Electronics Now articles from October 1996

Electronics Now archives from October 1996

Radioshack DMM with computer interface. (Radio Shack LCD Digital Multimeter Model 22-168A)(Evaluation)
October 1, 1996... When asked to review a digital-multimeter, I yawned. However, my eyes opened wide when I began reading the manual for the Radio Shack LCD Digital Multimeter, Model 22-168A. Like most other quality DMM's, it is a portable, 3 1/2-digit, hand-held,...

A visit to virtual instrumentation. (includes glossary, directory of firms, and related article on graphical programming)
October 1, 1996... See how your PC can be used to take the place of an entire workbench full of top-notch test and measurement gear. Regardless of your involvement in electronics, at same point you are going to need some type of test or measurement gear. That's...

Build the fast pulser scope calibrator.
October 1, 1996... Psst! Wanna buy a used oscilloscope? Checking out that bargin before you buy is now a snap with this handy, portable device. You're looking for a used oscilloscope at a ham fair and wonder if that $150 gem is really as good as the person at the...

Build the JamMix. (three-channel stereo mixer)
October 1, 1996... Play along with your favorite artists with this easy-to-build, fun-to-use, stereo mixer. The JamMix project described in this article is a three-channel stereo mixer that blends any amplified musical instrument with line-level stereo audio, so...

Where has all the good stuff gone?
October 1, 1996... The hot electronic components of the 1950s are today's vintage buys! Since the early 1980s, a sub rosa clandestine electronics marketplace developed and grew. Old tube-type audio and communication equipment, even specialized parts, has been...

Build the listening center. (audio device for multiple headphones)
October 1, 1996... This simple projects lets multiple users share a tape player or radio through headphones. What do you do when half a dozen people need to listen to the same tape player or radio, through headphones, at the same time? That situation arises...

Build this hobby spectrum analyzer.
October 1, 1996... At less than $100 to build, this spectrum analyzer is a must for every hobbyist! Last month we looked at the Hobby Spectrum Analyzer's theory of operation. Now, let's turn our attention to its construction. The Hobby Spectrum Analyzer...

Magnetometer update, vacuum forming and more. (includes directory of vacuum forming resources)
October 1, 1996... I certainly get lots of helpline calls from individuals who are trying to protect electronic designs with epoxies, part-number grind-offs, and similar stupid pet tricks. Well, any time you see a glopped and ground-up project, you can pretty much...

Delphi and Visual Basic. (Delphi 2.0; Microsoft Visual Basic)(Computer Connections) (Software Review)(Evaluation)
October 1, 1996... Delphi 2.0 is a programming tool for Windows 95 and NT. In some ways, Delphi is more interesting for what it is not than for what it is. Primarily, Delphi is not C, and it is not Basic. Rather, it is Pascal - more specifically, it is Borland's...

Hi-fi fixes, stealth tweaks, and bio EQ.
October 1, 1996... When I last wrote about the hi-fi service business (electronics now, January, 1995), I noted that radio shack intended to set up a nationwide repair program covering almost all brands of out-of-warranty electronics. Based on my own experiences...

Entertaining with laser light.
October 1, 1996... Having covered a lot of theory and a number of serious and practical applications in our previous columns, i think it's time to take a look at the lighter side of laser applications. But first, a safety reminder. Lasers, no matter how small, are...

New digital storage scope has LCD display. (liquid crystal display)
October 1, 1996... As LCDs come of age, oscilloscope manufacturers are merging digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) technology with LCD display advancements to produce high-performance handheld and bench instruments. Two factors make combining those two technologies...