Electronics Now articles from September 1994

Electronics Now archives from September 1994

Quantum-cascade laser developed.
September 1, 1994... A new kind of semiconductor laser diode, called a quantum cascade (QC) laser, has been developed by AT&T Bell Laboratories. Its developers say that it is the first laser diode that can be made to emit at different wavelengths by varying the...

B+K Precision LCR bridge. (Maxtec International Corp. B and K Division's electronic test device; least cost routing) (Evaluation)
September 1, 1994... An experienced electronic technician is known by the quality and capability of the test instruments he keeps. That should not be surprising. After years of trying out different kinds of test equipment, you can expect that he'll end up with the...

Modem communications standards. (includes glossary on related terms) (Cover Story)
September 1, 1994... Serial communications standards have made worldwide computer communications possible. Here's a look at the latest standards. WE HAVE NOW BECOME AN "INFORmation society." Low-cost, high-speed personal computers--now in almost every office,...

Telephone line grabber. (Telemike)(includes parts list)
September 1, 1994... This listening circuit can be called from a remote phone so you can intercept phone conversations or monitor room activities TELEMIKE IS A TELEPHONE CIRCUIT that, when located in a room miles away, permits you to listen in on the activities...

Encourage young children to learn to play the piano or organ with this microcontroller-based training system. (includes parts list)
September 1, 1994... MUSIC BRINGS PLEASURE TO ALL OF us and adds to the quality of our lives. While most of us just listen to music, others play musical instruments for pleasure or profit. Parents, relatives, and friends of young children might want them to learn to...

New life for old scopes. (oscilloscopes)
September 1, 1994... Find out how you can give new life to an old oscilloscope. AN OSCILLOSCOPE IS ONE OF THE most useful test instruments, but also one of the most expensive. A new scope costs $400 or more, but used scopes in less-than-perfect condition sell for...

Build this light-controlled sound-effect generator. (includes parts list)
September 1, 1994... Generate weird sounds with our sound-effect generator based on a light-controlled, tone-burst oscillator. SOUND EFFECTS MEAN BIG BUSIness nowadays, from those intended to enhance home videos to silly ones for your phone-answering machine. In...

Morse code tutor. (computer program)(includes BASIC program code)
September 1, 1994... This BASIC program can teach you Morse code--or help sharpen your skills if you already know it. WHEN TV WAS FIRST INTRODUCED, many thought it was the beginning of the end for radio--why would people want audio when they could have both audio...

Minute Marker. (electronic timing device)(includes parts list)
September 1, 1994... The inexpensive Minute Marker can generate variable-duration output pulses with selectable polarity and a wide range of time intervals. MANY HOBBY PROJECTS REQUIRE the timing of intervals between a fraction of a second and a minute. This...

The joys of audio clipping. (news items)
September 1, 1994... There's a kind of clipping that I, not my amplifier, have been engaged in for several years. I refer to my compulsion to cut out and put aside news items of audio interest for reference or possible use in this column. Unfortunately, in my filing...

A different tachometer design approach.
September 1, 1994... If you've been following this series on building a tachometer and have breadboarded the PLL-based design, you probably have found that it's difficult, if not impossible, to find loop-filter component values that will generate reliable tachometer...

Develop cool products, get rich quick. (computer hardware and software)
September 1, 1994... Cool computer products stand out. They're noticed and remembered. Even after they are no longer available, their legacy lives on, endowing future generations with their most important characteristics. These products are landmarks. To get on my...