Easy LED Dice - Electronic Kit Build

[@chillzwinter]

I was a huge fan of Colin Mitchell and his series of electronics stuff back in the 80's when I was an apprentice. I recall reading his magazines cover to cover multiple times, building various projects, and waiting in anticipation for his next release. I actually remember reading about this kit back in the day - but never built it. Great episode Julian.

[@raymondheath7668]

I have bought a lot from Colin Mitchell and even obtained a full set of Talking Electronic magazines out of his personal stock for my grandsons. I appreciate the detail you go into while building your projects

[@JohnSmith-bb2np]

I made one of those from Kasyan TV. The video was titled "Stealing from China 2". It had the PCB Gerber files and components lists, giving me everything to make one myself after ordering some parts of course. I wish more people did that with each video. Makeing Electronics at home now is so easy and wonderful these days.

[@KJW648]

I made one of these kits about 20+ years ago, the kit came with semi-transparent red case with touch studs on the top. I add bleeping sound and it's still working :)

[@JoshuaFawcett]

Made one of these in my electronics class at school about 5 years ago. We made our own PCB and everything, a simple yet fun thing to do.

[@thomasvnl]

it is not intended to clean all the solder off, it is intended to only remove the excess of solder. This way, you don't corrode your soldering iron with the watery sponge and you protect your iron tip by keeping a decent layer of solder on it ;). But as other comments already have said, if it is just coloured steel/iron than the effect will be less / not optimal.

[@ZEROSTATIC72]

Maybe another good idea for the microcontroller tutorial series. LED Dice with charlieplexed LEDs and Sound effects. You could do it with any 8 pin PIC run the 7 LEDs from 3 outputs and the speaker/piezo from the 4th output, 1 input for the switch. Thanks again for the videos. :)

[@peterjansen5498]

Heya Julian, Talking electronics was a magazine created by Colin here in Australia. It was probably one of the main reasons I got into electronics as a hobby. I remember building this dice from scratch (printed my own board). I recently saw a great interview with Colin on Dave Jones channel, EEVBLOG.

[@jimsmindonline]

I do find those brass tip cleaners very useful. I rarely use the wet sponge anymore, my tips seem to last much longer. But as you say it sometimes leaves a small amount of solder, I find this useful as you don't need to pre tin your tip. With the sponge it's seems kinda pointless to ever completely remove everything (unless it's totally gunked up), you're just exposing the plating which I imagine reduces it's life? I guess it's just personal preference. :) I notice there are different listings on ebay, some say brass, some copper. I also think they have some sort of flux in it?

[@NoName-bt3oy]

Careful with the damp sponge. Thermal shock can crack the plating of the tip, especially when using lead free (higher temps).

[@kvppvk]

A very enjoyable and instructive series of projects recently Julian. Thank you. More and more of these kits have appeared on my front doormat lately!

[@riazaslam2163]

thank you my friend. i have one similar to yours but with out markings ( k or numbers on the pcb ) I have completed the project and it's working fine. thank you for letting me being ware of the (8550) their was no numbers on the my pcb thank you showed me every thing were they went. I knew some of the components went. once again thank you friend

[@everythingquads]

This reminds me of a kit sold by Maplin electronics many years ago.

[@hrnekbezucha]

please more circuit analysis. Understanding how circuits works really interests me. Electronic engineering is amazing subject but unfortunately I have no formal education in it. And don't really have spare £40k lying around..

[@samuelashdown7994]

i've got a poundland metal scrubber thing shoved in a old flux tin. The trick is to jab it in then waggled it in circular motions a few times each way

[@Tocsin-Bang]

Actually a very neat piece of design.

[@Zapp3012]

I got a similar kit on eBay that uses all 10 outputs from the 4017 chip. The LED's are arranged in a circle, but I suppose it could be used as a D10 dice.

[@mindeunix]

Please test some RTL-SDR dongle. Thanks!

[@madbstard1]

Damn you Julian and your cool kit builds lol. Yet another kit ordered that I don't need but really want.

[@kubastachu9860]

Ages ago as a kid I have built similar kit with 7 LEDs, should we assume Collin ripped that one off, or maybe just that number of different simple problems and obvious electronic solutions to them is limited?

[@gandsnut]

It occurs to me that you could create a hardware random voltage generator using a 4017, 74154 (TTL like the 4017 but with 16 outputs) or even EPROM - that could be interfaced to a tone-generating circuit to create something of a programmable tone sequencer. Perhaps an Arduino, RaspPi or the like could do it easier. But then again, you are planning a hardware-based synth (when such could also be done using a MC or SBC).

[@Unordung]

Hey Julian I like that you use the cheap hobbyist tools, it helps to show new people to the hobby that they don't need to spend lots of money to start out with electronics. I suspect some of the distributors of the more expensive test equipment wouldn't be so happy about it and I'm surprised they have not been throwing their products at you like they do other youtubers! My question is I guess, would you stop using the hobbyist equipment (DSO138) if techtronix gave you a scope etc? Naturally I wouldn't blame you if you did but it would be sad to see another prominent youtuber follow that route. But anyway I digress, great video as always mate. You deserve every subscriber you have and more!

[@BenQuigley]

Johann Wyss he already owns a couple osiliscopes I believe.

[@Unordung]

Yeah he does, he used them in earlier videos.

[@FrazerSmithsChannel]

Hi Julian, at 19:15 I don't think it's booting to '3' as that would be LEDs 2, 4 and 6, and you are seeing LEDs 1, 4 and 7. In fact there should be no state where we see LED2 and LED6 off unless it's '1', so they are probably floating to start with. Would be good to scope it on boot.

[@JulianIlett]

+Frazer Smith Interesting. I'll have another look at that.

[@brucewoods9377]

Jaycar here in Australia have one in their "Short Circuits 2" series as their Project #16 cat #KJ-8222 and sells for $15au. Again this has a different pcb layout but same circuit.

[@zarchocon]

At around 8:00. If the chip outputs high on 3, for example, and that also routes to low on 1, 5, and 6, then will the chip route those high to ground? Also I'm really enjoying these kit builds.

[@MrBrymstond]

Put the soldering iron into the brass/copper mesh press and turn.

[@TechGorilla1987]

RE the cleaning brillo metal thingy - I find greater luck when I douse the copper brillo in RA type flux. The flux wicks away the built up solder on the iron.

[@tengelgeer]

Very clever circuit :) But Julian, BJT transistor DON'T have a threshold voltage ;) BJT's are current driven devices after which there is a voltage drop, same like a led :) And about the socket, you didn't accidentally push the pins on the wrong side of the contact, did you? So not in the springy contact but between the "contact back plate" and the plastic.

[@jv-iq9uz]

Neat kit! Maybe an arduino temperature sensor for more realistic randomization.:D

[@ZaneDaMagicPufferDragon]

Off to eBay to buy a few of these kits for more practice soldering!!!

[@webchimp]

I've made two of these and can't get either to work :( Maybe I'll desolder one and put it back together bit by bit like Julian did. BTW mine came with a circuit diagram, schematic and parts list sheet.

[@built2last31]

i love my copper tip cleaner what i do is mix some flux in copper strands it will work like a charm

[@diamony123]

its too bloody funny mate , carry on... quickly... jolly good show

[@MrPinkster1]

nice vid. just ordered one! Julian do you know which pic you will be doing the tutorials with? is like to get one and follow along

[@TheDutyPaid]

I have a bet with paddy Power you will hit 100k subs by February 1st.

[@JulianIlett]

Averaging around 100 new subs per day, so it'll be close!

[@iSuperGeek]

Pretty neat. I'd be interested in knowing how actually random these are :)

[@GeorgeGeorge-xj2bc]

When touching the button the 1u capacitor with the base of the PNP transistor is grounded and then 555 starts pulsing until the two pins of the capacitor have the VCC voltage,555 flickers while the resistance between emiter-collector increases the frequency lowers until it stops and 4017 latches in its last output value.

[@mst3knightly]

My experience with the "brass sponge" is to not jam the tip into it but to wipe the tip across it.

[@lezbriddon]

looks like an old circuit from a 1970's everyday electronics....it cant be copied really 555+4017 i think was even in radioshack kits, its virtually pd.

[@talideon]

Yep! My copy of "IC 555 Projects" by E.A. Parr contains it, and it was first published in the late '70s! The only difference is that this newer version replaces all the logic gates with standalone transistors, probably to lower the cost.

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

Put some flux on the brass. I use a copper pot scrubber that works great.

[@learnelectronics]

Solder Joe copper pot scrubber here too

[@BladeScraper]

Lol, we made these in Digital Electronics in school. The exact PCB and components.

[@thehappylittlefoxakabenji8154]

where have you been getting the sponges from I have only ever found the yellow ones with a hole in ?

[@JulianIlett]

Sponges from Morrisons supermarket, shapes cut by me!

[@thehappylittlefoxakabenji8154]

cool thanks Julian don't have a Morrison's close by anymore :( ( but I know a friend that does ) keep up the good work enjoy your videos foxy says thumbs up ,foxy will do videos soon

[@mbaker335]

A wet sponge will thermally shock your bit. When many bits cost £25 each and upwards (and I really mean upwards) you really do not want to be doing that. The brass coils are a safer bet.

[@dryster123]

I did a little sound activated LED kit, 10 LED, and when I had botched everything together, it worked, almost with 8 LED responding, then I cracked the solder joint on one of the capacitors and could not for the life of me resolder back, the little tinned pads on the cheap circuit board had vanished, how does one recover from something like that with these kits and limited soldering skills?

[@StreuB1]

Great episode Julian! Thank you!

[@gavinedgar9464]

Dunno if you guys gives a shit but if you guys are stoned like me atm you can stream all the latest movies on InstaFlixxer. I've been binge watching with my girlfriend these days :)

[@zairejerry7310]

@Gavin Edgar yea, I've been using instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@TheRealThisIsAlex]

Julian,what are you going to do with that capacitor bank?

[@pikadroo]

You're doing it wrong... Nah, just kidding. XD LUV THE PROJECTS KITS!

[@Hardwarenerd]

very nice !

[@swansealoaf1999]

I changed c1 to a lower value and it speeded up the cycle

[@peterwebster3076]

hi lee ive just built one of those kits but I have encountered a problem which is when I apply power all 7 leds light up and pressing the switch does nothing I have checked the schematics and made sure all the components are in the correct place and they are the only difference between your kit and my kit is the 2 ics solder direct to the board with no sockets so I made sure I limited the amount of heat when soldering so any ideas cheers peter

[@JulianIlett]

All LEDs on - hmm. Maybe it's running through the sequence but just not slowing down - check the circuitry around the capacitors maybe?

[@peterwebster3076]

hi julian I have just checked the capacitor circuit and all looks good to me I checked to see if the shaded part on the board matched with the negative side on the cap and all good there

[@NALOvs]

Hello Peter, just assembled mine and i have the same problem here....all 7 leds ON... Have you found any solutions? Thanks! PS i like your channel Julian, thank you for sharing your experience :)

[@CarlRecktenwaldJr]

Give it time, you just released the source code for the Pwm 5.

[@Games4Lps]

Can you Do some lm3914 Action?

[@Christoph2420]

nice dice ;)

[@TKomoski]

Any more projects means needs wants a wave solder machine .

[@beanlets]

Any 4017 substitutes? 4013,7492?

[@_who_cares_1123]

Man am I early :) Only 650 Subs :D

[@michaelhawthorne8696]

Julian... Your scope is set to + trigger when your pulses are -

[@BritishBeachcomber]

Michael Hawthorne makes no difference. You can trigger from the + or - edge on a + or - going pulse. Just depends on what part of the signal you are interested in.

[@michaelhawthorne8696]

As someone who uses a DSO all the time at work, I know what you mean and you're right and this may have had more chance to trigger on a 'Proper' DSO but probably not on this one. The timebase couldn't go any faster and the pulse was very narrow, too quick for the trigger circuitry. I would have tried - trigger all the same. Also, notice where the trigger level is set to, here the trigger circuitry has a better chance with - trigger. Setting to + trigger, the level could do with being much lower.

[@BritishBeachcomber]

Michael Hawthorne I agree. never been a fan of those 100kHz toy scopes. My everyday DSO is a Hantek 6022BE 20MHz 48M sample rate, and only £42. Need a laptop for the display, but you get loads of nice features, like frequency, period, peak/rms voltage, duty cycle, rise/fall time, arithmetic functions, overshoot and waveform storage. And only about twice the price of those little DSO138 kits.

[@learnelectronics]

Peter D Morrison I have the same scope. great piece of equipment.

[@michaelhawthorne8696]

Peter D Morrison I have a Velleman 60Mhz PC DSO and now a Siglent SDS1102CML 100Mhz 1G/s DSO.it has more deep memory than the CNL version. Cost only £285 shipped. Looks nice along side my Siglent SDG805 5MHz arb Sig Gen (£185 I think). There's some good stuff out there today and not too expensive either.

[@maixuanbach5846]

15:00 Is it a oscilloscope?, Could anyone give me a name of this board, please? By the way... nice dice :D

[@vgamesx1]

It's right at the top of the board.

[@maixuanbach5846]

oh, I saw it, thanks a lot :D

[@KARLLARK100]

once agine nice one

[@mrb5217]

If you're not getting a good trigger from your cheapo oscilloscope, why don't you connect it up to your good one?

[@MrJamesbowen]

I've made two of these eBay projects for my kids when they play 'Monopoly'. But the time between the button press and the random displayed result is to long for the kids to like. How can I shorten the time generation?

[@JulianIlett]

+James Bowen (Jimbob) I'm guessing, but probably by reducing the value of the 1uF capacitor.

[@marekcoufal570]

Where is your owon osciloscope?

[@JulianIlett]

+Marek Coufal Still got it, but I'll be using the DSO138 whenever possible.

[@michaeltempsch5282]

For those also/more into microprocessors/coding, there's also a kit on eBay, apparently by the designer himself, that uses an ATTiny. According to the listing, code etc all open on his site. Maybe something to try to add cheat mode to, just to practice the coding of course? :-) www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Dice-Kit-DIY-Atmel-AVR-ATTINY13-Microcontroller-/252734407210?hash=item3ad825022a:g:yvgAAOSw-vlVl-Y2 For those wanting SMD practice, ther's also an SMD version of this old kit (LEDs still through hole) No extremely fine pitch components so looks like a decent first SMD kit, maybe after one of those practice boards (that doesn't do anything) with a bunch of resistors in various sizes, some diodes and and transistors

[@-yeme-]

I cant get my head around what the 555 is doing in this circuit :/

[@stephanc7192]

Would like to know

[@learnelectronics]

yeme the 555 triggers the 4017. it's just being used as a clock

[@-yeme-]

yeah I know its the clock but I dont understand why it slows down and stops oscillating, if thats actually what happens.

[@BritishBeachcomber]

Just to make it seem a bit more random. You know, like a die tumbling around. Bit of a gimmick really.

[@-yeme-]

lol no what I dont understand is the process. I thought that basically the speed of oscillation of a 555 was set by the capacitor on pin 2, the 100n in this circuit. the higher the capacitance, the slower the oscillation. I dont get how it slows down and stops without changing the value of that capacitor, or how its triggered by that momentary switch and the transistor

[@bluephreakr]

You asked, Julian, you'll probably see rips of your solar thingy next month.

[@JulianIlett]

That would please me :)

[@mazeg2109]

I was waiting for you to just put it together not molest the kit

[@morantaylor]

I built this kit during the 90's here is the original article sorry about the rotation didn't have time to fix drive.google.com/open?id=0B8Xoy9cXJcaJU0ZTUnNpTy00ZEE

[@bestamerica]

' this kit can use 7 white LED lights... dont need red 7 LED lights

[@GeorgeGeorge-xj2bc]

Does the kit has even a simple explanation about the working of the circuit?The years of '80s the kits were not cheap,nor the 40xx ic series but at least had some explanation and also were two electronics magazines Elektor and a local branded one that could read and gradually start to understand the circuits from the simplest designs to most complex schematics.

[@deosinggih]

roll the dice

[@bhagyashreebirajdar2197]

LED DICE Future scope plz coment

[@codebeat4192]

finally, you are just jealous :-D

[@renelefebvre53]

Electronique à deux balles ! Pas vraiment passionnant . Dommage