Hackerbox #0018 Community Manual

Hackerbox #0018 Transitor Tester
Community Manual

General comments
-Unit works fine without the SMD components if you don't feel like fine soldering
  -These bits provide some power protecion, please read the Instructable carefully
  -But, EEVBlog has a video on soldering SMD. You really can do it by hand with a little practice
  -A simple magnifying glass, like the kind on a cheap "magic hand", is plenty for this work
-The Instructable is wrong about the direction of the diode
  -You may want to confirm your specific part#, but several people have found theirs to be bi-directional
  -The silkscreen on the board also specifies a bi-directional diode
  -Of the SMD components, only the 6-pin chip has to be aligned, match the dot to the star on the board for pin1
-I wish they'd have included a shiny knob for that rotary huh?

Basic Steps
-Connect power
  -Default is 9v battery to terminals on left side of board
  -TODO: What kind of barrel plug?
-Lift the arm of the ZIF socket to open
-Insert a component into the ZIF socket
  -The system only really measures between 3 zones on the ZIF
  -The unit refers to these areas as "probes"
  -row1-3 are collectively "probe 1", row4 is "probe 2", and row5-7 is "probe 3"
  -Doesn't matter where you connect in each pin area
  -You must bridge at least two probes. A standard transistor would put one leg in each area
    -Ex: Slot your transistor into rows3, row4, and row5 to bridge probes 1, 2, and 3
-Close the arm
-Board seems to sense when the arm is open or closed, giving you some safety while adding or removing components
-Depress the multifunction knob to power on
-Unit will self-test and display battery voltage
  -TODO: What are the voltage limits?
-Unit will display stats on your component
-Press the multifunction knob to reboot / rescan your component
-If left alone unit will complain it has not been calibrated, and eventually power off. This is fine.

Self-calibration
-Bridge probe1, probe2, and probe3 with any zero-resistance connection.
  -For instance, run some wire or breadboard jumpers from probe1 to probe2, and probe2 to probe3.
-Power on the unit
-When unit displays "Self-Calibration?" press the knob within 2 seconds
-Unit will begin to self-test
  -TODO: What do these screens mean?
-Unit will ask you to stop shorting probes
  -Flip up the arm, and use insulated tweezers to avoid shorting
  -BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU'RE TESTING A CAPACITOR!!!
-Unit will resume calibration
-At this point you may insert a component to test
-Eventually unit will say self-test is finished and display results.
-Unit will then perform its usual component test as though it was just powered on
  -TODO: Is this a special calibrated test? Is it different from calibrating, powering off, and then testing?

Basic Interaction
-Insert a component and power on the unit
-While component information displays, long press the knob to activate menu
  -Screen will turn off, release knob to enter menu
-Unit is slow to refresh, so turn the rotary one click at a time to advance the menu

Menu Options
-Note: Menu loops around, so you can scroll either direction.
-Turn Off
  -Turns unit off manually
-Transistor (default, cursor starts here)
  -Normal transistor test
-Frequency
-f-Generator
-10-bit PWM
-C+ESR@TP1:3
-1-[]-uu-3
-1-||-3
-DS18b20
-C(uF)-correction
-IR_Decoder
-IR_Encoder
-DHT11
-Selftest
  -Performs a calibration
  -TODO is it normal to flash "1-||-3>100nF 0nF" over and over?
  -Seems to be the same as the power-on calibration test
-Voltage
-FrontColor
  -Change the front color (text/foreground)
  -Defaults to off-white
  -Note: The RBG values will be a live preview
  -Click the knob to change between R,G,B
  -Slowly turn the knob to select your colors
  -Think ahead about your colors, if you accidentally match them you won't be able to read the display!
-BackColor
  -Change the back color (background)
  -Defaults to black
-Show data
  -Displays several pages of data
  -Self-test screen
  -All component diagrams
  -Font example / text test screen
  -Debug info?

Secrets
-It looks like the 3 gold bars on the right side of the PCB trace to the probes
  -Capacitive sensors?
  -Could solder on "real" tester leads
-At low angles, the edge of the display looks cut off
  -View from straight on and it's fine
-The screws for the standoffs for the display are VERY close to resistors
  -May want to insulate to be safe, although I don't think they're grounded in normal operation