Breaking the law?

[Tim]

Hi,

I want to play around with hardware so I bought a card from delcom
engineering that allows me to flip some bits on a USB board. What laws
do I have to consider to put out a simple electronic thingamabob that
connects to the USB port or serial port? For instance, some LED
sequencer that sequences the lights based on the PC software?

I figure it will be fun to write all kinds of crazy software to drive
the LEDs and I could sell this on a web page. But do I have to spend
thousands getting UL certification, EMF testing, or what?

 

[keith]

On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 19:13:33 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote:

On 31 Jan 2005 18:05:48 -0800, "Tim" <timjowers@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi,

I want to play around with hardware so I bought a card from delcom
engineering that allows me to flip some bits on a USB board. What laws
do I have to consider to put out a simple electronic thingamabob that
connects to the USB port or serial port? For instance, some LED
sequencer that sequences the lights based on the PC software?

I figure it will be fun to write all kinds of crazy software to drive
the LEDs and I could sell this on a web page. But do I have to spend
thousands getting UL certification, EMF testing, or what?

The easiest way around safety certification is to buy certified wall
warts for your power source.

As long as you can live in the power envelope (50VA?). That's what
everyone else does, though they're a PITA for customers.

--
Keith

...Jim Thompson

 

[Roger Lascelles]

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." <Paul@Hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:41FF0164.6277D7BC@Hovnanian.com...

You should check with the USB folks to see if there are any licensing
issues with getting vendor and device IDs.

The USB board will already have a legitimate ids, so you are covered.

Roger

 

Jim Thompson wrote:

The easiest way around safety certification is to buy certified wall
warts for your power source.

Safety certification is one thing. EMI testing is another. FCC testing
is a bear.

 

[Joerg]

Hello Larwin,

...... FCC testing is a bear.

It doesn't have to be. Just make sure nothing can leak onto the power
cable and the device itself is quiet, with a nice ground plane etc.

I found EMC cert to be pretty straightforward. Sometimes even relaxing
and uplifting, for example when the site was out in the boonies with
great views, wildlife, no traffic.

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

 

[keith]

On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 19:35:15 +0000, Joerg wrote:

Hello Larwin,

...... FCC testing is a bear.



It doesn't have to be. Just make sure nothing can leak onto the power
cable and the device itself is quiet, with a nice ground plane etc.

I found EMC cert to be pretty straightforward. Sometimes even relaxing
and uplifting, for example when the site was out in the boonies with
great views, wildlife, no traffic.

It paid my mortgage for a couple of years. I had some really cool toys,
a small lab of my own, off in the corner (where I decided it was quiet
"enough") and all I had to do is test motherboards and processors for EMI
strangeness (I found a buunch too). Ah, well, it was too good to last.

--
Keith

 

Joerg wrote:

...... FCC testing is a bear.


It doesn't have to be. Just make sure nothing can leak onto the power

cable and the device itself is quiet, with a nice ground plane etc.

The campus where I work has their own FCC open-air test site (we do
self-cert), and part of my newbie orientation was to observe and assist
in testing of a couple of products. The process itself is simple enough
(though repetitive and a bit boring), but it's the COST - for a
small-run semi-hobbyist article - that is utterly prohibitive. I think
our OATS cost about $150,000 to build (not counting the actual
structures that it's built on and in - that's just equipment,
integration, calibration and testing).

 

[keith]

On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 19:13:58 -0800, larwe wrote:

Joerg wrote:

...... FCC testing is a bear.


It doesn't have to be. Just make sure nothing can leak onto the power

cable and the device itself is quiet, with a nice ground plane etc.

The campus where I work has their own FCC open-air test site (we do
self-cert), and part of my newbie orientation was to observe and assist
in testing of a couple of products. The process itself is simple enough
(though repetitive and a bit boring), but it's the COST - for a
small-run semi-hobbyist article - that is utterly prohibitive. I think
our OATS cost about $150,000 to build (not counting the actual
structures that it's built on and in - that's just equipment,
integration, calibration and testing).

I'm surprised it's that little. My pre-qualification equipment was
$50Kish. That was only a 6.5GHz HP EMI analyzer and a couple of antennas.
Receivers were *far* more expensive and less versatile.

--
Keith

 

our OATS cost about $150,000 to build (not counting the actual
structures that it's built on and in - that's just equipment,

I'm surprised it's that little. My pre-qualification equipment was
$50Kish. That was only a 6.5GHz HP EMI analyzer and a couple of
antennas.

I'm probably on the low side, because $150K is what we paid to
refurbish it. But I think most of the crucial stuff was replaced in
that refurbishing - antenna, remote antenna height/polarization servo,
remote-controlled turntable for UUT, spectrum analyzer and signal
generator. The only things left from the old OATS were buildings and
maybe antenna cables.

 

[keith]

On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 07:15:37 +0000, John Woodgate wrote:

I read in sci.electronics.design that keith <krw@att.bizzzz> wrote (in
pan.2005.02.05.03.05.07.988859@att.bizzzz&gt about 'Breaking the law?',
on Fri, 4 Feb 2005:
One doesn't argue with Sir "Counter of Beans" under penalty of law.

That's 'LORD Counter of Beans', and don't you forget it!

Sorree! ;-)

All
capital assets must be destroyed if they're written down.

So don't write them down! Sell them as used equipment. Even getting 10%
means MORE MONEY, which makes the noble Lord happier.

Don't ask me! The Lords don't give reasons, they simply do. According
to the noises I hear them make when the don't think anyone is around
$1 in the garbage = $1 revenue.

--
Keith