Topics and Notes Summary (last update 4/16/2014):

DATE COMMENT

Apr. 24 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Class conclusion:  discussion, peer grades, course evaluation, turn in any borrowed equipment.

 

Apr. 22 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621 

Class project demonstrations!!

 

Apr. 17 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Project team meetings:  time to wrap up for demos on Tuesday.

 

Apr. 15 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621 

Project team meetings:  1 week to go!

 

Apr. 10 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Project team meetings:  checkpoint on progress and scope for completion.

 

Apr. 8 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621 

Project team meetings:  2 weeks to go!

 

Apr. 3 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Some basic soldering instruction and practice.  Project team meetings and discussion.

 

Apr. 1 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Setup course project teams and review ideas.  Discuss prototyping methods.

Course project topics and teams:

(Alpha) Effects box or guitar pedal
  Jamie Neal, Rob Eastman, Gavin Lommatsch, Matt Schwager, Chase Hanebrink

Design and implement a set of at least three different analog signal processing circuits for use as guitar or vocal effects. Examples include clipper, fuzz, tremolo, bandpass filter, etc. The system needs a power source, standard connectors, switches, and so forth.

(Beta) Headphone amplifier
  Jordan Arnold, Gavin Swietnicki, Chad Basaites

Investigate the design and construction of a circuit capable of driving one or more audio headphones. Select and build a suitable amplifier design, including switches, level controls, and standard audio connectors.

(Gamma) Audio-to-laser display
  Jen Sanford, Blaine Ferris, Jeremy Naab, Chris Scherr

Design and implement a simple laser light show using a laser pointer and vibrating mirrors controlled by an audio signal.

(Delta) Theremin or similar coupled oscillator signal generator
  Carl McShane, Aaron Reynolds, Don McShane

Study the principles and basic circuitry of the Theremin, and construct a working oscillator system using these principles.

(Epsilon) Spring reverb
  Chris Huvaere, Dave Robins, Ben Morris

Create a functional spring reverberation device using an audio driver, spring or springs, and a vibration sensor. Include appropriate level controls and equalization.

(Zeta) Plasma Speaker
  Nels Tate, Tyler Rickman, Sam Johnson, Graham Owen

Study the principles and basic circuitry of a plasma (arc) sound source, and choose a design to implement and demonstrate the concept.

 

Mar. 27 (Thurs)

MEET IN HOWARD HALL classroom:  Howard Hall 184

Discuss final course projects and team assignment process.

 

Mar. 25 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Demonstrate mini-projects!  Discuss results and what was learned.

Handout for final course project ideas.

 

Mar. 20 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621 

Continued work on mini-projects:  aim to wrap up (demos next week on Tuesday)

 

Mar. 18 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Work on mini-projects.

 

Mar. 13 (Thurs)

(No class, MSU spring break)

 

Mar. 11 (Tues)

(No class, MSU spring break)

 

Mar. 6 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621 

Assign teams and start work work on circuit mini-projects.  Team demos due 3/25/14 !

(1) Sound-activated switch
Jordan Arnold, Chase Hanebrink, David Robins, Gavin Lommatsch

Design a simple active circuit that will monitor the input signal level and then close an electrical switch (relay) when the signal exceeds some pre-set threshold.  The switch should stay closed for at least 5 seconds, or longer if the input signal level stays above the threshold.

(2) 440 Hz signal generator
Chris Huvaere, Benjamin Morris, Don McShane

Create a simple circuit that will produce a line-level signal (500 mV peak to peak) with fundamental frequency of 440 Hz.  Determine the accuracy and precision of the design, and consider a few options and tradeoffs.

(3) 4-input audio summer (mixer), battery powered
Chad Basaites, Jennifer Sanford, Gavin Swietnicki, Nels Tate

Design a circuit that will take four separate audio signals (single-ended line-level) and electrically add them together to create a single output signal.  The circuit must be battery powered (e.g., 9V cell), and provide (at least) unity gain from each of the four inputs to the output.

(4) Simple metronome
Rob Eastman, Jamie Neal, Sam Johnson, Carl McShane

A circuit is needed to produce an audible click or tone at a repetitive interval.  The metronome circuit should allow adjustment over a musically-useful range of click rates.

(5) Visual signal indicator
Jeremy Naab, Tyler Rickman, Aaron Reynolds

Design a circuit that will light two LEDs to show the audio signal level present.  The circuit should light one LED when the level exceeds 500 mV peak to peak, and another LED should light when the signal level exceeds 2 V peak to peak.  When triggered, the LEDs should stay on for at least 200 ms.  Battery operation is preferred.

(6) Simple powered speaker
Graham Owen, Matthew Schwager, Blaine Ferris, Christopher Scherr

Design a circuit that will accept a line-level signal from an audio source (like a computer or Ipod) and will power a mid-sized 8 Ω dynamic loudspeaker driver.  Aim to be able to deliver at least 100 mW.

 

Mar. 4 (Tues)

(Howard Hall 184) 

Microphones and loudspeakers.

Electrical wiring and grounding considerations.

  Introduce mini-projects.

 

Feb. 27 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621 

Continued work on circuit mini-designs.

More op amp circuits

 

Feb. 25 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Continued work on additional circuit mini-designs (a few ideas will be provided).

Op amp circuits

 

Feb. 20 (Thurs)

(Howard Hall 184) 

More basic circuits:  transistors and diodes.

Start talking about potential project scope.

 

Feb. 18 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Plan:  catch everyone up through Lab #5.  Others can work on additional circuit mini-designs (a few ideas will be provided).

 

Feb. 13 (Thurs)

(Howard Hall 184) 

More basic circuits:  transistors and diodes.

Reviewing and understanding audio electronics schematics.

 

Feb. 11 (Tues)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Finish Lab #4, then work on Lab #5.

Handout:  Lab #5 More Op Amp Circuits (I will have copies available in the lab)

 

Feb. 6 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Handout:  Lab #4 Simple Op Amp Circuit (I will have copies available in the lab)

 

Feb. 4 (Tues)

(Howard Hall 184)  More on frequency response, then signal levels (decibels) and start op amps.

Op amp introduction

Notes on op amp circuit analysis using the "ideal" op amp concept

Example op amp datasheet (type 741)

 

Jan. 30 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Handout:  Lab #3  Frequency Response (I will provide copies in the lab)

 

Jan. 28 (Tues)

(Howard Hall 184)  Input and output impedance.  Frequency response.

 

Jan. 23 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Handout:  Lab #2  Measuring Voltage and Current

 

Jan. 21 (Tues)

(Howard Hall 184)  Basic electronic laboratory equipment.  Review of resistor circuits, breadboard connections, and power supplies.  Describe amplifiers and transformers.

 

Jan. 16 (Thurs)

MEET IN ELECTRONICS LAB:  Cobleigh Hall room 621

Handout:  Lab #1  Measuring Resistance

 

Jan. 14 (Tues)

(Howard Hall 184)  Physical quantities and laws.  Measurement units and circuit symbols.  Basic electronic laboratory equipment.

Handout:  lab equipment overview

 

Jan. 9 (Thurs)

First class meeting at 9:25AM in Howard Hall Room 184.

Course introduction and topic discussion.