Circuit Cellar Ink 109
August 1999

Table of Contents

6


Elizabeth Laurencot

Task Manager

Persistence Pays

8


Harv Weiner

New Product News

  • BasicX microcontroller from NetMedia, Inc.
  • PixiPoint Z encoder IC from USAR Systems, Inc.
  • ipEngine-1 SBC from Bright Star Engineering, Inc.
  • WAO-G fuzzy logic robot from OWI, Inc.
  • DS1615 Temperature Recorder from Dallas Semiconductor Corp.

11

Reader I/O

Letters to the Editor

12


Thomas Anderson

PDF HTML, HTML System-on-Chip Design with Virtual Components

Here in the Recycling Age, designing for reuse may sound like a great idea. But with increasing requirements and chip sizes, it's no easy task. Thomas explains how virtual components help suppliers get more mileage out of their SOC designs.

20


John Andrews
John Day

Debugging, In-Circuit Style

Looking for a tool that will shorten the development and debug cycle? Ask John, or John, and they'll point you to in-circuit debuggers. Listen in as they compare emulators, simulators, and other tools that can reduce your time to market.

26


Gordon Dick

Induction Motors

Part 1: A Different VFD

If at first your variable frequency drive doesn't succeed... Fueled with the desire to make a VFD project work and armed with an embedded controller, Gordon charged through the setbacks and reached his objective at last. Here's how.

Download: Gordon1.zip

32


Kenneth Ciszewski

Flash Memories Do Double Duty

Before your micro leaves home, you want to make sure its bags are all packed. But what if the software doesn't fit into the PROM, EPROM, or EEPROM? Flash-memory technology offers a cost-efficient solution for those tough design requirements.

Download: Ciszewski.zip

Embedded PC

38


Harv Weiner

Nouveau PC

  • PCI431E PCI bus DSP coprocessor from Datel, Inc.
  • ZT 5531 CompactPCI Pentium processor board from Ziatech Corp.
  • DaVinci PMC for high-resolution video from General Micro Systems, Inc.
  • PK2600 programmable controller/touchscreen from Z-World, Inc.

Embedded PC

40


Stewart Christie

Beyond the 'x86 1-MB Memory Address Limit

Pushing the code envelope is part of the job, and usually you can cram it all in. Still, if you really need that extra room (but not badly enough to justify using the latest Pentium), grab Stewart's keys to fly past the 8086/186 limits.

Embedded PC

48


Ingo Cyliax

PDF HTML, HTML Real-Time PC

Where in the World..., Part 1: GPS Introduction

Whether you're dispatching emergency personnel or just trying to find your way home, affordable and easy-to-access technology is making GPS applications more popular. Ingo sets the course for future projects right here.

Note: Additional notes on Selective Availability in INK 111 Reader I/O.

Embedded PC

53


Fred Eady

Applied PCs

Data Serving via the Internet, Part 1: Setting Up

You know it's true: Fred loves embedded Internet appliances. Once you see the basics of the EmWeb server, you'll understand why Fred is using it with a Net186 board to get data over the wires -- perhaps even into your fridge!

60


Glen Reuschling

MicroSeries

USB Primer, Part 4: Building a USB Host Controller

If you're looking for detail, you have no excuses left: USB is a mystery no longer. By describing the step-by-step construction of his low-speed USB host controller, Glen reveals the inner workings of USB hardware.

Download: Reuschling.zip

70


Jeff Bachiochi

PDF From the Bench

A Familiar Face -- Driving 144 LCD Segments I2C Style

As the I2C bus rolls into its third decade, Jeff puts the Philips technology to use in an eight-character LCD. Get on board to see how to cascade a couple I2Cs to get the right number of segments for this display.

76


Tom Cantrell

Silicon Update

DSP Doings

Quick! Think of the latest in silicon! Did you think of DSPs? If not, you're not alone, but the suppliers are already forging ahead in this high-stakes market. Check out how the competition is heating up.

82

HTML Test Your EQ

95

Advertiser's Index / September Preview

96


Steve Ciarcia

HTML Priority Interrupt

All in the Family

Circuit Cellar Online


Skylar Lei
Jim Haslett
Michael R. Smith

PDF HTML Looking Through the Internet

A Prototype Security System

If you've ever arrived somewhere and wondered, "What happened here?" you might want to look into this design team's low-cost remote video system. Whether it's your company's remote site or just your cabin by the lake, their Internet-based system can help you keep an eye on things.

Circuit Cellar Online


George Novacek

PDF HTML Testing 1, 2

Part 2: Standards: Prepping Your Prototype

Just when you think your prototype is ready to take on anything, it's thrown into the environmental chamber and exposed to more conditions than you ever imagined. This month, George walks you through the standards that help equip you for the test.

Circuit Cellar Online


Kock Kin Ko

PDF HTML Out of Your Hands

A PC Interface for Hand-Held Devices

Data in a hand-held device can be better processed once uploaded to a PC, so Ko takes some of the information from his "Electric Vehicle Performance Analyzer" article in Circuit Cellar magazine and shows us how easy it is to use C Virtual Instrument to build a PC interface for hand-held products.

Download: c89kkcode.ZIP Ko.ZIP

Circuit Cellar Online


George Martin

PDF HTML Lessons from the Trenches

Working with a Little EE

When it comes to data-logging projects, it's important to be able to store data and settings, even when the power cycles off. Electrically erasable memory offers a solution to this problem. This month, George shows us how to interface with an electrically erasable device to support your data logger's requirements.

Download: c89ltcode.ZIP Martin.ZIP

Circuit Cellar Online


Bob Perrin

PDF HTML Considering the Details

Mixed-Logic Notation, A Tool for Concise Expression

In these days of VHDL and Verilog, universities may be short-changing their students by not teaching them how to schematically communicate digital logic. Get out your notebooks as Bob explains how important mixed-logic notation is and how easy it is to learn and use.

Circuit Cellar Online


Tom Cantrell

PDF HTML Silicon Update Online

Expo Musings

With the embedded PC market changing so rapidly, it's tough to keep on top of it. Tom gives us a hand with that chore by highlighting some of the notable advancements on display at the PC Developer's Conference and Expo.

Circuit Cellar Online


Jeff Bachiochi

HTML Ask Us, The Engineer's Tech-Help Resource

Let us help keep your project on track or simplify your design decision. Put your tough technical questions in front of the ASK US team. In an engineering predicament? Read questions & answers from other engineers.

Circuit Cellar Online


Bob Perrin

What's Your Engineering Quotient?

Test Your EQ presents some basic engineering problems for you to test your engineering quotient.

Circuit Cellar Online


Bob Paddock

Resource Links

Each month Circuit Cellar's Resource Links provide helpful links and information on a variety of featured topics.

Circuit Cellar Online


Harv Weiner

New Product News

New Product submissions may be sent to Harv Weiner, 4 Park St., Vernon, CT 06066.
FTP Directory for INK 109
Follow this link to order a copy of INK 109

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