An element14 Surprise Package, Weather Station & More Weller Tips

Being in Australia, it seems things take a little longer to make their way down here, but I too have received a surprise package thanks to element14 as of last week.

What's inside? Well, the secret has mostly been let out of the box by some of the other Top Members ... but my box is a little different :).

"Careful when cutting!" Great advice as this one was jam-packed! Do you spot the text there behind the document envelope? Yes, it says Weather Station as I was one of the lucky ones to win a Weather Station as part of the Green Tech Quiz chosen by the random number generator (thanks srutledge).

Thankfully, I was careful with the unboxing so everything arrived unscathed.

Inside, the bulk of the volume was taken up by an element14 backpack. In fact, this would be the second one I've got, so I can add it to my collection. Surprisingly, they didn't opt for the more common QR code, instead using a datamatrix code that brings you to http://newark.com rather than element14.com.

I had to take a photo and invert the colour since the Barcode Scanner app doesn't like inverted codes. I wonder how many people would actually scan it with an ordinary camera app or QR code reader and not get anywhere ... looks can be deceiving.

There is a new T-shirt - this one has the new logo with the subtitle "an Avnet Community". A subtle change, but perhaps timely ... as it might feature in some future videos. There is a box with a weather station, a screwdriver set, a USB hub and a letter.

Oooh - the back of the T-shirt has a nice colour print as well, showing the various key concentrations of the community's content. I really like the design!

The letter of appreciation, thanks cstanton and a nice enamel pin badge. A physical badge! Yay. Let's take a closer look at the other parts ...

The next thing out of the box is the USB hub. This is a compact four-port hub with integrated cable and a green LED indicator. What is most surprising is the logo colours - that's not the right blue! Even more interesting is the URL - www.element-14.com which isn't quite the usual one?

It seems the unit was designed with the ability to plug in external power, but this was not fitted, leaving a hole in the side of the casing.

The unit appears to come from Prime (primeline.com) and the ports are a little wonky.

I tried the hub on my computer and somewhat disappointingly, it is a USB 1.1 hub meaning that it's really only useful for keyboards, mice and perhaps USB-serial adapters. It's a bit slow for storage devices or Wi-Fi adapters ... but the hub chip manufacturer (GASIA Semi/Pansignal Technology) is not a very well known one either:

    =========================== USB Port2 ===========================

Connection Status        : 0x01 (Device is connected)
Port Chain               : 1-1-2
Properties               : 0x01
 IsUserConnectable       : yes
 PortIsDebugCapable      : no
 PortHasMultiCompanions  : no
 PortConnectorIsTypeC    : no
ConnectionIndex          : 0x02 (Port 2)
CompanionIndex           : 0
 CompanionHubSymLnk      : USB#VID_17EF&PID_1016#5&24b2294e&0&17#{f18a0e88-c30c-11d0-8815-00a0c906bed8}
 CompanionPortNumber     : 0x02 (Port 2)
 -> CompanionPortChain   : 1-17-2

      ========================== Summary =========================
Vendor ID                : 0x0E8F (Pansignal Technology Inc.)
Product ID               : 0x0016
USB Version              : 1.1
Port maximum Speed       : High-Speed (Companion Port 1-17-2 supports SuperSpeed)
Device maximum Speed     : Full-Speed
Device Connection Speed  : Full-Speed
Self powered             : yes
Demanded Current         : 100 mA
Used Endpoints           : 2

      ========================== USB Hub =========================

Hub Symbolic Link        : USB#VID_0E8F&PID_0016#6&14dd875&0&2#{f18a0e88-c30c-11d0-8815-00a0c906bed8}

        +++++++++++++++++ Device Information ++++++++++++++++++
Device Description       : Generic USB Hub
Device Path              : \\?\USB#VID_0E8F&PID_0016#6&14dd875&0&2#{f18a0e88-c30c-11d0-8815-00a0c906bed8} (GUID_DEVINTERFACE_USB_HUB)
Kernel Name              : \Device\USBPDO-14
Device ID                : USB\VID_0E8F&PID_0016\6&14DD875&0&2
Hardware IDs             : USB\VID_0E8F&PID_0016&REV_0100 USB\VID_0E8F&PID_0016
Driver KeyName           : {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}\0031 (GUID_DEVCLASS_USB)
Driver                   : \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\UsbHub3.sys (Version: 10.0.22621.1635  Date: 2023-05-12)
Driver Inf               : C:\WINDOWS\inf\usbhub3.inf
Legacy BusType           : PNPBus
Class                    : USB
Class GUID               : {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000} (GUID_DEVCLASS_USB)
Service                  : USBHUB3
Enumerator               : USB
Location Info            : Port_#0002.Hub_#0005
Location IDs             : PCIROOT(0)#PCI(1400)#USBROOT(0)#USB(1)#USB(2), ACPI(_SB_)#ACPI(PC00)#ACPI(XHCI)#ACPI(RHUB)#ACPI(HS01)#USB(2)
Container ID             : {bdca943e-1553-11ee-9ffa-546ceb1a059e}
Manufacturer Info        : (Standard USB HUBs)
Capabilities             : 0x84 (Removable, SurpriseRemovalOK)
Status                   : 0x0180600A (DN_DRIVER_LOADED, DN_STARTED, DN_DISABLEABLE, DN_REMOVABLE, DN_NT_ENUMERATOR, DN_NT_DRIVER)
Problem Code             : 0
Address                  : 2
IdleInWorkingState       : 1
Power State              : D0 (supported: D0, D1, D2, D3, wake from D0, wake from D1, wake from D2)

        ------------------- USB Hub Descriptor -----------------
bDescriptorLength        : 0x09 (9 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x29 (Hub Descriptor)
bNumberOfPorts           : 0x04 (4 Ports)
wHubCharacteristics      : 0x0009
 Power switching         : Individual
 Compound device         : No
 Over-current protection : Individual
 TT Think Time           : At most 8 FS bit times
 Port Indicators         : Not supported
bPowerOnToPowerGood      : 0x32 (100 ms)
bHubControlCurrent       : 0x64 (100 mA)
DeviceRemovable          : 0x00
 Bit 0                   : 0 (reserved, any value)
 Bit 1                   : 0 (Device at Port 1 is removable)
 Bit 2                   : 0 (Device at Port 2 is removable)
 Bit 3                   : 0 (Device at Port 3 is removable)
 Bit 4                   : 0 (Device at Port 4 is removable)
 Bit 5                   : 0 (unused, must be 0)
 Bit 6                   : 0 (unused, must be 0)
 Bit 7                   : 0 (unused, must be 0)
PowerControlMask         : 0xFF
Data (HexDump)           : 09 29 04 09 00 32 64 00 FF                        .)...2d..
HubIsBusPowered          : 0x00 (Self Powered)

      ---------------- Extended USB Hub Descriptor ---------------
HubType                  : 0x02 (Usb20Hub - hub descriptor is defined in USB 2.0 and 1.1 specifications)
HighestPortNumber        : 0x04 (Port 4 is the highest)
UsbHubDescriptor         : identical with "USB Hub Descriptor" shown above
Data (HexDump)           : 09 29 04 09 00 32 64 00 FF                        .)...2d..

        ----------------- USB Hub Capabilities ----------------
HubIs2xCapable           : 0 (Is not 2.x capable)
Data (HexDump)           : 00 00 00 00                                       ....

        --------------- USB Hub Capabilities Ex ---------------
HighSpeedCapable         : 0 (No)
HighSpeed                : 0 (No)
MultiTtCapable           : 0 (No)
HubIsMultiTt             : 0 (No)
ArmedWakeOnConnect       : 0 (No)
IsBusPowered             : 0 (No)
IsRoot                   : 0 (No)
Data (HexDump)           : 00 00 00 00                                       ....

        ---------------- Connection Information ---------------
Connection Index         : 0x02 (Port 2)
Connection Status        : 0x01 (DeviceConnected)
Current Config Value     : 0x01 (Configuration 1)
Device Address           : 0x11 (17)
Is Hub                   : 0x01 (yes)
Device Bus Speed         : 0x01 (Full-Speed)
Number Of Open Pipes     : 0x01 (1 pipe to data endpoints)
Pipe[0]                  : EndpointID=1  Direction=IN   ScheduleOffset=0  Type=Interrupt  wMaxPacketSize=0x1     bInterval=255 -> 130 Bits/ms = 16250 Bytes/s
Data (HexDump)           : 02 00 00 00 12 01 10 01 09 00 00 08 8F 0E 16 00   ................
                           00 01 01 02 00 01 01 01 01 11 00 01 00 00 00 01   ................
                           00 00 00 07 05 81 03 01 00 FF 00 00 00 00         ..............

        --------------- Connection Information V2 -------------
Connection Index         : 0x02 (2)
Length                   : 0x10 (16 bytes)
SupportedUsbProtocols    : 0x03
 Usb110                  : 1 (yes, port supports USB 1.1)
 Usb200                  : 1 (yes, port supports USB 2.0)
 Usb300                  : 0 (no, port not supports USB 3.0) -> but Companion Port 1-17-2 does
 ReservedMBZ             : 0x00
Flags                    : 0x00
 DevIsOpAtSsOrHigher     : 0 (Device is not operating at SuperSpeed or higher)
 DevIsSsCapOrHigher      : 0 (Device is not SuperSpeed capable or higher)
 DevIsOpAtSsPlusOrHigher : 0 (Device is not operating at SuperSpeedPlus or higher)
 DevIsSsPlusCapOrHigher  : 0 (Device is not SuperSpeedPlus capable or higher)
 ReservedMBZ             : 0x00
Data (HexDump)           : 02 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00   ................

    ---------------------- Device Descriptor ----------------------
bLength                  : 0x12 (18 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x01 (Device Descriptor)
bcdUSB                   : 0x110 (USB Version 1.1)
bDeviceClass             : 0x09 (Hub)
bDeviceSubClass          : 0x00
bDeviceProtocol          : 0x00
bMaxPacketSize0          : 0x08 (8 bytes)
idVendor                 : 0x0E8F (Pansignal Technology Inc.)
idProduct                : 0x0016
bcdDevice                : 0x0100
iManufacturer            : 0x01 (String Descriptor 1)
 Language 0x0409         : "GASIA Semi."
iProduct                 : 0x02 (String Descriptor 2)
 Language 0x0409         : "USB Hub"
iSerialNumber            : 0x00 (No String Descriptor)
bNumConfigurations       : 0x01 (1 Configuration)
Data (HexDump)           : 12 01 10 01 09 00 00 08 8F 0E 16 00 00 01 01 02   ................
                           00 01                                             ..

    ------------------ Configuration Descriptor -------------------
bLength                  : 0x09 (9 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x02 (Configuration Descriptor)
wTotalLength             : 0x0022 (34 bytes)
bNumInterfaces           : 0x01 (1 Interface)
bConfigurationValue      : 0x01 (Configuration 1)
iConfiguration           : 0x00 (No String Descriptor)
bmAttributes             : 0xE0
 D7: Reserved, set 1     : 0x01
 D6: Self Powered        : 0x01 (yes)
 D5: Remote Wakeup       : 0x01 (yes)
 D4..0: Reserved, set 0  : 0x00
MaxPower                 : 0x32 (100 mA)
Data (HexDump)           : 09 02 22 00 01 01 00 E0 32 09 04 00 00 01 09 00   ..".....2.......
                           00 00 09 29 04 09 00 32 64 00 FF 07 05 81 03 01   ...)...2d.......
                           00 FF                                             ..

        ---------------- Interface Descriptor -----------------
bLength                  : 0x09 (9 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x04 (Interface Descriptor)
bInterfaceNumber         : 0x00 (Interface 0)
bAlternateSetting        : 0x00
bNumEndpoints            : 0x01 (1 Endpoint)
bInterfaceClass          : 0x09 (Hub)
bInterfaceSubClass       : 0x00
bInterfaceProtocol       : 0x00
iInterface               : 0x00 (No String Descriptor)
Data (HexDump)           : 09 04 00 00 01 09 00 00 00                        .........

        ------------------- USB Hub Descriptor -----------------
bDescriptorLength        : 0x09 (9 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x29 (Hub Descriptor)
bNumberOfPorts           : 0x04 (4 Ports)
wHubCharacteristics      : 0x0009
 Power switching         : Individual
 Compound device         : No
 Over-current protection : Individual
 TT Think Time           : At most 8 FS bit times
 Port Indicators         : Not supported
bPowerOnToPowerGood      : 0x32 (100 ms)
bHubControlCurrent       : 0x64 (100 mA)
DeviceRemovable          : 0x00
 Bit 0                   : 0 (reserved, any value)
 Bit 1                   : 0 (Device at Port 1 is removable)
 Bit 2                   : 0 (Device at Port 2 is removable)
 Bit 3                   : 0 (Device at Port 3 is removable)
 Bit 4                   : 0 (Device at Port 4 is removable)
 Bit 5                   : 0 (unused, must be 0)
 Bit 6                   : 0 (unused, must be 0)
 Bit 7                   : 0 (unused, must be 0)
PowerControlMask         : 0xFF
Data (HexDump)           : 09 29 04 09 00 32 64 00 FF                        .)...2d..

        ----------------- Endpoint Descriptor -----------------
bLength                  : 0x07 (7 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x05 (Endpoint Descriptor)
bEndpointAddress         : 0x81 (Direction=IN EndpointID=1)
bmAttributes             : 0x03 (TransferType=Interrupt)
wMaxPacketSize           : 0x0001 (1 byte)
bInterval                : 0xFF (255 ms)
Data (HexDump)           : 07 05 81 03 01 00 FF                              .......

      -------------------- String Descriptors -------------------
             ------ String Descriptor 0 ------
bLength                  : 0x04 (4 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x03 (String Descriptor)
Language ID[0]           : 0x0409 (English - United States)
Data (HexDump)           : 04 03 09 04                                       ....
             ------ String Descriptor 1 ------
bLength                  : 0x18 (24 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x03 (String Descriptor)
Language 0x0409          : "GASIA Semi."
Data (HexDump)           : 18 03 47 00 41 00 53 00 49 00 41 00 20 00 53 00   ..G.A.S.I.A. .S.
                           65 00 6D 00 69 00 2E 00                           e.m.i...
             ------ String Descriptor 2 ------
bLength                  : 0x10 (16 bytes)
bDescriptorType          : 0x03 (String Descriptor)
Language 0x0409          : "USB Hub"
Data (HexDump)           : 10 03 55 00 53 00 42 00 20 00 48 00 75 00 62 00   ..U.S.B. .H.u.b.

As a result, I decided to take it apart ...

... with the help of this screwdriver set. While the Avnet tagline is on this one, this item has the Xilinx logo on it and it seems that is on the way out, with AMD branding being preferred now.

This is the second screwdriver set I've been sent and it's a very handy one to have around! So, what's inside the hub?

Turns out ... not much. A single-sided paper type PCB isn't great for signal integrity, but this one decided not to even have a crystal oscillator, instead using a ceramic resonator. That USB cable doesn't look quite compliant either - the D+/D- lines aren't twisted and the cable seems only single-layer foil screened and not shielded.

The underside shows that the main IC is "gob topped" onto the PCB likely to save on costs. Aside from a few capacitors and a resistor for the LED, there's not much. The retention pegs of the sockets haven't been soldered down which means that they can pivot and fatigue over time, but given the small amount of PCB in that area, there's not much ability to transmit stresses anyway. The soldering is a bit shoddy but the trace widths are all over the place and it seems the power is routed in some weird hybrid between point-to-point and star. Overcurrent protection? I doubt it has any. It takes it one step further compared to a Simplecom CH241 Hub I reviewed earlier.

The weather station came nicely bubble-wrapped inside the box.

Looking at the design of the unit, it seems to be a rather straightforward temperature/pressure/humidity sensing clock with an indoor and an outdoor unit using 433MHz. The best feature? Both indoor and outdoor units use AA batteries (rather than pesky AAA cells with lower capacity).

The initial start-up procedure is important - power the clock up first, then the sensor, then leave it for three minutes as it scans and memorises the "rolling code" for the transmitter. Then, you can sett the time, date, time-zone, pressure correction factors and pressure differentials. Being winter, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the outdoor temperature was a brisk 7.8 degrees C the next morning when I woke up. It couldn't come at a more opportune time, as my former station which was self-built using an ESP8266 and a BMP280, suddenly failed just recently after over three years of continuous service. Thanks element14! It's a shame that the listing seems to show this unit to be on run-out ...

This one's not from element14 - but from Weller. Because of component shortages during the RoadTest, there was a few tips which were delayed and didn't get shipped until the RoadTest was over. To be honest, I've not had time to use them yet, so I can't comment on the tips themselves but I'm eager to try the gull-wing one for sure as I've not used one before.

Thanks Weller for following through with sending these over even after the RoadTest period. I hope I'll have some time soon to put them to use ...

Once again, thanks element14 and Weller - a lot of awesome things and some perhaps not-so-awesome things (we can't all be awesome, can we?) but they are much appreciated.

Unfortunately, I've not had much time as of late to do much because of insane workloads at work, a number of competing commitments and the recent passing of my grandather in Hong Kong. As a result, I managed to miss the deadline for the Arduino Crazy Automations Project14 (sorry!) but hopefully I'll have time to honour the Uno Mini I received earlier. It's still sitting on my desk, staring me in the face and making me feel just that tiny bit guilty for not making time for it ... but there are a few more major pressing things for me to sort out first. I'll get around to it ... eventually!