PCF8574 and I/O Bus Expanders

I2C bus and PCF8574

Every so often, a new innovation comes barrelling into the electronics industry and remains useful for decades to come. Almost 40 years after it was introduced, the inter-integrated circuit (I2C) protocol is still a popular low-speed signaling standard for interfacing between host controllers, sensors, slave components, and much more.

MSP430: Applications for Low Power MCUs

MSP430 applications on a PCB

When you think of embedded systems, plenty of different applications come to mind. Anything from a programmable microwave to an electronic control unit in an automobile qualifies as an embedded system. Each of these applications needs a different type of processor to provide its functions. For smaller devices like wearables and always-on products, you’ll need […]

LM358 Datasheet: Applications for Low Power Operational Amplifiers

LM358 datasheet op-amp

Every engineer remembers the classic LM356 op-amp from their electronics lab classes. Looking for an op-amp for your next system? Every engineer is likely familiar with the LM358 and the specifications in the LM358 datasheet. This common op-amp has plenty of uses in DC and low-frequency AC applications. There are many other op-amps that provide […]

Electrical Component Availability Problems? Use Aggregated Sourcing Data

Electrical component availability for an IC on a PCB

Would you design your board around this IC if you knew it wasn’t available? Use a search engine to check electrical component availability first. If you’ve designed a PCB and waited until the design was finished to check electrical component availability, you know the headache involved in redesigning the board around available components. With the […]