Samwise Makers' News
Friday, July 4, 2026
This KVM Runs A P4 Instead Of A Pi
Most makers reaching for a KVM project would grab a Raspberry Pi, but JonathanRowny chose the ESP32-P4, and the results are surprisingly capable. His IP KVM achieves 1080p video by pairing an ESP32-P4 development board with a commercial HDMI-to-CSI adapter that happens to share the same ribbon-cable pinout as the Pi’s camera connector. Writing the display driver proved the toughest challenge, complicated by ongoing chip-revision confusion with the P4 silicon. The code is already on GitHub under the Apache license, though the project is still a work-in-progress with no audio, wired-only networking, and no security layer yet. Promising proof that the P4 can handle tasks once reserved for Linux SBCs.
Building A Wireless Fingerprint Authorization Device
Tired of constant password prompts interrupting your terminal flow? Developer superdog built immurok, a wireless fingerprint authorization key for Linux and Mac machines. The device uses a WCH CH592F microcontroller with built-in Bluetooth, presenting itself to the host as a standard Bluetooth HID keyboard. An R559S capacitive sensor handles the actual fingerprint scanning and verification entirely on-device — no biometric data is ever transmitted wirelessly. On Linux, a CLI app plus PAM integration handles logins and sudo prompts; on Mac, a menu bar app covers admin prompts and the lock screen. The project is open-source and targets power users who live in the terminal.
Settling The Debate On Soldered Versus Crimped High-Current Connectors
High-current wiring has long divided makers: solder or crimp? Hackaday covers YouTuber Will Prowse’s hands-on video testing of both approaches. Despite ongoing hobbyist debate, industry standards have long favored crimping for high-current connections — and Prowse’s testing backs that position. The video walks through real-world comparisons of both methods, demonstrating why crimping is the preferred approach for high-current applications and what a proper crimp actually requires. Technique and tooling both matter: the right crimping tool and die set are as important as the method itself. Anyone regularly working with high-current wiring will find the full breakdown useful.
Microdistillery For Microchemistry
Safe chemistry practice favors using the minimum material necessary — and for some modern experimental techniques, that means scaling distillation equipment all the way down. Marb’s Lab built a custom micro-still optimized for tiny reactions, using 3D printer heaters and custom aluminum machined parts to create a compact heating mantle sized for a 25 mL round-bottom flask. Temperature is managed by a DIN-rail-mounted PID controller fed by a 24V supply, with a secondary probe tracking distillate temperature. Insulation keeps the unit efficient. A water test confirmed rapid, clean evaporation with the miniature condenser working exactly as intended — a tidy build that brings proper microchemistry technique to the home lab.
The Organ That Forgot To Use Transistors
When the transistor was transforming electronics in the early 1960s, Philips went a different direction with the Philicordia organ — building it entirely from vacuum tubes and neon bulb dividers. Emma Repairs tears down one of these Dutch instruments, revealing a circuit that used glowing neon gas tubes as digital switching elements long before affordable logic chips existed. The design traces back to 1958, when transistors were expensive and fragile. The exterior has that understated early-1960s cool, and the Philicordia has musical pedigree too: one of these instruments provided the distinctive organ sound on Chris Montez’s 1962 hit Let’s Dance. A fascinating peek inside a tube-era oddity.
ESP32-C5 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 IoT Board Ships With 1.47-Inch Color LCD
Waveshare’s new ESP32-C5-LCD-1.47 board puts Espressif’s dual-band Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth LE microcontroller onto a compact development board featuring a 1.47-inch color LCD. The ESP32-C5 is notable for being one of the first Espressif chips to support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6, making it useful for modern connected IoT deployments. Waveshare’s implementation adds a color display directly on the board, enabling status dashboards or local UI without additional components. The board supports standard development via Arduino and ESP-IDF, targets IoT and smart home applications, and is available now through Waveshare’s online store at a price point typical for their ESP32 development boards.
Sources: CNX Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
HALO TOUCH V2: Customizable Desktop USB Hub With Round Touchscreen and Rotary Encoder
The HALO TOUCH V2 is a desktop USB hub with a twist — it puts a round touchscreen display and a tactile rotary encoder front and center, letting you assign custom shortcuts, macros, and system controls to each interaction. Designed for power users and streamers, it offers USB hub functionality while doubling as a customizable control surface. Available on Tindie for $69.99, the device connects to a host over USB and is compatible with Windows and Mac. Its circular display shows contextual information while the encoder handles volume, scroll, or any mapped function. A compact, polished tool for anyone who wants more than a passive hub on their desk.
Sources: CNX Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
BIGTREETECH Panda Sense Pro Monitors 3D Printer Air Quality From $79.99
BIGTREETECH’s Panda Sense Pro is an 8-in-1 air quality monitor purpose-built for 3D printing environments. Powered by an ESP32-WROOM-32E, it tracks PM2.5, PM10, CO₂, HCHO, eTVOC, AQI, temperature, and humidity in real time on a 3.5-inch TFT screen. Its standout feature is deep integration with Klipper-based printers via Moonraker — sensor data appears directly in Fluidd and Mainsail dashboards. Home Assistant support over MQTT enables automated responses, such as triggering ventilation fans when VOC levels spike during a print. The enclosure CAD files are open-source and available on GitHub. Priced at $79.99 on AliExpress or $89.99 from the BIQU store.
Sources: CNX Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Top Crowdfunding
Kickstarter
1. Sipeed NanoKVM-Go — surpassed $6,374 USD goal, from $59 EB
2. GL.iNet Comet Q — over $1M raised
3. None confirmed this week
GitHub Trending
Makers & Hardware
None confirmed this week
Upcoming Events
Maker Faire Canada — July 17–19, 2026, Barrie, ON
Maker Faire Bay Area — Sept 25–27, 2026, San Mateo, CA
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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