Electronics Now articles from May 1994

Electronics Now archives from May 1994

Digital micromirror device improved. (Texas Instruments Inc.'s digital micromirror device) (What's News)
May 1, 1994... Texas Instruments has improved its previously announced digital micromirror device (DMD) that is intended to replace cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal light valve (LCLV) projectors in large-screen projection television receivers. The...

Compuvideo oscilloscope-to-vectorscope converter. (Compuvideo Products' $699 SVR-200 converter) (Equipment Reports)
May 1, 1994... From video-production facilities to camcorder service centers, vectorscopes and waveform monitors are essential test and troubleshooting tools. However, technicians who cannot justify the expense of such specialized equipment for occasional use...

Programmable logic devices. (Cover Story)
May 1, 1994... Make designing logic circuits easy with programmable logic. A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEvice, or PLD, is an unstructured array of AND and OR logic gates that can be organized to perform dedicated functions by selectively opening or otherwise...

Build this PLD programmer. (programmable logic device)
May 1, 1994... THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS why you would want to include programmable logic devices (PLDs) in your designs. Programmable logic devices save PC board space, reduce cost, and add design flexibility when compared to standard TTL logic devices. The...

Low-cost colorimeter.
May 1, 1994... Identify more than 1000 colors with this $39 circuit. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE COLOR-formulation systems, colorimeters, and spectrophotometers are suitable for identifying the visible color of a surface. These instruments typically scan a surface...

Tunable FM antenna booster. (frequency modulation)
May 1, 1994... Build this FM booster and enjoy broadcasts from distant FM stations that you've never been able to receive. HAVE YOU EVER HAD DIFFICULTIES in picking up or holding on to distant FM stations that were broadcasting programs you wanted to hear? Or...

X-Y plotter.
May 1, 1994... Build this X-Y plotter for your PC and plot curves, draw circuit-board patterns, create artistic designs, and even do lettering! HAVE YOU EVER WANTED AN X-Y plotter for your personal computer but been discouraged by the high price of a...

Practical transistor circuits.
May 1, 1994... Build these circuits that can amplify, filter, generate white noise, flash lamps, locate hidden metal--and perhaps even detect lies. THIS LAST ARTICLE ON BIPOLAR junction transistors (BJT) is a potpourri of circuits. Some are practical and some...

Analog signature troubleshooting.
May 1, 1994... Learn to troubleshoot components and circuits with a voltage source, oscilloscope, and "signatures" that provide "pass-fail" information. ANALOG SIGNAL ANALYSIS IS A useful troubleshooting "tool" that permits you to find faulty components in...

RBDS services, human-powered vehicles, pinball-machine resources, understanding bus switches, and programmable interconnects. (Radio Broadcast Data Service) (Hardware Hacker)
May 1, 1994... Here are several updates on previous columns: Fluxgate magnetometer construction information appeared in the January 1994 issue of RF Design on pages 24-32. All that's needed are two low-cost ferrite sleeves. Concerning the Radio Broadcast Data...

Crystal balling the future. (Audio Update)
May 1, 1994... Anyone who writes a column is faced with an ongoing temptation. As the information pours in, the urge to pontificate and prognosticate becomes almost uncontrollable. The illusion of special insight that afflicts pundits such as myself results in...

A closer look at our automotive power supply. (Drawing Board)
May 1, 1994... I've been writing this column for a long time and occasionally I forget that there really are people out there who read it. In the last month or so I've been reminded about this because of the response to my request for information about the...

General Magic has something up its sleeve. (General Magic Inc.) (Computer Connections)
May 1, 1994... You might wish for an easy way to find the things you need: electronic components, stock prices, entertainment software, travel information, high-tech goods and services, antique car parts, or technical and business information. You might also...