Final Update
A couple of days ago, on January 21st, I shipped all the rest of the orders. That is, all orders that weren't shipped in December and also new ones received since then are out. Orders starting from January 18 will be fulfilled by Crowd Supply from their own stock. Read the full update.
Shipment Information
Just before 2018 ended (on Dec. 28), I successfully shipped out 448 μArts, which is more than 2/3 of all backer units. Though I guess most of you already know this by now, as Crowd Supply sent out a shipping notification to those with a fulfilled order. Read the full update.
A μArt-y Xmas - Check your addresses now!
My assembler managed to deliver me more than 2/3 of all orders just before Christmas. Which means I'll be shipping the majority of the orders this week as planned, followed by the rest mid-January. Please check the delivery address on your order *now*, and change your address within the next 24 hours if necessary. Read the full update.
Status Check-in
It is time to give a sign of life to keep communication up and to let everybody know about the current progress. So, what do I have? The first independent video review of the μArt, documentation updates, shipment status, and lot's of pictures of things nobody really cares about. Read the full update.
Final Enclosures
As hinted in the previous update, I've got some sample injection moulded cases with me and I'd like to share some pictures with you in this update. Read the full update.
CE and FCC Tests
Early last week I received the new boards - finally! Moreover, I received samples of the injection moulded cases too. You know what this means? It means that I was able to put together μArts that looked and behaved as the ones that will be shipped! I didn't hesitate then to call the test lab I'd already spoken to earlier, and made an appointment for doing certification tests. That appointment was today :) Wanna know what happened? Read the full update.
GPIO Interfacing
One of the more common questions I get is about making use of the GPIOs in the μArt. I then answer something along the lines of "once you have a kernel recent enough with the new driver, you can just use the standard sysfs GPIO interface like you do with any other single-board computer". But did you know that there are other possibilities beside the sysfs interface? More importantly, did you know that the sysfs interface that everybody talks about and is most commonly used is officially deprecated and strongly discouraged? And besides, what if you don't have a recent kernel with the μArt project's mainline contributions, how can you use GPIOs then? What if you are using Windows, not Linux? This update is all about GPIOs, and we'll cover all your options. Read the full update.
Of Prototypes, Cases, Cables, and Isolators
The last time I gave you a production update was when I talked about the starting the injection moulding tools. Some time has passed since then, so in the interest of keeping everybody up to date, here is the latest news from the production front. I've got some pictures to show you ;) Read the full update.
Statistics
Such a boring update title. Boooring! Nevertheless, campaign statistics are what this update is going to be about, hoping that some results might still be interesting. You might be just curious in general, or maybe you're planning a crowdfunding campaign in the future, who knows. Anyway, I wanted to look at these things either way, and since I've already collected the data, I thought I'll just share it with you. Read the full update.
Ending Soon
It's been almost seven weeks since the campaign has started, but now it is coming to an end. It's been a great success, with the μArt having collected over $20K, a near 300% funding. I think it is superfluous to point out that since the funding goal was reached, production will happen, and all backers will get their units. There are only 3 days remaining, so anybody still considering getting a μArt, this is your last chance - at least at the current price. For other updates, how to help out, or even meet me in person, read on. Read the full update.
Frequently Asked Questions
The campaign's end is nearing with only 9 days left, so I assembled a list of questions that I often get via forums and e-mails regarding the μArt. It is a good source of concentrated information, and it clears up some things further. So here you go, the top frequently asked questions. By the way, you might also want to read to the end if you're visiting Photokina 2018. Read the full update.
The Mould is in Production
This week we have a brand new kind of update that we've never had during this campaign. Thanks to the fact that the μArt got funded early, we know that it will go into production, thus why wait until the campaign ends? If we can start preparations earlier, it should minimize the chance for some delays, right? And so that's exactly what I did. Dear backers, I'm giving you the first production update. Read the full update.
UART Peer Circuits
Whenever you use a USB to UART converter, you want to hook it up to some other circuit to communicate with. For many of you, this is going to be some pre-made off-the-shelf circuitry, like an evaluation board or a single-board computer. For many of you, however, it will be a custom contraption - a board of your own design. For all of you doing the latter, in this article we talk about what considerations and best practices there are when implementing your own UART interface. Read the full update.
Buggy CP2102N Replaced
Here's an interesting writeup for those UART-bridge-freaks among you. The μArt will go through a second prototype, as I'm replacing one of its key components, the CP2102N. This turns out to be advantageous for backers, but not so much for me. Anyway, here's the full story. Read the full update.
Hidden Features of the μArt
In this update we'll talk about the hardware of the μArt again. I'm sure you know the important features of this adapter by now, but there are some other features that tend to just "fly under the radar". Features that are too insignificant to make it into a traditional feature list or that are not usually advertised or stressed. But hey, I thought I'll talk about these too, as they show some new aspects of the product and give you some insights into the design process and the care that went into it. Read the full update.
Datasheet and Website
Seems untypical of me, but this time I'm here with only a short update. I just wanted to let you know that the muArt now has a website, and you can visit it under uart-adapter.com. Read the full update.
μArt and its Linux Contributions
The μArt has a broad OS support covering Linux, Windows and MacOS. But as you are probably aware, drivers are just like any other software in that they can be sometimes... suboptimal. Many weeks ago, I noticed the Linux driver for the μArt had some omissions, so I set forth to fill in the gaps - successfully. Read the full update.
The Advantages of Galvanic Isolation
Galvanic isolation is a very important property of a good UART adapter, though some people tend to dismiss it by claiming "I'm never working with high voltages, so I don't need it". They couldn't be more wrong. Let's see what it is and why it is beneficial for everybody even if they don't know it yet. Read the full update.
The μArt is funded!
I would like to thank all my backers who put their trust in me. The μArt has reached 100% of its funding goal just two and a half days after campaign start. This totally blew my mind not because this is unprecedented (it is not), I just never expected this to happen to me. This is my first campaign, and all the uncertainties and insecurities are now replaced by happiness and a healthy rush of adrenaline. I am particularly glad I was able to create something that is useful to a whole bunch of people. Read the full update.
Protection Features
I've been claiming that a μArt is robust and that it has great protection features. But what does this mean in practice? What can you do, and what shouldn't you? Can you accidentally kill a μArt and how? Which devices benefit from the protection? Read the full update.
The μArt is Live!
I am writing to announce that the μArt campaign is live and is accepting pledges! Pro or hobbyist, you probably prefer working with tools that are reliable and flexible. You wouldn't want a multimeter that isn't adequately protected, has stability issues, or one that only works as a voltmeter, right? So why don't we have the same quality requirements for UART converters? A successful campaign will be key to making the μArt in its ideal form available to everybody. Read the full update.