all fun projects at Olimex Ltd
14 Oct 2025 Leave a comment
in event, open source, OSHW, workshop Tags: 2025, openfest, soldering, workshop
OpenFest is the biggest event in Bulgaria about open source!
It’s free to participate event ran by volunteers and sponsors.
For the last 13 years we have been doing soldering workshops at every OpenFest event.
You are welcome to join us in Saturday 18th from 11.00 to 17.00 o’clock!
06 Oct 2025 Leave a comment
in event Tags: event, oshw, show, tell
Join us today at 17.40 o’clock Sofia time at Open Source Hardware Association Show and Tell Live
I will speak about five new Open Source Hardware Projects we are working on:
2. ESP32-C5-EVB OSHW board with
3. MOD-ESP32-C5 OSHW board with
4. ESP32-C5-DevKit-Lipo OSHW board with
5. ESP32-C6-DevKit-Lipo OSHW board with
02 Oct 2025 Leave a comment
in event Tags: event, party, soldering
This Saturday, we’re hosting a unique workshop at Olimex Ltd. Training Building!
Together, we’ll create art by soldering with discarded electronic components.
Suitable for all ages – whether you want to teach your child how to solder or simply have fun expressing your creativity.
Here are some pictures of similar event we held September 30, 2023.
It was great fun.
and here are some results:
Here is link to the Facebook event announcement.
When: Saturday, 14.00-16.00
Where: Olimex Ltd. Training Building
Come join us for an afternoon of learning, fun, and creativity!
23 Sep 2025 1 Comment
in programming Tags: DEBUGGER, microchip, MPLAB, pic, pickit3, programmer
MPLAB-PICKIT3 is low cost entry level programmer/debugger for PIC microcontrollers which do not need introduction as it’s quite mature solution.
PICKIT3 have one notorious bug when it powers the target in MPLAB you can select any voltage up to 5V but as it have protection diode where 0.6V is dropping it can’t provide more than 4.4V so if you set the target voltage above this level it will return errors.
This is partially solved in MPLAB-PICKIT3.5 where you can power the target with up to 4.7V but still not up to 5V.
Also MPLAB-PICKIT3.5 works better under Linux, while the original MPLAB-PICKIT3 frequently fails.
MPLAB-ZIF40 is 40 pin ZIF socket with PIC ICSP connector and different sets of jumpers which allow DIP PIC microcontrollers with 8/12/14/16/18/28/40 pin to be programmed.
22 Sep 2025 2 Comments
in new product, open source, OSHW, raspberrypi Tags: 48, flash, GPIO, pi, pico, pico2, pSRAM, raspberry
RP2350-PICO2-BB48 is improved version of Raspberry PI PICO2 with the following features:
The RP2350-PICO2-BB48 pinout is as follows:
The board is available in two versions RP2350-PICO2-BB48 for EUR 9.95 and RP2350-PICO2-BB48R for EUR 13.95 the later have 8MB PSRAM and microSD connector.
Both version come with pre-soldered 48 headers ready to plug on breadboard without any soldering.
09 Sep 2025 Leave a comment
in event, Retro computers Tags: computer, fun, party, repair, retro
The Meshtastic event on September 3rd went great. More than 30 people gathered, some of them traveling from other cities especially for it.
Dimitar Gamishev presented what Meshtastic is, compared it with LoRaWAN, and showed how he implemented it with the ESP32-POE and MOD-LoRa868-ANT.
After him, Todor Kandev (LZ5AE) demonstrated various devices he has worked with and shared practical experience.
Leon Anavi made video with his phone but the quality is not very good, anyway here is it:
Meanwhile, an idea for a new event was suggested by Plamen Vaysilov, and so on Wednesday, September 17th, from 18:00 to 19:00, we will have a Retro Computer Repair Party!
At this event, we will demonstrate how to diagnose and fix typical issues with Apple II and Pravetz 8 computers.
For this purpose, we will use a computer that was forgotten in the Olimex training building back in May during TuxCon conference soldering workshop.
We’ll clean it, power it up, and if any issues come up, we’ll try to repair them.
Afterwards, we’ll simulate failures by intentionally replacing working components with faulty ones (memory, logic chips) and see what happens in those cases.
If you’re a fan of retro technology, interested in computer repair, or simply want to have fun playing classic games like Karateka, Lode Runner, and others—come join us on September 17th at the Olimex training building on Pravda 2, Plovdiv.
27 Aug 2025 1 Comment
in event, open source Tags: event, hackafe, meshtastic, Plovdiv, workshop
Many workshops and learning courses were organized by enthusiasts who generously shared their knowledge free of charge.
It was a great time. The events were hosted at Programista company, right in the center of Plovdiv — a very convenient location.
Later, the company moved, and Hackafe no longer had a place to gather. The enthusiasm slowly faded, and eventually it was closed.
Many of us, however, still remember those times and miss them. So, we decided to take the initiative again and restart these meetings.
Here we go — on September 3rd, from 18:00 to 19:00, we will hold our first meeting with a Meshtastic workshop.
Meshtastic is an open-source, off-grid, decentralized mesh network designed to run on affordable, low-power devices. It uses LoRa to exchange messages in places with little or no infrastructure.
Dimitar Gamishev recently implemented Meshtastic with ESP32-POE and MOD-LoRa868 and will share the results with you.
Why in the middle of the week??? Because it’s August, and everyone leaves town late on Fridays, so weekends are excluded.
For now, the meeting will take place at Olimex’s Training Building, but if other opportunities come up, we may also host events in different locations.
We would also love to hear your ideas for events or workshops! We are especially looking for technical, hardware, or software-related topics.
We also plan to organize special events for kids and young people — building small robots, cars, drones, and planes. We have many ideas and are eager to share them with you.
We will start with events every two weeks, and everyone is welcome!
26 Aug 2025 17 Comments
Starting August 29th, new regulations have come into effect. Both DHL and UPS currently have no working solution, so on their advice, we are temporarily suspending all shipments to the USA effective immediately.
The issue is that we are now required to collect all taxes and tariffs on U.S. shipments in advance. However, there is no functioning calculator for this, which has created chaos. Parcels are being held in customs for weeks due to unreasonable requirements. For example, importers must declare the exact amount of steel, copper, and aluminum in products, with a 100% tariff applied to these materials. This makes little sense—PCBs, for instance, contain copper traces, but the quantity is nearly impossible to estimate.
U.S. customs is demanding a Certificate of Analysis (which could cost thousands of dollars and to determine what exact amount of Aluminum, Copper and Steel are in the product), otherwise they assume the entire PCB consists of copper, aluminum, and steel, and charge a 100% tariff on the whole product. This is a prime example of unnecessary complexity in international trade.
We sincerely apologize to all U.S. customers wishing to order directly. For now, please purchase our products through Mouser or Digi-Key.
All pending orders will be reviewed one by one and discussed with our customers, to decide what to do in each case.
26 Aug 2025 2 Comments
in esp32, IoT, matter, new product, open source, OSHW, thread, UEXT, wifi, zigbee Tags: bluetooth, esp32-c5, iot, matter, thread, wifi6, zigbee
The ESP32-C5-EVB is a brand-new evaluation board built around the ESP32-C5-WROOM-N8R4 module from Espressif, designed to bring dual-band wireless connectivity, ample memory, and robust control features into one compact, versatile package. Whether you’re developing IoT appliances, home automation solutions, or industrial controllers, this board delivers the flexibility and reliability you need.
Espressif’s ESP32-C5 is the industry’s first RISC-V MCU that supports:
This makes it a true multi-protocol wireless MCU designed for applications that demand high-efficiency wireless transmission and robust connectivity.
The ESP32-C5 is powered by a 32-bit single-core RISC-V processor, clocked up to 240 MHz, and includes:
Traditional IoT devices rely heavily on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, but this spectrum is increasingly congested. From microwaves to smart bulbs to countless routers, the 2.4 GHz band has become overcrowded, leading to interference and unreliable connections.
The ESP32-C5 solves this by supporting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6. The 5 GHz band offers:
This dual-band capability ensures your projects stay connected in environments where 2.4 GHz alone isn’t enough.
At the heart of the ESP32-C5-EVB lies the ESP32-C5-WROOM-N8R4 module, equipped with 8 MB of Flash and 4 MB of RAM, providing developers with plenty of memory for even the most demanding IoT applications.
The board itself is packed with practical features:
One standout feature is the integrated LiPo charger and step-up converter. This means the ESP32-C5-EVB can continue running on battery even if the main power supply is disconnected. Perfect for applications where uptime is critical, such as remote monitoring, alarms, or security systems.
With its combination of dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, Zigbee/Thread support, ample memory, relays, isolation, and battery backup, the ESP32-C5-EVB is ideal for:
The ESP32-C5-EVB isn’t just another development board—it’s a complete, ready-to-deploy platform. By combining the ESP32-C5’s dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, Zigbee/Thread, and RISC-V architecture with 8 MB Flash, 4 MB RAM, robust I/O, and UPS support, this board bridges the gap between prototyping and real-world IoT deployment.
If you’re looking to future-proof your IoT designs and break free from the crowded 2.4 GHz spectrum, the ESP32-C5-EVB is your next go-to tool.
ESP32-C5-EVB is ready for pre-order on Olimex’s site for only EUR 16.95 and we will start the shipments on September 12, so hurry up to be one of the first to play with this amazing development board.
11 Aug 2025 Leave a comment
in event Tags: ittour, soldering, varnaconf, workshop
When: Saturday, August 16
Where: Hotel Cherno More, Floor 2, Varna, Bulgaria
Varnaconf is back — part of the IT Tour series — bringing together tech enthusiasts, professionals, and innovators for a full day of inspiring talks, hands-on workshops, and networking.
💡 What’s on?
Best of all, Varnaconf is 100% free, organized entirely by passionate volunteers.
Whether you’re a developer, a student, or just curious about technology — this is the place to be!
Don’t miss it — see you in Varna!
olimex 
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