the gang box, because I didn’t realize the electrician had sourced multiple circuits into the same box.. *poof*

What I did know, however, is that electricity is dangerous, and while I had a basic level of understanding electricity, and a pretty solid understanding of how digital circuits work, and how a computer is pieced together from thise circuits, I had no idea how actual electricity flows through all the different components to build up to a functional computer.

For example: what is a transistor, how does a resistor work, what about a diode, or a FET, how do capacitors work… how about electrical flow in circuits that are parallel, or in series, how do you “size” your circuits correctly?

I understood high-level differences with AC and DC, but how do you convert from one to the other, and why use either? The list goes on and on and on.

So, I started with an 11 hour course on Udemy from Ian Juby, on Electricity and Robotics, then I spent hours and hours and hours on youtube watching follow up videos, and demonstrations around Ohms law, impedance and the likes.

Now, I finally feel ready to start on my 8 bit computer from Ben, and confident I won’t electrocute myself. I’ve even started soldering components for the first time on my life – the first time was pretty ugly, but I quickly leveled-up.

First time attempt at Soldering
Initial Attempt at Soldering resistors on LEDs
Soldering after some practice
After a few times soldering – it’s not so bad!

I’ve also chosen to use lead-free solder; I don’t spend all my free time trying to boost my brain capacity just to smear lead all over my hands, which means I’ve had to run my soldering iron at 750 degrees!

Anyway, I’ve got a pretty good start on the 8-bit; I’m likely to spend most of my vacation working on it.

Beginnings of an 8 Bit Computer

Some things never change – this is what my vacations usually look like:

How I take Vacation

Ohana

It’s been a trying few weeks; so many challenges as children transition from young adult, to adult. On some evenings, it definitely feels like everyone is not growing up fast enough, and yet, still other evenings, it still seems like they are growing too fast (and we are aging) way.to.fast.

But in the silence of the peepers and the wind chimes, I sat here and realized that soon, in the proverbial “tomorrow”, they all won’t be around; so tonight, I’ll just be thankful that I still see this.

Self awareness

I love this little dog. but I also kind of wonder if she wakes up every day, realizing life will be the same story over and over until she moves on from this life.

Wake up, walk, nap, scrounge for food, walk, sometimes chase the cat around the living room, then bed again.

I mean, at least I get to work 9+ hours a day too.

#RatInACage

One OClock in the Morning

I took a break from breaking into computers, with some of my children, to play an accordion with others of my children. I was too tired to pull out the Cordovox.. it’s heavy, and I’m old!

Yep, I am the head of a really weird household.

Me playing accordion a 1 AM

NOTE: Braeden is holding the accordion I started playing when I was 6 years old, Donovan is holding the accordion I started playing when I was 11. 😱

Socks and first world problems :(

I decided to treat myself to new socks, so I wouldn’t have to keep spending 15 minutes every morning searching the floordrobe for socks… only to find out that the new socks have a (l)eft and (r)ight orientation. 

HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP???

To add insult to injury, I didn’t realize this until I finally decided that the socks were too uncomfortable and I needed to return them. I went to take them off and found the L on the R side, at least I got them switched around now….

All grown up!

It’s hard to describe the pride as a parent when I look forward, (or behind) and see my first born on his first ride. After 8 hours of his second day of the course, he spent an hour and a half with me training in the neighborhood.

I still have two more riders to go in the house… someday we will have our own MC.

Summer rain and a motorcycle!

Raining so hard, I couldn’t see or breathe.

When those first big raindrops hit your face, and you know it’s all over! Trying to see the lights of the car in front of you, so you can stay on the road, barely able to breath because it was raining so hard and it felt like a swimming pool.

What a great summer ride! 😀