Circuit Cellar Ink 122
September 2000

Table of Contents

6


Rob Walker

Task Manager

From Sea to Shining SJC

8


Harv Weiner

New Product News

  • Servo-to-Step Conversion Module from Vigilant Technologies, Inc.
  • DIN-100 series of data acquisition modules from DGH Corporation
  • TELUX bright LEDs from Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.

11

Reader I/O

Letters to the Editor

12


Gordon Dick

PDF A Low-Cost Weather Station

This project was a long time coming, but all it took was a set of anemometer cups to convince Gordon to finish up this micro-based weather station. Actually, some anemometer cups, the spindles from a film-editing machine, #12 power cable...

20


Dan Cross-Cole

Digital Filters Made Easy

Part 1: Implementing with a DSP

After years of working on active audio filters and ADC circuits, Dan decided to get to know a real DSP. He found what he was looking for with an eval board from Analog Devices, but it still took some effort to get his application up and running.

30


Tom Napier

PDF One Small Step

Part 1: Measuring Flight Data in Model Rockets

You might think that measuring flight data in a 15" model rocket would be easier than trying to record data from a 30' solid-fuel rocket that's going to splash down in the Mediterranean Sea. According to Tom, both missions have their challenges.

Download: napier-122.ZIP

34


George Novacek

The Joys of Writing Software

Part 2: Software Considerations

Last month, George explained the importance of bug-free software. Now it's time to dig a little deeper into the unique properties of the software before next month arrives and it's time to take a look at the hardware design aspects.

Note: Additional discussion from Ingo Cyliax in INK #125 Reader I/O.

Embedded PC

40


Harv Weiner

Nouveau PC

  • AT17 series of serial EEPROM for FPGAs from Atmel Corp.
  • SBC0486 PC/104-plus SBC with Ethernet from Micro/sys Inc.
  • Color LCDs with controllers from Apollo Display Technologies, Inc.
  • ETX-P1 Pentium-based CPU module from Adastra Systems Corp.

Embedded PC

42


Dennis Wilkison

PDF HTML Home Scoping with X-10

Today, it seems like everybody is racing to put everything possible on the Internet in the form of web appliances. As Dennis explains, embedded programmers are learning to face the challenges and opening new avenues along the way.

Embedded PC

58


Ingo Cyliax

Real-Time PC

Catching the PCI Bus, Part 1: A Spin Through the Background

Ingo has been working with PCI-based projects for a while, and now he's going to share a few tokens of information on the subject. Don't miss the bus! This is just the first stop on Ingo's trip through the details of PCI technology.

Embedded PC

63


Fred Eady

Applied PCs

Rabbit Season, Designing an Ethernet Adapter

Although the idea of introducing rabbits may rase some red flags for our readers Down Under, the rabbit Fred brought into the Florida room to explore Ethernet is easy to work with and guaranteed not to multiply uncontrollably.

70


Mike Baptiste

Embedded Living

An RS-485 Gateway, Linking an HCS-II to Another RS-485 Network

Mike got the HVAC preliminaries out of the way last time; now he's getting down to business using an HCS-II to control thermostats. Stay cool and pay attention as he coordinates the temperature sensors, status indicators, and LCD display.

80


Jeff Bachiochi

From the Bench

Building on Familiar Ground, Part 2: A New Addition?

Considering how many PSDxx chips WaverScale has shipped, it's hard to consider them "new." Jeff explains just how practical these young chips can be.

84


Tom Cantrell

HTML Silicon Update

Dial M-Core for Micros?

With renewed interest in M-Core technology, Motorola is attempting to bring it into the mainstream MCU market. But is that enough to save the day? Mouse or no mouse, Tom thinks Motorola's on the way.

92


David Tweed

HTML Test Your EQ

103

Advertiser's Index / October Preview

104


Steve Ciarcia

HTML, HTML Priority Interrupt

Virtual Reality

Circuit Cellar Online


Dan Cross-Cole

PDF HTML Digital Filters Made Easy

Part 2: The Rest of the Story

The second part of Dan's series moves from Digital Signal Processing to using a QuickBASIC program for implementing audio band-pass filters to provide a graphical display of the audio filter output. Combining digital filters and Fast Fourier Transform can prove useful for several applications, as illustrated in everything from measuring the response from an acoustic guitar to isolating Morse code signals.

Download: crosscole-code.ZIP crosscole-code.ZIP

Circuit Cellar Online


Tom Napier

PDF HTML An Intelligent Serial Command Interface

Specializing has its perks. If a device is not available commercially today, the opening is there for the taking. And, sometimes the development is even fun. Tom knows that this is part of the joy of being a consultant, as he runs through the process of designing a box to speed up the testing of communications equipment.

Download: napier-code.zip napier-code.zip

Circuit Cellar Online


George Novacek

PDF HTML Thermal Considerations in Electronics Design

Options for thermal management haven't been abundant for electronics designers in the past. Back before microprocessors, you were restricted in your choice of cooling. Today, it's a whole new story, as we see George detail some practical and reliable hard-data examples arrived at through the age-old method of measurement.

Circuit Cellar Online


Ingo Cyliax

PDF HTML Learning the Ropes -- FPGA & CPLD

Multiplier Tricks

Ingo's back on the design track after taking a trip through an FPGA module last time around. With everything now in working order, he brings us integer multipliers. Used in many signal processing applications, multipliers, of course, multiply. But, look closer for some tricks to implement them.

Circuit Cellar Online


George Martin

PDF HTML Lessons from the Trenches

Let's Play a Game, Sieve of Eratosthenes

George changes gears this time around as he trades problem solving for PC fun. In this article, he reminds us about the old sieve of Eratosthenes and goes about finding prime numbers using this technique as compared to a more modern approach. All is meant to be an effort of enjoyment, so put the tension aside and see what you can do with the power of computing.

Download: Prime Main3.c Prime3.exe Prime Main4.c Prime4.exe

Circuit Cellar Online


Tom Cantrell

PDF HTML Silicon Update Online

Cygnal Processor

In this article, Tom revisits his 1998 presentation, "8-bits: Onward and Upward," by exploring the timelessness of the 8-bit MCU. The latest offering from Cygnal Integrated Products, the 'C51, has hit the market proving once again that you don't have to sizzle like a Wunderchip to have a solid bottom line.

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


David Tweed

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.
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