Electronics Now articles from September 1998

Electronics Now archives from September 1998

Equipment report. (IBM's Home Director Starter Kit)
September 1, 1998... IBM HOME DIRECTOR LIGHTING AND APPLIANCE CONTROLLER There comes a time when every homeowner considers investing in home security equipment; often it's after being terrified by an item on the evening news. But then most people quickly pass on...

Cruising down the asphalt and information superhighway. (Network Vehicle concept car)
September 1, 1998... Caught in a traffic jam, you spend the downtime reading your e-mail, checking the balance in your bank account, and finding out last night's sports scores. Your wife in the passenger seat surfs the Internet. In the back seat, your daughter...

Generating random numbers. (software programs)
September 1, 1998... Did you ever think about developing a foolproof method of winning the state lottery? At the heart of your system you probably had a random-number generator - preferably a portable one. Doesn't sound that hard: Just slap together a little...

Troubleshooting CD-player startup problems. (compact disc)
September 1, 1998... A startup problem is a catch-all term for any situation where a cd player or cd-rom drive refuses to recognize or play/access a disc. In this month's installment we'll describe in detail what happens when you insert a CD and push PLAY, and we'll...

Burn PIC microcontrollers with a 'No Parts' PIC programmer.
September 1, 1998... When creating and designing a new electronics project, the current trend is to try to keep the descriptive terms "low-cost," "full-featured," and "ultra-compact" in the top slots in a list of features. That used to be hard to do. Fortunately,...

All about attenuators.
September 1, 1998... Here's some information on how attenuators work, how they're used, and a small sampling of circuits you can use the next time you need one. An attenuator is defined as "a device used to reduce the power (or voltage) level of a signal while...

'Hot wheels' in space. (microsatellites)
September 1, 1998... Does a new breed of tiny, super-simple microsatellites hold the key to the practical unmanned exploration of space? In recent years, the trend in unmanned spacecraft design has been toward smaller, faster, and cheaper. We no longer lift so many...

See musical pitches with the Dis.Player.
September 1, 1998... Frustrated by trying to play "in key" with your trombone or fretless base? Want to know what pitch someone is singing? This handy device is the next best thing to having a friend with "perfect pitch"! If you have a musical instrument that...

OnStar to the rescue. (automobile navigation system)
September 1, 1998... More than a simple car navigation system, GM's OnStar and similar systems can be a driver's lifeline when trouble strikes on the road. Vehicle navigation systems have been available on many upscale cars and SUVs, and as aftermarket accessories...

'Free' energy, bounceback in capacitors, and more.
September 1, 1998... Is solar energy "free?" There sure seems to be quite a lot of misunderstanding on that key question. It turns out that solar electrical energy is just as "free" as oil is. In either case, you just go get some as there are pools of oil all over...