Articles Microchip

1. A pitch-linear VCO. Part 1 - Getting it going
   Nick Cornford
   Audio Oscillators Microchip MCP6002
   Typical circuit An ongoing project (or gadget) called for a means of generating an audio output to represent a varying voltage level. Ho hum: that sounds like a voltage-controlled oscillator. But this signal was bipolar, spanning peaks ranging from ...
   Mar 14, 2025
2. A class of programmable rheostats
   Christopher Paul
   Supply Microcontrollers Usage Microchip MCP4131
   Basic programmable rheostats For many variable resistor (rheostat) applications, one of the device’s terminals is connected to a voltage source VS. Such a source might be a reference DC voltage, an op amp output carrying an AC plus DC signal, ...
   Feb 24, 2025

3. Hold that peak with a PIC
   Nick Cornford
   Measurement Signal Processing, Filters Microcontrollers Usage Microchip MCP6021 MCP6022
   Capturing transient analog signals with a microcontroller normally involves adding a full-fat peak-hold circuit as an external peripheral. This novel approach minimizes that extra hardware by using a µP’s ability to switch its pins ...
   Feb 13, 2025
4. Dpot pseudolog + log lookup table = actual logarithmic gain
   Stephen Woodward
   Analogue Design Microchip MCP41XXX/42XXX
   This is the Microchip MCP41xxx digital potentiometer data sheet that includes (on page 15, their Figure 4-4) an interesting application circuit comprising a Dpot controlled amplifier with pseudologarithmic gain settings. However, as explained in ...
   Aug 28, 2024
5. Keep Dpot pseudologarithmic gain control on a leash
   Stephen Woodward
   Analogue Design Amplifiers Microchip MCP41XXX/42XXX
   A Microchip Inc datasheet covering the MCP4xxx family of digital potentiometers (Dpot) includes an interesting application circuit on datasheet page 15. See Figure 1 for a (somewhat edited) version of their Figure 4-5. Figure 1. Amplifier with Dpot ...
   Aug 15, 2024
6. Reducing error of digital potentiometers
   Peter Demchenko
   Measurement Microchip MCP41xxx/42xxx
   A common problem for digital potentiometers (DigiPots) is the effect of wiper resistance, which produces quite noticeable non-linearities of regulation at both ends of the resistance range. These effects also lead to an increased tempco in these ...
   Jul 4, 2024
7. Use a microcontroller to design a boost converter
   Ross Fosler
   Supply Microcontrollers Usage Microchip PIC16C782
   Boost converters, like other switchers, have traditionally received their control signals from a dedicated circuit. However, a recent trend is to integrate simple switching-power-supply building blocks into generic devices, such as ...
   Nov 15, 2023
8. Solar panel powers two-stage lead-acid battery charger
   Frank Edrada Ramesh Khanna
   Supply Solar Microchip LM4041
   A solar-powered lead-acid battery charger can ensure that the battery remains fully charged over a wide temperature range. The ideal charging circuit compensates for temperature and sunlight variations, including recovery from shading. Solar or ...
   Jun 28, 2023
9. Multichannel priority amplifier
   Jerry Steele
   Analogue Design Amplifiers Microchip MCP6V51 MCP6V52 MCP6V54
   The analog priority amplifier shown in Figure 1 was originally conceived as part of a multiple output power supply where the voltage regulation was based on the level of the highest channel. Another application was an engine control system with an ...
   Jun 19, 2023
10. Electronically generate rotating magnetic fields
    F Ferrero J Blanco JC Campo M Valledor
    Microcontrollers Usage Microchip PIC16F628
    Many applications, such as medical therapies, magnetic stirrers, and induction heating, call for a rotating magnetic field, which you can generate by attaching multiple permanent magnets to a dc motor. This technique involves problems, including ...
    Feb 28, 2023

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