Circuit Cellar Ink 43
February 1994

Table of Contents

2


Ken Davidson

Editor's INK

Warp Speed, Mr. LaForge

6

Reader's INK

Letters to the Editor

8


Harv Weiner

New Product News

14


John N. Hait

Programmable Lightware

How to Develop Photonic Products for Fun and Profit

You think those new processors such as the Pentium and Alpha are fast? Ever consider a light-based computer? It may not be long before you SEE one of these.

26


Shaun Greaney

In the Eye of the Beholder

Displaying Messages with the LightStick II

If you've ever seen multiple images of the current time as you sweep your eye past a digital clock, you've experienced the premise behind the LightStick II. Find out how to display your own ghostly images.

Download: LITESTIK.ZIP

36


Do-While Jones

Interrupt-free Design

Over the years, the purpose behind a design decision is often forgotten in a sea of, "But that's the way we've always done it." If you automatically use interrupts in your embedded designs, think again.

40


Hank Wallace

An Assembly Language Programming Aid

Even though it may seem everyone has switched to high-level languages, experienced programmers know the value of hand-crafted assembly code. Here's one technique that combines the best of both worlds.

48


Ed Nisley

Firmware Furnace

Hardware for the '386SX Project's Bitmapped LCD Panel

On with the show. Ed proceeds with the addition of a Graphic LCD Interface to his Firmware Development Board. It's not all pixels and dots from here; instead it is timing and control that must be dealt with.

Download: FF43.ZIP

58


Jeff Bachiochi

PDF From the Bench

Warming Up the Digital Thermostat

Jeff adds some smarts to last month's project using Dallas's DS1620 thermostatic device. With a little help from a 16C56 PIC processor, your house will be cool while you sleep and warm while you're up and about.

Download: FTB43.ZIP

64


Tom Cantrell

Silicon Update

Op-amp Terminators

Delving into the occult world of analog design, our digital hero takes some jabs at this necessary evil of real-world interfacing and checks out some new chips destined to take over where the op-amp left off.

70


John Dybowski

Embedded Techniques

Data Logging and Collection Devices

So what comes between a high-tech Cray and a low-tech transistor? Follow along as John starts a series describing a general-purpose embedded control system with lots of potential.

77


Russ Reiss

Patent Talk

81

Advertiser's Index

83


Ken Davidson

ConnecTime -- Excerpts from the Circuit Cellar BBS

96


Steve Ciarcia

Steve's Own INK

And the Survey Says ...

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