09 Feb 2023
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Exposing Node-RED to the Internet

Background Like many of you reading this, I run Node-RED on a Raspberry Pi. My primary reasons for selecting a Raspberry Pi over other solutions are primarily cost and convenience. For my latest project, I am using a Raspberry Pi 4 (that I purchased as part of the CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 Starter Kit) that sits in my home office running 24/7. Recently, I decided to make use of a Node-RED Dashboard to display the status of various sensors around my house (e.g. garage door sensors, a sensor on our deep freeze, a temperature sensor where our water pipes come…
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08 Feb 2023
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Installing EasyScopeX for Siglent Oscilloscopes

Like many electronics hobbyists, I wanted a basic oscilloscope to help me troubleshoot various electronics circuits. Being a hobbyist, I couldn't justify spending a ton of money on a scope, but I wanted something a little more capable than some of the sub $100 (USD) scopes available out there. I settled on the Siglent SDS 1202X-E Oscilloscope, which has been serving me very well for about a year now. One of the features of the SDS 1202X-E scope is the ability to connect it to a computer via USB. Once connected, you can use the EasyScopeX utility to interact with…
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07 Feb 2023
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Connecting the Sonoff SNZB-02 and CC2531 Zigbee Coordinator

Can We Talk? If you're connecting a Sonoff SNZB-02 temperature and humidity sensor to a CC2531 Zigbee coordinator, you might run into the same issue that I first had - getting them to talk. When I first attempted this, my Zigbee2MQTT Bridge was not reporting anything from the SNZB-02 temperature and humidity sensor. After a bit of research and experimentation, I was finally able to get the SNZB-02, CC2531, and Zigbee2MQTT Bridge to all play nicely together. In this post, I will walk through the steps I took to make this work. So, What Are the Steps? The steps below…
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31 Jan 2023
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Commodore Minuteman 3 Calculator

MM3 FYI: This is an article I originally posted on another blog site that I have (tronics.life) before Bits && Bytes had been setup. While I do not remember Commodore calculators as a kid, my first computer was a Commodore VIC-20. I loved my VIC-20 but quickly outgrew it. Eventually, my parents got me a Commodore 64 for Christmas. The 38,911 bytes available on my C64 was more than 10 times(!) what I had at my disposal on my VIC-20, which topped the digital scales at 3,583 (usable) bytes. I loved my Commodores and I spent countless hours writing software…
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14 Jan 2023
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15 Quick Bits About the Commodore VIC-20

Commodore VIC-20 Continuing the series of "15 Quick Bits About...", let's take a look at some facts (Quick Bits) about the first computer I owned, and possibly my favorite (because of all the things I created with this computer) --- the Commodore VIC-20. Quick Bits on the Commodore VIC-20 The VIC-20 went on sale in January 1981 for $299 (USD) and was manufactured until January 1985. [1] [2] [3] The very first programming class I took (as a child) was on a Commodore VIC-20. I discovered early on that I enjoyed writing software, which turned into a lifelong hobby and career. In 1982,…
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08 Jan 2023
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Franklin Wordmaster Electronic Dictionary Demystified!

WM-1000 FYI: This is an article I originally posted on another blog site that I have (tronics.life) before Bits && Bytes had been setup. I recently came across a Franklin Computer Wordmaster WM-1000 handheld dictionary, thesaurus, and spelling corrector device at a local thrift store. Having an interest in vintage electronics, I picked it up for $9.99 (USD) and took it home, where it sat for a few weeks before I finally decided to check it out. On first inspection, I could see the device was in really good shape with little wear and tear on the case. When I…
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07 Jan 2023
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15 Quick Bits About the Commodore 64

Commodore 64 If you're into vintage computing then chances are you're at least familiar with the venerable 8-bit computing sensation released by Commodore - the Commodore 64. The Commodore 64, or C64, was a huge success by several measures. With that in mind, I am starting a series of posts on some quick facts (Quick Bits) on some of my favorite vintage computing devices. I am kicking off this series with the Commodore 64. Quick Bits on the Commodore 64 The C64 was originally released in August 1982 with a sales price of $595 (USD). Being that Commodore produced many…
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02 Jan 2023
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Commodore VIC-20/64 Screen Codes

Recently, I decided to type in some short BASIC programs for my Commodore VIC-20. To be fair, I haven't written any code for the VIC-20 (or C64) in quite a few years. I quickly found myself hitting the wrong keys on the keyboard (e.g., @ instead of double quote, etc.). What I also quickly realized is just how many of the special screen control codes I had forgotten (almost all of them!). Screen Control Characters Screen control characters (not sure if this is the technical term or not) are a way of controlling cursor movement and text color on the…
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02 Jan 2023

Hello, world!

Welcome to Bits && Bytes! This is a new blog/channel for sharing information about (mostly) vintage computers and software. Introducing Myself I’m Jeff and, while my career in technology can now be measured in decades (!!!), I have spent most of it in software development and solutions/enterprise/cloud architecture. My first computer was a Commodore VIC-20, which was quickly followed up with a Commodore 64. I have used and owned many computers since then, but I still have a love for the vintage computers from yesteryear. In this blog, I will share information and projects about computers and software - mostly…
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