Coming soon - ESP32: Asteroids with Lasers - Get ready to dive into an in-depth discussion on cutting-edge technology and stay updated with the latest trends in this highly engaging YouTube video! Don't miss out on this dose of tech inspiration!

TinyTV Teardown - RP2040 Inside - In this episode of Atomic14 TV, we explore a cool gadget from Kickstarter - a tiny TV! Not only do we do an unboxing, but we venture inside its intriguing interior, with a circuit board, knobs and super-tiny battery. Included is a mini remote control, SD card, speaker, and audio amplifier. The tiny TV also has an IR receiver and even a Low Dropout Regulator! Stay tuned for a hands-on approach as we aim to recreate this tiny TV with an ESP32!

Christmas Quiz - We had a blast going live for our exciting Christmas quiz! We started by whipping up some suspense, dealing with a few technical glitches, a tiny bit of trippy feedback, and some legendary guests. We had James, Brian, Pat, and Desi – the real stars of live streaming! With the rules set out - not questioning Santa, we navigated through a wave of Christmas and science-themed questions. From 1980s computers and the first SMS message to hormones, physics, electronics, and space exploration – we had it all. We even added a splash of math and popular culture into the mix. There was no shortage of confusion, excitement, and good-humored debates throughout the quiz. Ending it on a fun note, there was no prize but the joy of taking part in itself. Ah, it was a tie, but thanks to our 'Gizmo' question, there were extra points for everyone! We reminisced about our Christmas plans afterward - be it visiting family, playing games, or even running marathons! Merry Christmas to all!

MakerCast Episode 41 - Watch Maker Cast Episode 41, showcasing impressive projects by skilled makers such as a super-fast audio chip, Nixie tube-inspired LED design, and a spectrum analyzer with stunning visuals. Discover these fascinating creations and get inspired!

Couldn't resist it: "And here's where I keep assorted lengths of wire..." - Take a peek at an impressive collection of assorted lengths of wire and experience the excitement through this short video!

Launching the MakerNews Email List - Battling YouTube's frustrating algorithms, I’ve decided to take matters in my own hands. Why rely on YouTube to reach my audience when I, along with a group of fellow Makers around the world, can start up a newsletter to directly connect with our fans? To spice things up, this won't be just about showcasing our work. We plan on sharing a curated list of interesting content, compelling long reads, plus some spotlight features on lesser-known Makers. Ready to shake things up a bit? Subscribe and share our newsletter with your friends! Your engagement is the best way to defy the algorithmic tyranny!

The Curse Of YouTube - I've built a successful YouTube channel in the 'maker' niche, with over 100 videos and 27,000 subscribers since I started in 2020. Despite loving the journey of generating and executing ideas and building a community, I've felt the constraints of sticking to the narrow content scope that my subscribers expect and the platform's algorithm reinforces. Though the ideal solution seems to be creating multiple channels for each interest, the realities of channel management and monetization rules make this a challenging prospect.

BBC iPlayer - updated sample code - Hey there, just a quick update to let you know I've whipped up a new demo using the RSS feeds from the iPlayer site. It locates URLs and takes advantage of the webview to play the movies out, pretty neat huh? Just a reminder, you'll need the iPhone SDK and tool chain to get this project up and running, and remember, it's a rough around the edges, so use with caution. Be sure to check out the original blog post for more insight. Just a heads up, don't expect to see this app on the iTunes store anytime soon, the BBC might not be too thrilled about it...

Decoding AVI Files for Fun and... - After some quality time with my ESP32 microcontroller, I've developed a version of the TinyTV and learned a lot about video and audio streaming along the way. Using Python and Wi-Fi technology, I was able to set up the streaming server with audio data, video frames, and metadata. I've can also explored the picture quality challenges of uncompressed image data and learned about MJPEG frames. Together with JPEGDEC for depth decoding, I've managed to effectively use ESP32's dual cores to achieve an inspiring 28 frames per second. Discussing audio sync, storage options and the intricacies of container file formats for video storage led me to the AVI format. The process of reading and processing AVI file headers and the listing subtype 'movi' allowed me to make significant headway in my project. All in all, I'm pretty chuffed with my portable battery powered video player. You can check out my code over on Github!

Should I Start a YouTube Channel? (in 2023) - In this post, I strongly discourage anyone who's thinking of starting a YouTube channel due to the immense amount of commitment and work it requires, in return for almost nothing. Despite my own success as a YouTuber, I argue that it's not at all as fun and glamorous as it seems; with the harsh reality being hours spent on editing videos, trying to appeal to the YouTube algorithm, and the discouraging attention your videos receive. Yet I also share the little joys and proud moments I experience from my channel, and how it has helped me grow and connect with an amazing community.