Electronics Now articles from September 1999

Electronics Now archives from September 1999

Of edsels and DIVX.(DIgitital Video eXpress)(Editorial)
September 1, 1999... With much noise and promise, DIVX (Digital Video express) was introduced in September 1997. It died with a whimper on June 16, 1999. RIP, and good riddance. Oftentimes good marketing can sell a product with no or marginal appeal, or...

Digital-photo printers.(Computer Connections)(Olympus America Inc.'s P330 Instant Home Printer)(Polaroid Corp.'s PhotoMAX Digital Photo Printer)(Evaluation)
September 1, 1999... Digital cameras used to come in two flavors: high-end units with high-end prices for professional applications, and low-end units still with high-end prices for gadget freaks and those interested in capturing images for use on the Web. My, how...

Walking the plank.(DX Listening)(unlicensed shortwave radio stations)
September 1, 1999... For years now, unlicensed or pirate sw stations have been with us. While traditionally, these illicit broadcasters have been thought of as just "Kids Playing Radio," truth be known, most operators are adults who know, or should know, the law....

Miscellaneous monitor problems.(Service Clinic)(computer monitors)(Column)
September 1, 1999... THIS TIME WE WILL GO OVER SOME ADDITIONAL MONITOR PROBLEMS THAT DON'T FIT INTO NICE NEAT CLASSIFICATIONS AND A FEW THAT AREN'T REALLY MONITOR PROBLEMS AT ALL! Lines In The Image These fall into the category of wavy lines, contour...

Twister early warning system. (National Severe Storms Laboratory's (NSSL) Next Generation Warning Decision Support System.(Prototype)(NG-WDSS))
September 1, 1999... Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are testing the National Severe Storms Laboratory's (NSSL) Next Generation Warning Decision Support System (NG-WDSS) during the 1999 and 2000 tornado seasons. Though the test area is...

Real-time asbestos alert.(Prototype)(asbestos-detection device)
September 1, 1999... As most readers know, asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous ore used in construction materials such as slate, fireproof materials, and friction materials such as brake linings. Inert and undisturbed it is harmless; but when particles become...

Waste not, want not.(Prototype)(a thermoacoustic Stirling heat engine from Los Alamos National Laboratory)
September 1, 1999... In a step toward finding alternatives to conventional engines, scientists at the DOE's Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a remarkably simple, energy-efficient engine with no moving parts. Pollution concerns, global warming, and...

The Model 70 comes to life.(Antique Radio)(restoration of a Philco model 70 Cathedral radio)(Column)
September 1, 1999... Last month, We concluded a visual inspection of the philco model 70 cathedral that has been under restoration for the past few issues. A couple of areas where the original circuit had been modified were discovered. All six of the set's bakelite...

The Wild Mouse.(active tone boost circuit for guitars)(Cover Story)
September 1, 1999... Expand the types of sounds from your guitar with this simple "effects" box. Thanks to falling prices for music-related electronics such as guitar sound effects, many different types of guitar pedals and boxes are available at very...

PIC assembly language for the complete beginner.(programming a PIC microcontroller)
September 1, 1999... Microcontrollers have revolutionized the world of electronics, but they are useless to you if you don't know how to program them. This month, we show you how easy that is to do. These days, the field of electronics is divided into "haves"...

Add a Digital-Frequency Display to your equipment.
September 1, 1999... One of these PIC-based displays can be added to almost any receiver, transmitter, or piece of test equipment. While a frequency counter is a handy piece of test equipment to have when working with a piece of equipment on a bench, having...

Add a Phono Adapter to your home stereo.(making use of the phono input in a home stereo system)
September 1, 1999... Reclaim that unused phonograph input on your amplifier with this simple adapter. Although the era of the phonograph record has been over for more than a decade, stereo receivers and amplifiers still have phonograph inputs. Unless you have...

Intelligent Computer Solutions' Image MASSter SOLO.(Equipment Report)(Evaluation)
September 1, 1999... It is not too difficult to set up a new personal computer from scratch or to bring one back from the dead. The only problem is that it can be rather time-consuming. There are two ways to install Windows on a new system. The CD-ROM drive can be...

SETI at home, hot-tub economics, and more.(Tech Musings)(search for extraterrestrial intelligence)(Column)
September 1, 1999... By now, you have probably gotten the word that the seti-at-home research has really taken off; full details are available at www.setiathome.ssl.Berkeley.Edu. In just their very first day of operation, centuries of computing power were turned...