Electronics

Welcome to the Electronics section of PHP Systems Blog. This is where my background in electronics meets hands-on tinkering - from microcontroller projects to sensor integrations, circuit design, and home automation hardware builds. Whether you’re a beginner looking to solder your first board or a seasoned maker searching for integration ideas, you’ll find practical guides and experiments here.

Tinkering with the GeekMagic SmallTV: Firmware Recovery, Serial Hacks, and Home Assistant Integration

I pushed the GeekMagic SmallTV Ultra far beyond stock-tearing it down, accidentally bricking it during a firmware update, then reviving it with a CH340C serial mod. With Home Assistant integration, it became a powerful mini dashboard-until a current bug broke image updates.

How I Repaired My UniFi US-8-150W PoE Switch Using a New Power Supply and 3D Printing

I repaired my failed UniFi US-8-150W PoE switch using a replacement Mean Well power supply and a 3D-printed mount. Here’s how I opened it up, rewired it, fitted the new PSU, and got it working again — plus what I’d do differently next time.

Wireless doorbell hacking

I bought a wireless doorbell from B&M and the doorbell works great. I have always been interested in decoding radio, so this gave me a chance to try this out. My end goal here is to be able to press the doorbell and have home assistant act on the button press.

My Ender 5

I have been 3D printing since COVID. Like many others, I decided I needed a new hobby to spend my time at home on. Shame it was still tied to computers, but it was sufficiently different to distract me. The printer I chose was an Ender 5 pro.

My hobby desk

For some time now, I've needed a bit

Building the Batmobile

Dive into father-son tinkering with the CircuitMess DIY Batmobile. This post walks you through assembly, lessons learned, test driving—and sparks a love for making. Memories guaranteed.

About the author

Tim Wilkes is a UK-based security architect with over 15 years of experience in electronics, Linux, and Unix systems administration. Since 2021, he's been designing secure systems for a telecom company while indulging his passions for programming, automation, and 3D printing. Tim shares his projects, tinkering adventures, and tech insights here - partly as a personal log, and partly in the hopes that others will find them useful.

Want to connect or follow along?

LinkedIn: [phpsytems]
Twitter / X: [@timmehwimmy]
Mastodon: [@timmehwimmy@infosec.exchange]

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