Driver to drive?

[John Fields]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:37:08 -0000, "Ian Field"
<gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote:

"John Fields" <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in message
news:tjifh89fpki5rdafut44m8c2vet3v55ml6@4ax.com...
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:21:54 -0600, The Daring Dufas
the-daring-dufas@stinky-finger.net> wrote:

On 2/10/2013 6:10 AM, John Fields wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 22:21:34 -0000, "Ian Field"
gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote:



"John Fields" <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in message
news:dkbdh8tjts7qig750bf3oaunusuur5t47k@4ax.com...

---
Disingenuousness has nothing to do with it, since it's all about
getting to the unvarnished truth and pointing out your errors.

For example, you wrote:

"Freznel type lenses (special IR transparent material)"...

which, if you're at all familiar with the English language, implies
that _Fresnel_ lenses are made from IR transparent material.

They're not, of course, in every case, and now that you've had ample
time to do your homework you come back pretending to have known then
what you've only found out now.


One of the PIR sensor datasheets I read described them as such, It was
many
years ago that I worked for the alarm company that made the PIR alarms,
I
can't remember the part number and I've no idea if I still have those
old
datasheets.

---
Convenient.
---

But at least I've had actual hands on industrial experience - and not
just
swinging through the trees beating my chest.

---
About 11 years ago I took on a project to design and build prototype
quantities of a battery-operated, programmable, video camera based
outdoor wild animal recording system.

Of necessity it required a long-range PIR sensor to wake up the system
and start recording the animal's activities while in view, and I
successfully executed that design, including the optics and
electronics.

Therefore, your claim that I have no industrial experience is
baseless, and instead of my swinging through the trees beating my
chest, your posting history smacks of that it's much more likely you
sit in front of a monitor beating your meat.


You helped the DEA catch a lot of pot growers. ^_^

TDD

---
OUCH!!! :-(


So that explains your confused ranting!

---
You have enough first-hand experience with marijuana to substantiate
that claim?

--
JF

 

[UltimatePatriot]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:02:17 -0600, John Fields
<jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:37:08 -0000, "Ian Field"
gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote:

You helped the DEA catch a lot of pot growers. ^_^

TDD

---
OUCH!!! :-(


So that explains your confused ranting!

---
You have enough first-hand experience with marijuana to substantiate
that claim?

I think he just did the same thing most (if not all) pigs do.

 

[Joerg]

John Larkin wrote:

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:27:47 +0100, Gerhard Hoffmann <dk4xp@arcor.de> wrote:

Am 10.02.2013 01:34, schrieb John Larkin:
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:24:58 +0100, Gerhard Hoffmann <dk4xp@arcor.de> wrote:
was meant as a email pointer to a colleague until we meet on Monday
Thunderbird is !x%$'!!! aargh!
That seems to be a hazard of using the same program for mail and newsgroups.
Why is the button for "create new" (verfassen in my German version) on
the top left and "answer newsgroup", forward, Archive on the right side
under the list of articles... I want my Agent back. But I won't return
to Windows for it.

Why does everybody put the little buttons for reducing/deleting windows right
next to one another, when there's lots of room to spread them out? Why does the
Windows right-click list put Delete right next to Rename?

Hint: In Thinderbird you can customize the buttons. Just right-click the
tool bar where you aren't happy with stuff.

For example, I added a "Next" button because I find that rather useful
in newsgroups.

[...]

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

 

[Uncle Steve]

On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 10:58:52AM -0600, The Daring Dufas wrote:

On 2/10/2013 10:28 AM, John Fields wrote:
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:21:54 -0600, The Daring Dufas
the-daring-dufas@stinky-finger.net> wrote:

On 2/10/2013 6:10 AM, John Fields wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 22:21:34 -0000, "Ian Field"
gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote:



"John Fields" <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in message
news:dkbdh8tjts7qig750bf3oaunusuur5t47k@4ax.com...

--- Disingenuousness has nothing to do with it, since it's
all about getting to the unvarnished truth and pointing out
your errors.

For example, you wrote:

"Freznel type lenses (special IR transparent material)"...

which, if you're at all familiar with the English language,
implies that _Fresnel_ lenses are made from IR transparent
material.

They're not, of course, in every case, and now that you've
had ample time to do your homework you come back pretending
to have known then what you've only found out now.


One of the PIR sensor datasheets I read described them as such,
It was many years ago that I worked for the alarm company that
made the PIR alarms, I can't remember the part number and I've
no idea if I still have those old datasheets.

--- Convenient. ---

But at least I've had actual hands on industrial experience -
and not just swinging through the trees beating my chest.

--- About 11 years ago I took on a project to design and build
prototype quantities of a battery-operated, programmable, video
camera based outdoor wild animal recording system.

Of necessity it required a long-range PIR sensor to wake up the
system and start recording the animal's activities while in view,
and I successfully executed that design, including the optics
and electronics.

Therefore, your claim that I have no industrial experience is
baseless, and instead of my swinging through the trees beating
my chest, your posting history smacks of that it's much more
likely you sit in front of a monitor beating your meat.


You helped the DEA catch a lot of pot growers. ^_^

TDD

--- OUCH!!! :-(


A friend of mine worked for a local company that put together custom
built electronics for a lot of different customers back in the 1980's.
One of the projects was taking off the shelf video cameras and recorders
built into a weatherproof package with a magnetic detector to video any
unauthorized vehicles visiting coal mine sites. Law enforcement was also
a customer for the item including another variation built into a fake
pole mounted power transformer to be mounted outside the home of any
sort of suspect. An anonymous unsuspicious bucket truck comes out and
mounts the setup which actually draws power from the power line so
there are no batteries. Makes you kind of wonder what sort of hidden
cameras the spooks have hidden around your town. ^_^

Cell towers are ubiquitous in some areas; on buildings, towers, etc.
I wonder if it is possible that 'dummy' antennas could operate as
tempest monitoring stations. But otherwise, the degree of electronics
miniaturization that has occurred means that it should be possible to
manufacture spy-enabled passive components that could be relatively
easily substituted in just about anything, and remember that things
like TVs and such never really turn off.

I worry less about video surveillance than audio, but MEMS devices
will eventually advance to the point where microscopic bugs will be
able to crawl or fly into a residence and set up a fairly
comprehensive spying network. All of which is an NSA/CIA wet-dream
scenario, so they're probably working on it.



Regards,

Uncle Steve

--
More than a century has passed since science laid down sound
propositions as to the origins of the universe, but how many have
mastered them or possess the really scientific spirit of criticism? A
few thousands at the outside, who are lost in the midst of hundreds of
millions still steeped in prejudices and superstitions worthy of
savages, who are consequently ever ready to serve as puppets for
religious impostors. -- Peter Kropotkin

 

[The Daring Dufas]

On 2/10/2013 5:25 PM, Uncle Steve wrote:

On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 10:58:52AM -0600, The Daring Dufas wrote:
On 2/10/2013 10:28 AM, John Fields wrote:
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 06:21:54 -0600, The Daring Dufas
the-daring-dufas@stinky-finger.net> wrote:

On 2/10/2013 6:10 AM, John Fields wrote:
On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 22:21:34 -0000, "Ian Field"
gangprobing.alien@ntlworld.com> wrote:



"John Fields" <jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote in message
news:dkbdh8tjts7qig750bf3oaunusuur5t47k@4ax.com...

--- Disingenuousness has nothing to do with it, since it's
all about getting to the unvarnished truth and pointing out
your errors.

For example, you wrote:

"Freznel type lenses (special IR transparent material)"...

which, if you're at all familiar with the English language,
implies that _Fresnel_ lenses are made from IR transparent
material.

They're not, of course, in every case, and now that you've
had ample time to do your homework you come back pretending
to have known then what you've only found out now.


One of the PIR sensor datasheets I read described them as such,
It was many years ago that I worked for the alarm company that
made the PIR alarms, I can't remember the part number and I've
no idea if I still have those old datasheets.

--- Convenient. ---

But at least I've had actual hands on industrial experience -
and not just swinging through the trees beating my chest.

--- About 11 years ago I took on a project to design and build
prototype quantities of a battery-operated, programmable, video
camera based outdoor wild animal recording system.

Of necessity it required a long-range PIR sensor to wake up the
system and start recording the animal's activities while in view,
and I successfully executed that design, including the optics
and electronics.

Therefore, your claim that I have no industrial experience is
baseless, and instead of my swinging through the trees beating
my chest, your posting history smacks of that it's much more
likely you sit in front of a monitor beating your meat.


You helped the DEA catch a lot of pot growers. ^_^

TDD

--- OUCH!!! :-(


A friend of mine worked for a local company that put together custom
built electronics for a lot of different customers back in the 1980's.
One of the projects was taking off the shelf video cameras and recorders
built into a weatherproof package with a magnetic detector to video any
unauthorized vehicles visiting coal mine sites. Law enforcement was also
a customer for the item including another variation built into a fake
pole mounted power transformer to be mounted outside the home of any
sort of suspect. An anonymous unsuspicious bucket truck comes out and
mounts the setup which actually draws power from the power line so
there are no batteries. Makes you kind of wonder what sort of hidden
cameras the spooks have hidden around your town. ^_^

Cell towers are ubiquitous in some areas; on buildings, towers, etc.
I wonder if it is possible that 'dummy' antennas could operate as
tempest monitoring stations. But otherwise, the degree of electronics
miniaturization that has occurred means that it should be possible to
manufacture spy-enabled passive components that could be relatively
easily substituted in just about anything, and remember that things
like TVs and such never really turn off.

I worry less about video surveillance than audio, but MEMS devices
will eventually advance to the point where microscopic bugs will be
able to crawl or fly into a residence and set up a fairly
comprehensive spying network. All of which is an NSA/CIA wet-dream
scenario, so they're probably working on it.



Regards,

Uncle Steve

I buy gear from Supercircuits Inc. and there are all sorts of covert
cameras you can by from them. Good grief, the cameras in cellphones are
so tiny you would expect them to be available as components to build any
sort of surveillance system. The stuff Supercircuits sells would have
been science fiction not that many years ago. ^_^

TDD

 

[John Larkin]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:24:46 -0800, Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

John Larkin wrote:
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:27:47 +0100, Gerhard Hoffmann <dk4xp@arcor.de> wrote:

Am 10.02.2013 01:34, schrieb John Larkin:
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:24:58 +0100, Gerhard Hoffmann <dk4xp@arcor.de> wrote:
was meant as a email pointer to a colleague until we meet on Monday
Thunderbird is !x%$'!!! aargh!
That seems to be a hazard of using the same program for mail and newsgroups.
Why is the button for "create new" (verfassen in my German version) on
the top left and "answer newsgroup", forward, Archive on the right side
under the list of articles... I want my Agent back. But I won't return
to Windows for it.

Why does everybody put the little buttons for reducing/deleting windows right
next to one another, when there's lots of room to spread them out? Why does the
Windows right-click list put Delete right next to Rename?


Hint: In Thinderbird you can customize the buttons. Just right-click the
tool bar where you aren't happy with stuff.

For example, I added a "Next" button because I find that rather useful
in newsgroups.

[...]

Tbird, Firefox, and Agent are nicely tunable. Windows isn't.


--

John Larkin Highland Technology Inc
www.highlandtechnology.com jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com

Precision electronic instrumentation
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators
Custom timing and laser controllers
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links
VME analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators

 

[Gib Bogle]

On 9/02/2013 11:16 a.m., Ian Field wrote:

The PTC thermistor is designed to have its resistance increase
spectacularly as it self-heats because of small changes in the current
through it, while the PIR sensor is designed to generate a miniscule
charge when the temperatures its elements are exposed to change
abruptly, ergo apples and oranges.


Wriggle wriggle!

---
In which way?

Any which way it takes when caught out.

The schoolyard again

 

[Tom Del Rosso]

John Larkin wrote:

Hittite makes some fast flops and gates, 20-40 GHz and edges down to
10 ps or so. List price for the variable-swing variants is like $400
per gate.

Does anybody know of anybody else that does this sort of logic? ON
makes some "slow" stuff, 8 Ghz/40 ps range. I seem to recall somebody
that starts with A or maybe C but I can't find them now.

When you described one of your instruments recently I wondered if you do all
that with off-the-shelf parts. No custom chips?


--

Reply in group, but if emailing add one more
zero, and remove the last word.

 

[John Larkin]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 21:47:39 -0500, "Tom Del Rosso"
<tomd_u1@verizon.net.invalid> wrote:

John Larkin wrote:
Hittite makes some fast flops and gates, 20-40 GHz and edges down to
10 ps or so. List price for the variable-swing variants is like $400
per gate.

Does anybody know of anybody else that does this sort of logic? ON
makes some "slow" stuff, 8 Ghz/40 ps range. I seem to recall somebody
that starts with A or maybe C but I can't find them now.

When you described one of your instruments recently I wondered if you do all
that with off-the-shelf parts. No custom chips?

None so far, except programming FPGAs of course. Most of what we use can be had
from Digikey. PCBs are FR4.

There is some pretty fast logic around, from On and Micrel. And lots of fast
PHEMTS and MMICS, which are mostly characterized for RF (s-parameters) but often
work well in pulse applications. Analog Devices has some fast parts too,
comparators and opamps and laser drivers.

This 10 ps project may not be possible with parts on boards. The application
likely doesn't have enough volume for a custom IC, or even for wire-bonding up a
hybrid.

So far, I've found On, Micrel, Adsantec, Hittite, and Inphi for picosecond
logic.


--

John Larkin Highland Technology Inc
www.highlandtechnology.com jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com

Precision electronic instrumentation
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators
Custom timing and laser controllers
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links
VME analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators

 

[josephkk]

On Sat, 09 Feb 2013 09:35:53 -0500, Roberto Waltman <usenet@rwaltman.com>
wrote:

josephkk wrote:
... The switch to ARM processors was a good
idea, but switching to totally closed code would constitute a huge misstep
on HP's part.

They did the right thing. Once.

"Developer kit for HP 20b financial calculator"

"This kit is designed for developers who want to re-purpose the HP 20b
and reuse the platform for other purposes."

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ca-62901-2&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_r1002_usen_c-001_title_r0001

I have known people that had the tools (provided by HP) to get into the
machine code for the 48. Another case where they opened up.

?-)

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:45:28 -0800, John Larkin
<jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

This 10 ps project may not be possible with parts on boards. The application
likely doesn't have enough volume for a custom IC, or even for wire-bonding up a
hybrid.

A general question- what kinds of circuits would benefit from a
wire-bonded circuit? I'm thinking high speed, low power, maybe low
noise. Probably size isn't much of an advantage these days.

Presumably availability of bare dice in small quantities is a major
issue?

(just general interest- I was thinking of learning how to do prototype
wirebonding just for the halibut).

 

[John Larkin]

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:44:51 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:45:28 -0800, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:


This 10 ps project may not be possible with parts on boards. The application
likely doesn't have enough volume for a custom IC, or even for wire-bonding up a
hybrid.

A general question- what kinds of circuits would benefit from a
wire-bonded circuit? I'm thinking high speed, low power, maybe low
noise. Probably size isn't much of an advantage these days.

Presumably availability of bare dice in small quantities is a major
issue?

(just general interest- I was thinking of learning how to do prototype
wirebonding just for the halibut).

Maybe super-low-capacitance apps, lile Phil's stuff, and ultra high speed.

This is extreme:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/53724080/SD-24/SD-24.zip



--

John Larkin Highland Technology Inc
www.highlandtechnology.com jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com

Precision electronic instrumentation
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators
Custom timing and laser controllers
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links
VME analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:02:27 -0800, John Larkin
<jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

Maybe super-low-capacitance apps, lile Phil's stuff, and ultra high speed.

This is extreme:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/53724080/SD-24/SD-24.zip

That is extreme. 20GHz sampling head. What do you think that thing is
dead center in SD24_4? (vertically between the two (capacitors?). It
almost looks like an SOT-23-6 but much smaller.

 

[Gerhard Hoffmann]

Am 11.02.2013 15:44, schrieb Spehro Pefhany:

A general question- what kinds of circuits would benefit from a
wire-bonded circuit? I'm thinking high speed, low power, maybe low
noise. Probably size isn't much of an advantage these days.

Presumably availability of bare dice in small quantities is a major
issue?

(just general interest- I was thinking of learning how to do prototype
wirebonding just for the halibut).

It has been done:

< http://www.qsl.net/ct1dmk/ >

Follow the links in the second block & have fun!

Gerhard

 

[John Larkin]

On Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:37:16 -0800, josephkk
<joseph_barrett@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

On Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:43:06 -0500, Uncle Steve <stevet810@gmail.com
wrote:


there have been speakers with dual coils where one was used for feed
back, afair it
had problems with varying coupling between the coils

The most interesting one and probably the one that works the best, was
a piezo disc
glued to the center dome measuring acceleration to do a full PID
regulator, reducing
distortion and setting the response

That's crazy. But the best way would probably be laser
interferometry with a tiny mirror glued to the driver. Not sure what
you'd use as a sensor.

I can see it now. Someone will jam a Raspberry PI in their speakers
and run the correcting factor back to the amp over Gigahertz Ethernet


Bawg, i do detest the Gbit/s Ethernet being used way stupidly as a panacea
buzz word. Does nobody understand that Ethernet has uncontrolled latency?
Packets may arrive out of order? For snot sake if you want to ship
digitized audio (or video for that matter) data fast with controlled
latency and guaranteed in order reception use D1 or any of several SMPTE
Standard protocols.

Tell that to Netflix!


--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc

jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com
http://www.highlandtechnology.com

Precision electronic instrumentation
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators
Custom laser drivers and controllers
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links
VME thermocouple, LVDT, synchro acquisition and simulation

 

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:20:40 +1300, Gib Bogle <g.bogle@auckland.ac.nz>
wrote:

On 9/02/2013 11:16 a.m., Ian Field wrote:

The PTC thermistor is designed to have its resistance increase
spectacularly as it self-heats because of small changes in the current
through it, while the PIR sensor is designed to generate a miniscule
charge when the temperatures its elements are exposed to change
abruptly, ergo apples and oranges.


Wriggle wriggle!

---
In which way?

Any which way it takes when caught out.

The schoolyard again

[..../]
IRONY

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:05:36 +0100, the renowned Gerhard Hoffmann
<dk4xp@arcor.de> wrote:

Am 11.02.2013 15:44, schrieb Spehro Pefhany:

A general question- what kinds of circuits would benefit from a
wire-bonded circuit? I'm thinking high speed, low power, maybe low
noise. Probably size isn't much of an advantage these days.

Presumably availability of bare dice in small quantities is a major
issue?

(just general interest- I was thinking of learning how to do prototype
wirebonding just for the halibut).


It has been done:

http://www.qsl.net/ct1dmk/

Follow the links in the second block & have fun!

Gerhard

Cool, thanks!


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

 

[Tim Wescott]

(Only responding on sci.electronics.design to cut down on the multiple-
group spam)

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:13:13 -0800, DaveC wrote:

I need a 2-pin crystal, 8.86723 (PAL video standard).

Where do you get these now? Seems nobody carries them, not even ham
radio shops. I'd visit a ham swap meet but I can't wait.

I can get them from Ireland...

http://www.donberg.co.uk/catalogue/passive_components/
quartz_crystals/8.86723
8mhz.html

Any sources in the States?

Thanks.

(I'm in N. California.)

If you must have crystals at exactly that frequency, try JAN and ICM. I
haven't checked recently, but JAN pretty much always just did custom
cuts, and ICM has standard and custom values.

--
My liberal friends think I'm a conservative kook.
My conservative friends think I'm a liberal kook.
Why am I not happy that they have found common ground?

Tim Wescott, Communications, Control, Circuits & Software
http://www.wescottdesign.com

 

[John Larkin]

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:26:54 -0500, Spehro Pefhany
<speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote:

On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:02:27 -0800, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:


Maybe super-low-capacitance apps, lile Phil's stuff, and ultra high speed.

This is extreme:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/53724080/SD-24/SD-24.zip

That is extreme. 20GHz sampling head. What do you think that thing is
dead center in SD24_4? (vertically between the two (capacitors?). It
almost looks like an SOT-23-6 but much smaller.

That's probably the step-recovery diode, with lots of wirebonds to keep the L
down. It's sitting on top of two parallel-plate capacitors.


--

John Larkin Highland Technology Inc
www.highlandtechnology.com jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com

Precision electronic instrumentation
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators
Custom timing and laser controllers
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links
VME analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators

 

Long ago I learned a painful lesson about video frequency accuracy. I assumed that getting a crystal within 100ppm of tbe ideal frequency should be just fine. But when we tried to send that signal through a satellite, it wouldn't go because the frequency accuracy was too poor.

I think the issue is that VCXO's are often used for clock recovery and they can't be pulled very far. Or maybe they just rely on absolute accuracy, and when things drift between the source and the sync, you just drop or repeat a frame. Not sure.


Bob