When Is A 6502 Not Quite A 6502?
We all know that fake chips are a risk when it comes to buying parts on eBay or from Chinese markets such as AliExpress. It’s a simple enough scam, take …read more Continue reading When Is A 6502 Not Quite A 6502?
Category Archives: counterfeit
Cheap Power Supplies with Fake Chips Might Not be That Bad
We all know the old maxim: if it’s too good to be true, it’s probably made with fake components. OK, maybe that’s not exactly how it goes, but in our …read more Continue reading Cheap Power Supplies with Fake Chips Might Not be That Bad
Counterfeit Cisco Hardware Bypasses Security Checks With Modchips
Some pictures recently surfaced on social media, showing a small PCB tapped into four points on Cisco-branded boards. What is this about? A NSA backdoor so data can be exfiltrated …read more Continue reading Counterfeit Cisco Hardware Bypasses Security Checks With Modchips
Perhaps It’s Time To Talk About All Those Fakes And Clones
A while back, I bought a cheap spectrum analyser via AliExpress. I come from the age when a spectrum analyser was an extremely expensive item with a built-in CRT display, …read more Continue reading Perhaps It’s Time To Talk About All Those Fakes And Clones
Is Your Device Actually USB 3.0, Or Is The Connector Just Blue?
Discount (or even grey market) electronics can be economical ways to get a job done, but one usually pays in other ways. [Majenko] ran into this when a need to …read more Continue reading Is Your Device Actually USB 3.0, Or Is The Connector Just Blue?
Unmasking the Identity of an Unusual Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS family encompasses a dizzying array of portable game systems released over a span of 17 years. The original DS received several refreshes and special editions, and when …read more Continue reading Unmasking the Identity of an Unusual Nintendo DS
STM32 Clones: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Whenever a product becomes popular, it’s only a matter of time before other companies start feeling the urge to hitch a ride on this popularity. This phenomenon is the primary reason why so many terrible toys and video games have been produced over the years. Yet it also drives the …read more
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Deep-Sleep Problems Lead to Forensic Investigation of Troublesome Chip
When you buy a chip, how can you be sure you’re getting what you paid for? After all, it’s just a black fleck of plastic with some leads sticking out of it, and a few laser-etched markings on it that attest to what lies within. All of that’s straightforward to …read more
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X-Ray Sleuthing Unveils The Fake In Your Adaptors
Lets face it, the knock-off variety of our favourite adaptors, cables and accessories are becoming increasingly challenging to spot. We would be the first to admit, to have at some point, been stooped by a carefully crafted counterfeit by failing to spot the tell-tale yet elusive indicators such as the …read more
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Using A Vending Machine Bill Acceptor With Arduino
We’ve all seen, and occasionally wrestled with, bill acceptors like the one [Another Maker] recently liberated from an arcade machine. But have you ever had one apart to see how it works? If not, the video after the break is an interesting peak into how this ubiquitous piece of hardware …read more
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