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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Editor Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Manager Christopher Wilson Phone (02) 9979 5644 Mobile 0419 23 9375 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed John Hill Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young 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: $54 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 V-chip is a sign of a weak society So the politicians have decided that all new TV sets should have V-chips installed. Announced during July as one of the measures in a crackdown on TV and video violence, this must be one of the silliest decisions made by the new Federal government. There is no doubt that we do have a big problem with violence in our society but putting V-chips in TV sets won’t have any effect at all. So how would it work? The V-chip is supposed to sense the presence of violence in the program and stop it being shown on the screen, if the set has been programmed for this action. Just how does the V-chip know that the program contains violence? Because the video signal has a particular code, similar to a Teletext signal, inserted during the blanking intervals. And who puts the codes in? Why the program producers or the TV stations or the video duplicators, that’s who. In other words, there will be a major censorship applied to all programs. Of course, we don’t know how far this violence censorship will go. Will violence be censored from cartoons? Will the Road Runner no longer be able to obliterate the Coyote? After all, it’s pretty violent stuff, isn’t it? And what about TV news? Apart from all the effort which would need to be made to code all programs, the parents must also program their new TV set so that it doesn’t show violence to their kiddies. If you think about how inept most people are when it comes to programming their VCR, and how most children can do it without thinking at age seven, then the possibility of children reprogramming V-chipped sets to show anything is highly likely. But in any case, how long would it take before all the old TV sets without V-chips disappeared from Australian homes? 20 years? 25 years? More than enough for an entire generation to be unaffected by the V-chip measure. No, the V-chip idea is just stupid. At one time, there would have been no argument, in most homes, about whether children could watch a particular program or not? Mum or Dad used the big knob on the front of the set to turn it off! No high technology there. And if the kids gave any backchat they would get a clip over the ear. Oh, I’m sorry, that’s violence, isn’t it? Really, if this idea is to be taken seriously, then most adults have to be classed as incapable of taking responsibility for raising children. Maybe that’s the solution. Maybe people should be “chipped” to stop them having children if they are classed as likely to be incompetent parents. Seem like a silly idea? It’s not as silly as the V-chip. 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