https://blog.mtlevine0.com/tags/oshpark/Recent content in Oshpark on Matt Levine's BlogHugoen-usSat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://blog.mtlevine0.com/posts/pcb-design/Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://blog.mtlevine0.com/posts/pcb-design/<p>This project was an excuse to finally learn KiCad and get a real PCB manufactured. Syncing up a set of vintage &ldquo;Ye Merrie Minstrel Caroling Christmas Bells&rdquo; to play in unison was a fun application, but the real goal was going through the full cycle: design a board, send it to a fab, solder it up, and see if it works.</p> <p>It did. Here&rsquo;s the result:</p> <div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen" loading="eager" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tzY3T9JohGE?autoplay=0&amp;controls=1&amp;end=0&amp;loop=0&amp;mute=0&amp;start=0" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;" title="YouTube video"></iframe> </div> <h2 id="the-application">The Application</h2> <p>The bell units take a ROM cartridge that contains the song data. The idea was to replace the cartridge with a custom PCB that receives wireless note data, so any number of units can play the same notes at the same time, turning soloists into a choir.</p>