Unique Projects with Digital Potentiometers

Build a Remote Volume Control & Variable Power Supply using Digital Potentiometers!

Today, we are working with an interesting component: the Digital Potentiometer or Digipot. As the name implies, these devices are potentiometers whose wiper position is set digitally. While they are primarily used for interfacing analog and digital electronics, they also have a few other uses.

Today, we will work with three digital potentiometers: an integrated circuit with two digipots and a couple of full-featured modules from Adafruit. You’ll see how easy it is to code for an Arduino and ESP32 board.

After that, we will build a couple of projects that use digital potentiometers. The first is a remote analog volume control that uses an infrared remote (any remote will work; I used one from a television) to control an analog audio signal.

We will also use a digital potentiometer to construct a linear power supply with a variable output voltage. Since our design uses an ESP32, it just made sense to give it a web-based interface!

Here is the Table of Contents for today's video:

00:00 - Introduction
02:04 - Digital Potentiometers
08:32 - MCP4231 SPI Digipot
16:51 - DigiPot as Waveform Generator
21:42 - Adafruit DS1841 & DS3502
30:26 - Audio Remote Volume Control
39:31 - Remote Controlled Power Supply
51:15 - Conclusion

Hope you enjoy the video!

Bill

[DisgruntledPigumon]

DBWS has probably the best explanations of how electronics work. Always easy to understand.

[ottokueng]

Only three words: Really perfect presentation. Thank you verry much. (No music, no stress, good graphics, and good to understand even with no English as muther tongue.)
Many Prof could learn from you.

[EmanuelPerez-itky]

I've watched your informative videos for years and you've gained my respect. Thank you and God bless you, Sir.

[ProProgrammer_]

Your videos are awesome, informative and useful! Thanks!

[dld]

very nice job explaining digital pots. thanks

[baxbanni]

Again a well-grounded video. Thanks a lot. 👍👍

[Friendroid]

Everytime you come up with something new and with pratical applications

[albing]

Allen Bradley used to produce high quality potentiometers and trimmers. Using either molded carbon composition or cermet (fired carbon based ceramic). Most had a linear profile (turning angle proportional to resistance), but there were also logarithmic profiles. In the 60's at the request of one of AB's customer we experimented with a digital pot. Consisting of 2 photocell touch sensors (up & down), a clock, decade counter & D/A converter. A 7 segment LED for readout completed the module. This was the early 70's. Nothing commercially came of this, but just goes to show you that nothing is new.

[paulpvhl]

If a fully 'off' log control is needed, the linear unit can just be set to the appropriate log value by calculation or table lookup for the eight or more values of volume desired, rather than adding op-amps. Nice video that I can watch at high speed; always welcome

[AugustS]

6 minutes in and VALUABLE INFORMATION so far.

You are the best Sir!

[PandemoniumMeltDown]

You, sir, are making excellent videos.

[MarcelHuguenin]

Thanks Bill, great useful information. By the way, hope you're doing well.

[blazunlimited]

Ijboc at “resistance is futile”. C stands for chuckling. It was just a little funny.
Excellent delivery :-)

[rondlh]

Great video again, I never knew how to use digipots, thanks!

[Wil_Bloodworth]

The presentation quality is excellent. I wish I knew how to create video presentations like this!

[Sebasaper]

Niesamowicie wytłumaczone
Gdy bym złapała złotą rybkę chciał bym wiedzieć tyle co ty mój szacunek 👌

[whitneydesignlabs]

Thanks, Bill. I just ordered some DS3502 for some motor control ideas I have mind. Basically using an random motor controller that expects a turnpot speed input, using its own voltage, and making it microcontroller controlled instead. (wheel chair controllers, scooter controllers, etc...)

[klif_n]

Nice little device. Not sure if I have a use for one right now, but I feel compelled to pick a few up just in case 🙂

[scottakam]

Great info thanks. I've been thinking about using digipots and this is very helpful.

[alanturner]

Never heard of Digital pot so learnt yet again something new going to try Arduino be interesting with only experiencing Raspberry Pi and Pico to date. Thanks as always for great inspiring content