This gadget is literally bristling with convenient reference info that comes in handy when designing electronic projects of all sorts. The interactive logic gates are particularly fascinating to me. This ruler would be a huge benefit to any IT student.

Daria | Feb. 15, 2020

Really cool ruler!

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

Besides being a fun show piece at the local hackspace, it's a fun toy to muck around with. Makes a really good ruler and it's fantastic to have in the kit. Good documentation and easy to program!

Stefan | Jan. 2, 2020

Funny

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

The design and quality is nice. I just programmed a certain LED to be on - that worked. I definitly need more time for that great toy. The code maker helps a lot, I think, with training, you can code blind. Great fun!

Nick | Dec. 21, 2019

Good fun

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

Bought this as an intellectual exercise in very basic programming. Arrived very quickly. The docs could be clearer and seem to be out of date in some places (but the community can fix that). Did not disappoint.

Jay | Nov. 26, 2019

Very Cool Ruler

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

Got a few for other folks who I would appreciate them, and everyone is quite pleased. For most of us, brings us an experience we were just a tad too you for, and one brought back memories he said. All look and work well.

Lorenz | Nov. 18, 2019

I'm actually addicted to PCB-rulers. Damn this one weakness!

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Hi,
I just love this one. I also gifted one to my IT-trainees and he absolutly loves this thing too.
He brags about it in his professional school and the teachers allowed him to take it to his exams.
Well, I rly hope for him, that there are some basic logic questions in his exam^^ ;)

It just was the perfect gift for my trainee, because he had hard times before
he came to my company to finish his qualifications and this really motivated him because of the appreciation he felt.

We are also hoping that there is a Digirule 3 coming^^

Thomas | Sept. 28, 2019

Link to before and after.

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

An amazingly well crafted device that links all that has gone into my journey with bits to all the possibilities still to come. Part prayer bead, part logic trainer, part teaching device this ruler can be used for so much. I look forward to seeing and contributing to all the code and projects that com from this. Has anyone started up a tag/hashtag for it on GitHub, Twitter, irc, erc? #digirule

Thomas | Sept. 8, 2019

Amazingly Fun And Useful.

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

I got this just for the sheer wow factor of having a blinking bit of binary figuring in my kit. Then my younger son starts using it relating how he learnt some about flip-flops using redstone in Minecraft. A fellow at work picked it up and recounted his early days of code work.... Those are just from having it for a few days. Just as a conversation starter it has been well worth the purchase. Hats off for a useful tool that packs a lot of personality as well.

Gregory | Aug. 18, 2019

Great little device to aid in learning some digital logic.

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Such a simple little device to help those unfamiliar with digital logic to learn how logic works. Fun to play with. Such a simple device to show how logic works. Shipping was quick, and also well packaged. Love it.

Response from bradsprojects | Aug. 19, 2019

Thanks for the review Gregory. Glad to hear you're having fun playing with the Digirule!

Valerio | Aug. 18, 2019

Great device

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

I love it.
The digirule 1A is a great device for teaching the working of logic gates, Flip flop and binary.
The visual experience of turning on inputs and how they affect the output is first class.

Hoping to start programming it soon.

It uses the 18F45k20 rather then the 18F43k20, which I’m already using with the PICKIT 2 interface.

Looking forward to buy the Digirule 2A when it is back on sale.

Response from bradsprojects | Aug. 19, 2019

Thanks for the review Valerio. Remember you can download the sourcecode and schematic from the Digirule web page on my site. Have fun with programming your Digirule :)

Jono | Aug. 15, 2019

Great product - brilliant idea

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Love the idea of this ruler. I spotted some that a friend had got as promotional items. Then I found this one and had to have it. My kids have learned binary and logic gates by messing around with them. Even my retired Dad who is an electronics engineer has been inspired by it.

Response from bradsprojects | Aug. 15, 2019

Thanks for the review Jono :) I've given one Digirule to each of my older kids so they can learn binary, logic gates and flip flops too! I'm very happy to hear your Dad had been inspired by it also :)

Arnaud | Aug. 14, 2019

Excellent ! So happy to have it :)

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Took me some time to figure out again some of the gates of flip-flops but I love it. I really hope to show it to my son and use it as a teaching tool :) People were already giving me this weird look when using my Adafruit PCB ruler... can't wait to see faces with this one ! Great work and thanks for the fast shipping !

Response from bradsprojects | Aug. 19, 2019

Thanks for the review Arnaud and I hope your son enjoys learning the basics of digital electronics with the Digirule :)

Patrick | Dec. 31, 2018

Digiruler2

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

Just received today... I'm downloading and studing :all features :)
for now I can say that it look's nice Thank you

Volker | Nov. 29, 2018

NICE PRODUCT

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

Nice little toy to show how a computer works on the inside,
good design,
looks and feels robust,
i would recommend this product to a friend.

thanks

Dirk | Nov. 18, 2018

Great desk toy & learning tool for low level programming!

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

Works perfectly, and is a lot of fun to play with. Did find one or two errata in the docs, but overall very good documentation and sample programs.

Brent | Nov. 14, 2018

More fun than the sum of its parts

For Digirule2 - The 8-bit Programmable Binary Ruler

My Digirule 2 arrived at its midwest US destination 15 days from the day I ordered it. The envelope in which it came was thin but padded, and the board was sealed in a static-shielding bag. There was no visible damage to the product. Component placement and soldering quality looks good. Silkscreen is nice and legible, front and back. The fact that the Digirule 2 is PIC-based was a big selling point for me. I was pleasantly surprised to find a PIC18F45K20 on board (with 4x flash and 3x RAM compared to the PIC18F43K20 I expected to find after reading the website). I followed the advice in the User Manual for installing the battery. It took more force than I expected to seat the battery, so when it's time to replace it, a small screwdriver may be necessary to pry it out, hopefully without damaging the holder. When switched on, everything worked perfectly. The LEDs are plenty bright. I ran each of the eight pre-installed programs, then wrote a small test program of my own. The Digirule 2 virtual CPU is fun to program right out of the box. The fact that the host PIC is hackable via the provided in-circuit serial programming pads makes it even more so. I noticed on the schematic that the address LED port and data LED port are reversed. If I discover any other schematic issues I will be sure to inform Brad. Can't report on battery life expectancy as I haven't drained the first one yet. I had a nice email conversation with Brad before the Digirule 2 even showed up. He was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to respond to each of my messages. Very happy with my purchase. Good job Brad!

Response from bradsprojects | Nov. 17, 2018

Thanks for the detailed info in your review Brent and thanks for picking up the error with my schematic - I went and checked myself and you are correct, I had them swapped around - i'll fix that up when I get some time. I am certainly glad that you are having some fun with the Digirule2 and look forward to seeing what you come up with in terms of new firmware and features. Keep me updated and if you don't mind, i'll post details of your work to the Digirule2 webpage.

Graeme | Oct. 30, 2018

Good vale for the money

For RetroBall: Build-It-Yourself Pixel Fun

Works exactly as promised.
Rapid and very positive response from Brad when I provided direct feedback to him.

Response from bradsprojects | Oct. 30, 2018

Thanks for taking the time to leave a review Graeme and I hope Retroball continues to provide great entertainment for you 😊

Benedikt | May 20, 2018

Amazing ruler with many useful functions

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

The ruler is working perfectly well. While the binary numbered scale might make it little bit difficult to use the ruler quickly, it adds to it's charm anyways.
I could not really find much documentation and ended up reading through the provided source code. Please, add a printed manual to the shipment or at least email me a PDF after I made the purchase!
It's also a bit annoying that the scale does not start at the edge of the board. Via email he replied to me that this is not possible for accuracy reasons, but it would still have been a lot more useful this way.
Still, I do not regret this purchase, especially considering the amazing price. It's a nice ruler and it earned a prominent place on my desk and is getting involved into some productive work, once I verified that the scale is accurate enough by itself to be used productively.

Response from bradsprojects | May 20, 2018

Thanks for the review Benedikt however there is plenty of documentation :) If you have a look on any product page on Tindie you will find links to 'Specs and Docs' (it is all the way up the top - just underneath the product images). The Digirule page also contains these links and there you will find the sourcecode, bill of materials, user manual, PCB design etc...

Rik | May 10, 2018

nice gadget, for a student ,

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

This is a nice gadget , to fresh up the binary things, good for a student or a old timer like me who wants to do some new things .
arrived with 1 led broken ( maybe transport ) but no big deal to replace him .

Response from bradsprojects | May 10, 2018

Thank you for the reply Rik - however I'm sorry to hear yours arrived with a broken LED. I'll send you a private message and get this all sorted out for you :)

Tom | May 3, 2018

Brilliant toy/educational device.

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

I love it, arrived on time, and all I had to do was get the CR2032 battery, that you can get just about anywhere.

The concept is great, every student in a tech course should have one.

The buttons and their spacing is good, considering my finger size.

The information on the reverse side is invaluable when it comes to the SMD component outlines, real size and clear text.

I thought the text may have been a bit too small, but the sharpness of the font and the good contrast to the PCB colour alleviated that worry.

Thinking of getting a second one for my boss..

Thanks for a great fun/educational gadget... Tom..

Response from bradsprojects | May 4, 2018

Thanks for the feedback Tom - very glad to hear the digirule is coming in handy for you. Surely your boss would have to give you a raise if you got them a Digirule!

Rolf | April 13, 2018

Great!

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

The Digirule is an amazing toy for those who know about Boolean algebra and a wonderful instrument to learn about it for those who don't. Wish I had it when I was confronted with that issue at school.

Shipping from Australia to Germany is a little handicapped due to delay by german customs. Perhaps they check, wether it may be a remote control for cruise missiles or something like that. But as I'm not in a hurry I can bear it.

Response from bradsprojects | April 16, 2018

Sorry for the delays in shipping Rolf - unfortunately (depending on the destination country) it can take a while to process through customs and for the forwarding postal service to put it through their system. It was actually even worse when I had them shipped directly from my manufacturer in Shenzhen - sometimes it would take almost two months to arrive by airmail!

I hope you get a lot of use and enjoyment out of your Digirule :)

Phillip | Feb. 28, 2018

Handy benchtop tool.

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

I still do my own prototyping and proofs of concepts using mostly SMDs . The reference material on the Digirule has practical application and the cool buttons and LEDs take me back to my fun filled days of discovering digital technology. Destined to take its place among my favorite gizmos. Thanks for sharing your creativity and putting a little fun in our work day!

Response from bradsprojects | March 2, 2018

Hi Phillip, fantastic to see the various footprints on the Digirule have come in handy for you and that it is giving you fond memories of when you were first discovering digital electronics. Thank you very much for the review :)

Robert | Aug. 28, 2017

What a nerdy ruler!

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Shipping was more like 4 weeks, and the tracking number didn't tell me anything except that it had shipped. Not a big deal, but I was starting to wonder where it was.

But the ruler itself is pretty cool. Just about everything you'd want concerning binary logic. I particularly like the gray code counter. I can easily do two-bit gray code, which is what you mostly see. Now I can see how four-bit gray code works.

A couple of suggestions. The POV is kinda hard to see. If you rotated the logic gates section by 90° and put a hole in the ruler between the Q and Q not outputs, you could spin the ruler and see the patterns much easier. I can tell one pattern is some letters, but can't make out what it says.

The other suggestion is to add the list of Easter eggs to the conversion table that is on the back. Not the full name, but something like Standard, Gray, Sparkly, Shift, Test, POV, Dice, Game, 4Bit. It would make it easy to find the one I want without having to pull up the manual.

Response from bradsprojects | Feb. 10, 2018

Hi Robert - sorry for the late reply, I hadn't seen your review until now.

I apologise for the shipping times - but certainly glad that you enjoy the ruler and it has come in somewhat educational. The extra 'easter egg' modes were an after thought and as such - the POV display is quite awkward to use. It would certainly be better to be able to 'wave' the ruler back and forth with LED's going along the length of it. Perhaps the Digirule 2 will have this feature.

The easter egg lookup table would be helpful also - since even I forget what number performs what function :)

thanks again for the review and sorry for the very late reply!

Thomas | Aug. 25, 2017

Really nice techie-gadget!

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

The Digirule is a very nice gadget for techies which on one hand helps to explain binary to people unfamiliar with it but also tempts to play while on the phone or in a meeting. :-) The product is just perfect.
Shipping had been a little bit of a pain, it really needed more time as expected.

Response from bradsprojects | Aug. 25, 2017

Hi Thomas - glad to hear you like the Digirule and I completely understand the annoyance with shipping. it does take a few weeks on average. Thanks for the review!

Ian | July 27, 2017

And it's also a ruler

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Really brilliant piece of kit, when I first showed it to my grandson his first comment was" how does it work" now begins the journey into electronics and coding. Couldn't wish for a better introduction.

Response from bradsprojects | Aug. 13, 2017

That's fantastic Ian - i've been trying to get my two older boys into electronics :) I hope it all goes well for you!

Daniel | June 20, 2017

This is neat..

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

Something to tinker with and learn from while I'm at my desk.

Thanks for creating it man.

Good quality.

Response from bradsprojects | June 20, 2017

Thanks for the review Daniel and glad to see it has come in useful for you :)

Gerard | June 4, 2017

Nice Product

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

The rule is very nice. The design is a good idea. I like particularily the metric scale (centimeter) with binary notation, The reason for giving the product only 3 stars is that afer 3 or 4 switch on/off the switch was broken. I understand that this kind of problem is very difficult to avoid and having to use small mechanical parts can be a chalenge. I ordered a replacement switch (50 pcs for 6.99$) and when they arrive I will fix the rule. It will stay on my desk.
Rating for Documentation and comunication is 5 stars because a rating is required, even if there is no documentation (and no need for documentation) and there was no communication.
-------------------------------------
After receiving Brad's reply: he is of course right, the documentation is there. I just dodn't look for it. I guess, one who enjoy this kind of ruler doesn't really need a documentation, does he?
Now, concerning the replacement unit: this wasn't expected and I wouldn't have asked for it in one thousand years. Brad say " my products are a reflection of me". I would say the way you handle issues is a reflection of you. Congratulations.
-------------------------------------
Just a last statement to finish this thread: the replacement ruler arrived today. Thank you very much Brad. I am sure you will have a big success as an entrepreneur and I wish you all the best. I hope being able to buy other awesome products from you.

Response from bradsprojects | June 4, 2017

Hi Gerard, glad you like the design of the ruler and I'm sorry to hear that your power switch broke. However you shouldn't feel the need to accept a faulty unit - I gladly replace faulty units free of charge since my products are a reflection of me. I'll get a replacement unit sent out to you today. As for documentation, there are links to the user manual, bill of materials, source code, PCB design etc. from the Digirule page - here on Tindie (these links are down the right hand side of the page). Communication is a funny rating I guess because if everything goes smoothly with the transaction, the only communication you would receive would be to say the item has been sent and provide you with the tracking number. Perhaps communication would come in to effect if you had a question about the item or perhaps to let me know your unit was faulty. If I simply did not reply or I my reply was unhelpful, you should then leave a poor star rating.

Kind regards,

-Brad

Volker | June 4, 2017

well made and fun toy.

For Digirule - The Interactive Binary Ruler!

I bought 2 digi rules one for my son (13) and one for me,. Nice toy, well designed and well made. Good to see that a PIC controller is used
a refreshing choice theses days were everything is about arduino. The ruler inspired me to make a debug ruler with logic probe , switches and leds. Thanks to the maker, Volker

Response from bradsprojects | June 20, 2017

Thanks for the review Volker,

I must admit that while I do experiment here and there with Arduino's my favourite microcontrollers are by far the PIC's! I've been using them since about 2007 and don't plan on giving them up anytime soon. It would be great to see your debug ruler, i'll have to see if it pops up on the internet sometime!

Steve | April 25, 2017

Bought a bunch

For Toaster - The 3 Output USB Breadboard Power Supply

I was a Kickstarter backer of the original Toaster project, and I like to think of that as one of the smarter things I've done. The first batch were sold and reliable. The Toaster's great for powering small projects from the USB of my oscilloscope or laptop, and makes portable affordable experimenter kits a practicality.

So when I saw there was another batch coming along, I bought 20 right off the bat. I plan to use them in kits for classes to help disadvantaged kids get into computers and electronics. Shoe Brad some encouragement - the combination of creativity and the ability to deliver don't come along often enough.

Response from bradsprojects | April 25, 2017

Thanks for the kind words Steve and certainly glad the Toasters are coming in handy for you.

If you think I can help out with your work with the kids then please let me know. I've got a new Kickstarter campaign coming up for the four player game of PONG that I made called Retroball. It uses four potentiometers and a 32x32 pixel RGB LED matrix. Maybe I could send you a couple of those free of charge that you could build and then play with the kids?

Steve | April 25, 2017

Bought a bunch

For Toaster - The 3 Output USB Breadboard Power Supply