This is only a preview of the February 2003 issue of Silicon Chip. You can view 27 of the 96 pages in the full issue, including the advertisments. For full access, purchase the issue for $10.00 or subscribe for access to the latest issues. Articles in this series:
Items relevant to "The PortaPAL Public Address System":
Items relevant to "The SC480 50W RMS Amplifier Module; Pt.2":
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE
Free on-line controller programming course
SPLat Controls is an Australian manufacturer of programmable
controllers. They have a very large
website, with product information,
technical documentation and other
support materials for their world-wide
customer base.
One of SPLat’s significant online
resources is a free interactive training
course covering the programming of
real-world controller applications.
The course will take you 10-25 hours
to complete depending on your prior
knowledge. When you have completed
the course you will have acquired the
following skills:
* The ability to understand and
identify inputs and outputs.
* Understanding the workings of
sequential program functions, with
programmed decision made through
testing and branching.
* The ability to define and analyse
a moderately complex control requirement and define a solution in
diagrammatic form.
* The ability to translate
the diagrammatic solution
into a programming language.
* Using timeouts for fault
detection.
* Counting off events and
actions.
* Programming Boolean
(logical) functions.
* Program debugging.
* Good programming
practice.
The course is easy to
follow, with lots of explanations and
examples. It is used by a number of educational institutions in Australia and
overseas, including RMIT Universtity
but requires absolutely no prior skills
other than a logical mind. You will benefit from it even if you are not planning
to use SPLat in the near future.
You can run the course on-line or
download the files and run it off-line.
One of these was just about to be a project . . .
Do you curse the designer of your
computer for putting all the inputs
and outputs on the rear panel?
Thought so! If you’re anything like
us, you’re continually pulling the PC
out of its space or fossicking around
under or behind desks to access USB
ports, sound card ins & outs, game
ports, etc.
A few months ago someone here
came up with the scathingly brilliant
idea of a simple project which brought
those sockets – and maybe a few others – out to a plate on the front panel
which occupied an unused drive bay.
Time goes by, as time does – and
then the January issue of SILICON CHIP
came out with a Jaycar advertisement
featuring . . . a “Multi-Function Transfer Panel for PCs”, which “transfers the
USB, firewire, audio line in/out and an
infrared IrDA connection” to a plate
which occupies an unused drive bay
space on the front panel . . .
And just for good measure, the
Jaycar model (XC5171) also includes
a temperature probe to let you know
64 Silicon Chip
how things are cooking inside your
PC case.
Aah well, there goes a project . . .
One of the most difficult hurdles we
had to overcome in our project was
sourcing all the input and output plugs
and connectors – but the Jaycar unit
includes all of these, along with any
mounting hardware required.
At a recommended retail price of
$99.95, we reckon it’s great value and
will save hours of poking around.
And in this issue, it’s on special at
just $79.95 – sensational value!
Contact:
Jaycar Electronics
PO Box 6424, Silverwater NSW 1811
Ph: (02) 9741 8555 Fax: (02) 9741 8500
Website: www.jaycar.com.au
You can access the course by going
to the SPLat website at sc2.splatco.
com .au then selecting “Support” and
“Online training” from the menu.
Contact:
SPLat Controls
2/12 Peninsular Boulevarde,
Seaford Vic 3198
Ph: (03) 9773 5082
Website: sc2.splatco.com.au
World’s first Wi-Fi and
Flash Memory Cards
SanDisk Corporation has introduced
a line of wireless Wi-Fi (802.11b) cards
with the world’s first card products
to include both memory and wireless
communications technology at the Las
Vegas Consumer Electronics Show.
The “Connect” product line includes four products – dual-function
128MB CompactFlash (CF) and 256MB
SD cards that combine Wi-Fi and flash
memory as well as single-function CF
and SD cards with Wi-Fi connectivity.
SanDisk plans to add
256MB cards to the
CF Connect product
line by the middle of
2003.
Retail prices are
between $US99 and
$US149.
Contact:
Sandisk
140 Caspian Ct Sunnyvale, CA 9408
Ph: (00111)408 542 0500
Website: www.sandisk.com
www.siliconchip.com.au
TRANSFORMERS
manufactured in Australia by
Yokogawa ScopeCorder
Yokogawa’s new DL750 is the latest
in the DL700 series of waveform measuring instruments that can be used for
observing a wide variety of waveforms
from physical to electric signals. The
DL750 ScopeCorder has incorporated
1 gigaword of memory, the largest for
this class of device, and is half the size
of previous generation products. It is
also equipped with the GIGAZoom
function, which uses a specially developed ASIC to instantaneously display
data stored in the large memory.
The DL750 ScopeCorder can act as
an oscilloscope for capturing instant
events, as well as a data recorder for
prolonged trend measurement.
Control of the DL750 can be done by
Wirepuller software – down-loadable
from Yokogawa’s web site – while
complete data analysis including
waveform analysis, cursor functions,
file conversion to ASCII
format, etc,
can be performed by
the Waveform Viewer
software.
New Gadget Central Store
Where do you get a ballpoint pen that
doubles as a head massager? Or a motorised Pepper Mill? Not to mention JamesBond style pens with lasers in them... All
this and over 1000 more products can
be found at Sydney’s newest “must see”
Gadget shop.
Gadget Central specialises in providing
that unique gift for the person who “has
everything” or loves to be the first kid
on the block with the new toy. Prices
range from $5 to $300 so all budgets
are catered for.
Now what about a pair of spectacles
that bend your vision by 90° so you can
watch TV while lying flat on your back,
or a spring loaded fly swatter that really
works?
Gadget Central Stores are located at –
225 Macquarie St, Liverpool;
314 Victoria Ave, Chatswood;
95 Burwood Rd, Burwood.
Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd
USB Print Server
from Microgram
USB and NT4 don’t mix??
They do now. If you need to connect a USB printer to an NT4 network, all you need is Micro-gram’s
new USB printer server.
It will host two USB printers and
one parallel printer and simply
connects by attaching a UTP cable
to the nearest hub.
It supports pretty well
everything, including Windows
95/98/98SE/ME/NT 4.0/2000/
XP, Mac OS 8.1 or higher, UNIX/
Linux, NetWare (Bindery/NDS).
Contact:
Microgram Computers
Ph: (02) 4389 8444
Website: www.microgram.com.au
www.siliconchip.com.au
STEPDOWN
TRANSFORMERS
Toroidal – Conventional Transformers
Power – Audio – Valve – ‘Specials’
Medical – Isolated – Stepup/down
60VA
to 3KVA
encased
toroids
Encased
Power
Supplies
Harbuch
Electronics
Pty Ltd
Encased
Power Supply
9/40 Leighton Pl. HORNSBY 2077
www.harbuch.com.au
Ph (02) 9476-5854 Fx (02) 9476-3231
Harbuch
Electronics
Just
a reminder
. . . Pty Ltd
9/40 Leighton Pl, HORNSBY 2077
Ph (02) 9476 5854 Fax (02) 9476 3231
Psst . . . wanna copy
some DVDs?
Contact:
Private Mail Bag 24,
PO North Ryde NSW 1670
Ph: (02) 9805 0699
Website: www.yokogawa.com/au
Harbuch Electronics Pty Ltd
harbuch<at>optusnet.com.au
Verbatim Australia have recently
updated their range of CopySmartPlus
manual-load DVD copiers.
Using a high-speed Pioneer DVD-R
drive capable of recording at 4x
DVD-R, 2x DVD-RW and 16x CD-R,
the towers can copy from and record
3, 5 or 7 new discs depending on the
model. A feature of the CopySmartPlus
range is their ease-of-use. Note that
they will not duplicate copyrighted
discs (such as movies).
Up to 28 4.7GB DVDs can be produced per hour and the stand-alone
towers do not need a PC to drive them.
Priced between $5000 and $10000
depending on model, they are built in
Australia by Verbatim.
Contact:
Verbatim Australia
Ph: (03) 9823 0905
Website: www.verbatim.com.au
On Sunday 23rd February 2003 the
Central Coast Amateur Radio Club
hosts the Southern Hemisphere’s
largest amateur radio and communications show, the Central Coast
Field Day.
More than 2000 people from 40
clubs and organisation from all over
Australia and the Pacific will converge on Wyong Racecourse to display
and trade the latest radio communications equipment.
Plenty of off-street parking is
available within Wyong Racecourse
grounds. Tea, coffee and biscuits will
be available from 8.30 am to 3.00 pm
at no charge in the Dining Room. Hot
and cold food can also be purchased
within Wyong Racecourse.
Gates to the Racecourse will be
open to the public from 8.30am Entrance fee: adults $10.00, seniors card,
pensioner concession, students $5.00,
children under 12 free.
Anyone with an interest in radio
communications or electronics can
contact the event organisers, The
Central Coast Amateur Radio Club,
by phoning 02 43402500 for more
information. There is an extensive
and informative web site covering the
Field Day at www.ccarc.org.au
February 2003 65
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