6.111 Announcements

Week of December 12, 2005

  • Please take a few minutes to complete the HKN Underground Guide Course Evaluation. We're doing it on-line since we don't have any lectures during the last six weeks...

  • Final checkoffs will be on Mon (12/12) through Wed (12/14). The schedule has been posted.

  • Please upload your final report by WEDNESDAY @ 5pm. Faculty rules require that all 6.111 assignments be completed by the end of classes, so we're not able to offer extensions, sorry.

  • Please dismantle your project setup (ouch!) and turn in your bag of components, tools, test equipment leads, etc., by THURSDAY @ 5pm at the 6th floor equipment desk. Remember to include other equipment you've checked out (e.g., cameras) along with any parts that are still in usable condition that were purchased by the course for your project.

  • Have a good break -- you've earned it!

Week of December 5, 2005

  • Please take a few minutes to complete the HKN Underground Guide Course Evaluation. We're doing it on-line since we don't have any lectures during the last six weeks...

  • Final checkoffs will be on Mon (12/12) through Wed (12/14). We'd like to meet for 30 mins with each team to see your project in action and if you're willing to make a short videotape. The schedule has been posted.

  • We'll be opening the lab next weekend (Dec. 10&11): Saturday from 9a until evening (tbd) and on Sunday from 9a to 1145p.

Week of November 28, 2005

  • Please upload a PDF of your checklist of deliverables by 5pm on Wed, 11/30. This checklist should include a comprehensive list of what you're planning to demonstrate at final project checkoff. Usually the list includes each of the major modules in your design with a sentence or two describing their functionality and how they'll be demonstrated. Include your more ambitious goals too (mark them "if time permits") so we'll know all the things you're trying to get working.

  • Final checkoffs will be on Mon (12/12) through Wed (12/14). We'd like to meet for 30 mins with each team to see your project in action and if you're willing to make a short videotape. Please have one person on your team email cjt@mit.edu with your availability between 10a and 9p on those days. Thanks!

  • We'll be opening that lab on the next two weekends (Dec. 3&4 and 10&11): Saturday from 9a until evening (tbd) and on Sunday from 9a to 1145p.

Week of November 14, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon-Wed: Design Presentations (schedule)

  • Please upload a PDF of your presentation slides to the course website by Wed, 11/15, at 5pm.

  • The lab will not be open over Thanksgiving. It closes at 1515 on Wednesday, 11/23, and reopens at noon on Sunday, 11/27.

Week of November 7, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon: Final version of CI-M paper (upload PDF to website)
    • by Fri: Block Diagram Conference w/ TA

  • Next week's to-do list:
    • Mon-Wed: Design Presentations (upload PDF of slides to website).

  • Midterm: average = 78.9, stddev = 13.5 , solutions, histogram. You can pick up your exam (and your other graded labs) in a file crate located in the seating area on the south side of the 6.111 lab.

  • The lab will not be open over Thanksgiving. It closes at 1515 on Wednesday, 11/23, and reopens at noon on Sunday, 11/27.

  • This is the week you should nail down the details of your design and if you need special parts get them ordered. The TA assigned to your team will need approve any purchases made using course funds, so please talk to him ASAP. If you're considering a parts order here are some guidelines:
    • check with Arlin to see if we already have an equivalent part in the stockroom.
    • make sure the part comes in a package that you can use (many parts now come in surface mount packages which are hard/impossible to connect to the lab kits).
    • order a spare
    • check that the parts are in stock and will arrive before Thanksgiving. Parts arriving after Thanksgiving are unlikely to be useful in your project. A good place to look is www.digikey.com.
    • After approval by your TA, you can order the parts yourselves and get reimbursed (we won't be able reimburse sales tax, sorry), or you can have John Sweeney (5th floor instrument room) order the parts. For Digikey orders, please get him your info by Wednesday so the parts will arrive by Friday.
    • there are only limited funds available, so your parts request should be relatively modest.

  • Sample code for labkit released. Included are sound effects, character display for video and dot LEDs, keyboard input, servo motor control, beta2 for the labkit, and NTSC video input(!).

Week of October 31, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon: Project Abstract due (upload PDF by 5pm)
    • Wed: Quiz, 7:30 - 9:30, 34-101
    • Fri: Project Proposal Conference w/ TA (schedule via email)

  • We'll be assigning a TA mentor to each project team. Your mentor will email you to schedule the Proposal Conference.

  • Due to the delay in posting the comments on the draft papers, the deadline for submitting the final report has postponed one week until Mon, Nov. 7 at 5pm.

  • The quiz is scheduled for next Wednesday, 11/2, from 7:30p to 9:30p in 34-101. It's closed book; you can bring calculators (although you won't need them!). The coverage is material presentented in lecture and in the tutorial problems.

  • New! - Sample code for labkit released. Included are sound effects, character display for video and dot LEDs, keyboard input, servo motor control, beta2 for the labkit, and NTSC video input(!).

Week of October 24, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:

  • Next week's to-do list:
    • Mon: Project Abstract due (upload PDF by 5pm)
    • Mon: Revised CI-M report due (upload PDF by 5pm)
    • Wed: Quiz, 7:30 - 9:30, 34-101
    • Fri: Project Proposal Conference w/ TA (schedule via email)

  • Wednesday is the last scheduled lecture for this term.

  • The quiz is scheduled for next Wednesday, 11/2, from 7:30p to 9:30p in 34-101. It's closed book; you can bring calculators (although you won't need them!). The coverage is material presentented in lecture and in the tutorial problems.

  • New! - Sample code for labkit released. Included are sound effects and character display for video (try these to spruce up your Lab 4 demo).

Week of October 17, 2004

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon, Wed: lecture
    • Fri: Lab 3 (checkoff by 5pm, 10/21)

  • Lab 4 has been issued. Checkoff should be completed by 5pm, 10/28.

  • We've revised the Lab #3 handout to add some additional information about how Verilog does arithmetic -- see the red text on page 6. This info will explain why many of you are experiencing difficulties in getting the interpolator to produce the correct results.

  • Warning! Some students have had problems using the Xilinx tools off of the shared drive (U:). We recommend placing your project folder on the E: drive, copying the folder back to the U: drive when you logout.

Week of October 10, 2004

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon: no lecture, but lab open 12n - 12m
    • Wed, Fri: lecture
    • Wed: CI-M report for Lab #2 due (upload to website by 5pm)
    • Work on Lab 3 (checkoff by 5pm, 10/21)

  • We've revised the Lab #3 handout to add some additional information about how Verilog does arithmetic -- see the red text on page 6. This info will explain why many of you are experiencing difficulties in getting the interpolator to produce the correct results.

  • To submit a draft (in PDF form) of your CI-M paper, use the "Submit PDFs" link to the left. When the reviewers have made their comments, you'll be able view/download their commented PDF files from the submissions page.

  • Lab 3 has been issued. Checkoff should be completed by 5pm, 10/21. Work on getting this done ASAP so you'll have plenty of time for Lab 4! The headsets to be used for audio input and output will be added to the labkits on Tuesday, 10/11.

  • Warning! Some students have had problems using the Xilinx tools off of the shared drive (U:). We recommend placing your project folder on the E: drive, copying the folder back to the U: drive when you logout.

Week of October 3, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon, Wed: lecture (don't forget the tutorial problems!)
    • Fri: Lab 2 (checkoff by 5pm, 10/7)
    • Work on Lab 2 CI-M paper (due by 5p, 10/12)

  • Lab 2 is available on the Handouts webpage. Checkoff should be completed by 5pm, 10/7. The Lab 2 written report will be used to satisfy the CI-M requirement and is due by 5pm, 10/12. Guidelines for the report can be found at the end of the lab handout and additional writing resources are listed as part of the Lab 2 material.

  • We've added some links to useful Verilog resources -- see the Info section of the Handouts page.

Week of September 26, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon, Wed, Fri: lecture (don't forget the tutorial problems!)
    • Work on Lab 2 (checkoff by 5pm, 10/7)

  • Lab 2 has been issued. Checkoff should be completed by 5pm, 10/7. The Lab 2 written report will be used to satisfy the CI-M requirement and is due in class on 10/12. Guidelines for the report can be found at the end of the lab handout and additional writing resources are listed as part of the Lab 2 material.

  • We've added some links to useful Verilog resources -- see the Info section of the Handouts page.

Week of September 19, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon: No lecture, student holiday
    • Wed: lecture (don't forget the tutorial problems!)
    • Fri: Lab 1 checkoff by 5pm

  • Please checkoff Lab #1 exercises as you complete them so we don't have an impossible rush on Friday.

  • Lab 2 has been issued. Checkoff should be completed by 5pm, 10/7. The Lab 2 written report will be used to satisfy the CI-M requirement and is due in class on 10/12. Guidelines for the report can be found at the end of the lab handout and additional writing resources are listed as part of the Lab 2 material.

  • The 6.111 electronic library is now available; it contains helpful reading material (and tutorials).

Week of September 12, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:
    • Mon, Wed, Fri: lecture (don't forget the tutorial problems!)
    • Work on Lab 1 (checkoff by 5pm, 9/23)

  • We'll be staffing the lab starting Monday, 9/12. Please see Lab Hours for a detailed schedule.

  • Lab 2 has been posted on the Handouts page.

Week of September 5, 2005

  • This week's to-do list:

  • The first meeting of 6.111 will be at lecture on Wednesday, 9/7 at 1p in 34-101. Note there are no Tuesday recitations as listed in the Registrar's Subject Listing & Schedule. Consult the Course calendar for schedule of lectures, labs and quizzes.

  • Please take a moment to read the Course info page which describes course mechanics and policies.

  • Lab #1 has been posted on the Handouts page. Take the Lab Kit Signout form to the Instrument Room (38-601) to check out a kit of parts, tools and test equipment leads you'll need to work on the labs.