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PRODUCT SHOWCASE Redback “Solutions” audio installation tools Redback Solutions is a range of audio tools designed to help overcome common problems during installation of audio systems. The half-width 1RU design allows for individual units to be used stand alone, or with the use of the custom bracket up to 2 units can be rack mounted side by side. All models are designed and manufactured in Australia. The mix of products has been selected after repeated requests from leading sound contracting companies. There are plans to include several new models in the Solutions range in the near future and Altronics Managing Director, Brian Sorensen, will be happy to hear suggestions from contractors and other audio users for the types of products they would like to see added to the range. Currently available are the following models: A 5104 – Audio Distribution Amp 1 in – 4 out; A 5120 – A/V Distribution Amp 1 in – 4 out (pictured top); A 4804 – Balanced Line Pre Amp 1 mic / 1 Aux – 1 output (pictured below); A 5115 – Phantom Power Supply 2 channel; A 5110 – Di box with inbuilt EQ; A 8300 – 24V DC 1 Amp Power Supply. Units can be powered from either dedicated plug packs or when multiple units are used in one system, several units can be powered from the M 8300 Power supply. The Solutions range are priced $199.00 each including GST. Contact: Altronics Distributors 174 Roe St Northbridge WA 6003 Ph: (08) 9428 2199 Fax (02) 9428 2198 Website: www.altronics.com.au Prototype RF screening system When electronic engineers and designers are developing new applications, achieving radiated emissions compliance is a key consideration. Where RF screening is required, costly one-off screens of various shapes and sizes often need to be made. Microponents, (Birminghman, UK) has a very flexible RF Screening System to provide an “instant fix”. The system is very flexible, allowing engineers to build screening enclosures of various sizes, shapes and heights. A profile can be formed while maintaining 0.1-inch spacing, even around corners, to fit on development boards. It can be assembled without tools into various shapes, is solderable and has a long shelf life. The kit can currently be purchased 70  Silicon Chip directly from Microponents, however, distribution rights will be announced towards the end of 2002. Contact: Microponents Ltd PO Box 162 Birmingham B4 7XD England Ph: 44 121 380 0100 Fax 44 121 359 3313 Website: www.microponents.com Toslink Optical Gear from Microgram With Toslink (digital optical data transfer) becoming more and more popular in many sound cards, DVD players and other digital audio equipment, Microgram Computers have added a range of Toslink equipment to assist users who want to take advantage of the high performance of this relatively new standard. First are a pair of converters which transform wired (RCA) signals to Toslink or vice versa. Both are priced at $89.00; the 23006-7 converter goes from Toslink to RCA while the 23005-7 goes from RCA to Toslink. Next is a To s l i n k Switch Box (230007) which avoids wear and tear on optical connections. It has 3 switchable inputs and one output and sells for $54.00 A little more up-market is the plugpack-powered, 4 in, 2 out digital optical (Toslink) switch box with remote control. It’s in a very “showy” plastic case and it retails for $149.00 (23002-7). More info on all the Toslink gear from the Microgram website. Contact: Microgram Computers Unit 1, 14 Bon Mace Close,    Berkeley Vale NSW 2261 Ph: (02) 4389 8444 Fax: 1800 625 777 Website: www.mgram.com.au www.siliconchip.com.au New low-cost, tiny UHF handhelds from Jaycar Back in April last year, we looked at the range of small hand-held two-way radios then available. Jaycar has released a new one which could have given our top choice a run for its money: these “Digitalk” tiny (105 x 60 x 25mm) hand-helds operate on the UHF CB band (all 40 channels) and have a range of features which belie their $79.95 pricetag. All functions are push-button controlled including the “normals” such as volume, channel selection, etc. But they also have such features as channel scanning and call alert, call tone transmitting, VOX (voice activitation) and can also use a vox operated $63.95 each for 10+. headset/microphone (available separately). There is even a dual time and stopwatch Contact: function – very hand for sports use! Jaycar Electronics They operate from four AAA batteries – 100 Silverwater Rd, Silverwater 2128 alkaline or rechargeable. Jaycar have special Ph: (02) 9741 8555 Fax (02) 9741 8500 volume pricing for quanitities dropping to Website: www.jaycar.com.au Stabivolt adjustable AC voltage regulator Some readers will be familiar with AC voltage regulators which use a large transformer and a ferro-resonant circuit to maintain a constant 240VAC. These are commonly used where AC supplies tend to fluctuate over a wide range or have problems with transient spike voltages. The Stabivolt is also an AC voltage regulator but it has the advantage that its output is adjustable via a front panel Variac control. Four different models are available without outputs of 2.5A, 5A, 8A and 10A. Besides the front panel Variac, the Stabivolt has a 0-300V voltmeter and a standard 3-pin flushmount output socket, power switch and fuse. Line regulation is quoted as being within 1% for mains input voltage variations from STEPDOWN TRANSFORMERS 60VA to 3KVA encased toroids Harbuch Electronics Pty Ltd 9/40 Leighton Pl. HORNSBY 2077 Ph (02) 9476-5854 Fx (02) 9476-3231 -20% to +10% of 240VAC. Output load regulation is not quoted. The output voltage is sinusoidal with typically 3% harmonic distortion. The output can be set anywhere from 0V to 270VAC. Since the Stabivolt does use a conventional ferro-resonant isolating transformer, it provides full isolation between the input and output, unlike a standard Variac. Contact: Sydney Transformer Co 95c Seven Hills Rd, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Ph: (02) 9620 8356 Fax (02) 9624 1779 Low-cost surveillance system with bonus TV set. Another one of those surplus bargains from O a t l e y Electronics is this lowc o s t s u rveillance system – with a TV set included for good measure. The heart of the system is a Panasonic TC-14S15A 34cm remote-controlled colour TV set. These have a pedigree: they were actually used in many venues during the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. (The one you get might have been used by a gold medal winner in the athlete’s village!). Because of their previous use, they may have many www.siliconchip.com.au channels locked out or be set to “hotel mode” where sound levels are limited and many user controls are unavailable. But these are easy to reset or overcome using the remote control (details are on Oatley’s website). All the TVs have audio/video inputs and outputs as well as the usual antenna intput and would normally be very keenly priced (for a brand-name set) at Oatley’s selling price of $295.00 But wait, there’s more! Included with every set is a miniature CMOS video camera, complete with its own tiny microphone, which makes a perfect surveillance system when coupled with the Panasonic TV. A small 12V plugpack supply is also included to power the camera. So if you’re looking for a low- Contact: cost surveillance Oatley Electronics system, this is Ph: (02) 9584 3563 Fax: (02) 9584 3561 well worth a sec- Website: www.oatleyelectronics.com ond glance. September 2002  71 Hong Kong to host largest trade fair in Asia Office during the fair opening to pick up the card. Australasian companies are also entitled to this special privilege as part of the Buying Mission. The Fair’s Cyber Booking Service allows visitors to pre-schedule appointments with exhibitors on-line. Simply log onto the Fair website and browse through the list of exhibitors by name, product category, country/ region. Log onto http://hkelectronics fair. com before 20th September 2002 to register for your free admission badge. You can also enter a series of lucky draws online to win prizes which including free admission tickets to Ocean Park and a free tour to Shenzhen, China. Contact: Following its record-breaking success last year, the Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2002 will be held from October 11-14, 2002 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. One of the world’s biggest exporters of electronics goods, Hong Kong’s exports in this category totalled US$69.017 billion in 2001. Last year, 1,632 exhibitors from 21 countries and regions converged on the territory to show the latest audio-visual products, electronic accessories, electronic gaming, home appliances, multi-media devices, office automation and equipment, telecommunications products and security products. Group pavilions from the Chinese mainland, Korea and Taiwan provided extra interest. The Fair also drew 42,617 visitors from 133 countries and regions. Organisers expect that even more exhibitors will be on hand this year. An AC Nielsen survey conducted during the 2001 Fair spotlighted the following product trends and market outlook: • Entertainment/home appliances and electronics/electrical products for teenagers were identified as the fastest growing product categories over the next year. • 54% of the exhibitors and 57% of the buyers interviewed predicted a market outlook in 2002 that was the same or better than 2001. Special events at the Fair that are 72  Silicon Chip designed to inform and enlighten include: Frontiers of Brainpower, a showcase for innovative ideas and prototypes from Hong Kong universities and research institutions, which have the potential to be developed commercially. Seminars and forums for the industry addressed by leading international speakers, with the focus on electrical appliances and consumer electronics. Two other Fairs being run concurrently with the Hong Kong Electronics Fair are the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair – an important regional event for lighting products and fixtures with 20,000 visitors attending last year and “electronicAsia” – a must-see for electronics components, assemblies, electronics production and display technologies. A unique feature of the Hong Kong fair will be the Dragon Lounge - a place where visitors can snack, read newspapers and work on-line at a bank of computers. Cathay Pacific Business and First Class passengers are offered free access to the Dragon Lounge at the Fair. To enjoy the facilities within the lounge, passengers simply need to show their boarding passes at the entrance. In addition, the Yum Sing card - entitles you to a wide range of discounts and special offers at many of Hong Kong’s top restaurants, bars, shops and more! Simply retain your Cathay Pacific boarding pass and present it to the TDC Fair Management Kitty Mak Hong Kong Trade Development Council Ph: (02) 9261 8911 Fax (02) 9261 8966 email: kitty.mak<at>tdc.org.hk $2000 For Best Student Exporter Australian high school students have the opportunity to win $2,000 by entering the inaugural Austrade Export Plan Competition. The Austrade Export Plan Competition is aimed at helping secondary students learn more about selling goods and services overseas. The national winner will receive $2000 and a trip to Melbourne to attend the prestigious Australian Export Awards presentation dinner in November. The launch of the competition coincides with the release of new Austrade teaching resources about exporting, which are now available to all Australian high school teachers. Austrade’s Education Program Manager, Leigh Derigo, said the contest was a fun and rewarding way for students to learn more about doing business overseas and explore the export potential in their SC local area. Contact: Austrade Ph: (02) 9390 2077 Fax: (02) 9390 2341 www.austrade.gov.au/studentcentre www.siliconchip.com.au