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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus. Editor Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Leo Simpson Phone (02) 9979 5644 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Marque Crozman, VK2ZLZ Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed John Hill Jim Lawler, MTETIA Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Jim Yalden, VK2YGY Bob Young Photography Stuart Bryce SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Macquarie Print, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $49 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 34, 1-3 Jubilee Avenue, Warrie­ wood, NSW 2102. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. PUBLISHER'S LETTER Crystal balling the telephone With the advent of the new year and the new century being not far away, it is timely to think about products that could appear in the near future. After all, with people being so con­scious of computers, cellular phones, video and pay TV, the Internet and so on, it is common topic of conversation: “what will be next big consumer product?” No-one really predicted that cellular phones would be as popular as they have become and it is my opinion that another telephone derived product will be the next big seller. An obvious derivative, to my mind, is a small computer combined with a fax machine. Perhaps it would be called a “fax terminal” or something similar. This would have a typewriter keyboard and LCD screen and probably not much storage but you could type a message on the screen and then send it to another person’s fax machine. It could also receive fax messages but would not normally print them out, unless you wanted it to. Perhaps it would send a short voice message as well. You could also use it to pay bills and do all the things that a fax machine can do now. Such a machine is feasible now. It could be in many homes within five years. Another more expensive product would be a home telephone exchange and burglar alarm system. Most small businesses have a phone system now, with three or four incoming lines and up to eight extensions. They can transfer calls, allow conferencing and operate as an intercom. Currently priced at around $2000 to $4000, such systems are becoming cheaper all the time. Five years ago, equivalent systems were priced at around $8000 or more and are now just starting to be installed in larger homes where their convenience is really appreciated – no more shouting to call people to the phone, no more running to answer the phone and so on. Such a system could be extended to provide a full home security system, with computer interfacing as well. You could be able to connect a computer modem to any handset so that any member of the household could connect to the outside world. How long before we see such a product marketed I wonder? Further into the future, with the advent of highly com­pressed video and optical fibres, it seems likely that video phones are just a matter of time. It is not hard to envisage several or most rooms of a household having a video terminal which will do everything: provide entertainment, phone and com­ puter services, the whole bit. There are more variants on this theme but essentially they are all derivatives of the humble telephone. Who would have thought we want or need more telephones? Leo Simpson ISSN 1030-2662 WARNING! SILICON CHIP magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage. All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely. Readers are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When working on these projects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with mains AC voltages or high voltage DC. If you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability for damages should anyone be killed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SILICON CHIP magazine. Devices or circuits described in SILICON CHIP may be covered by patents. SILICON CHIP disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. SILICON CHIP also disclaims any liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws. Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable. 2  Silicon Chip