Jeff said:
1. Point the projector at the ceiling. You can put it anywhere.
2. If you chair doesn't recline sufficiently, replace it with a
recliner or a couch.
And then send a photo to my clients, with me on the couch
3. You only need one HDMI cable to the projector. The rest can go
through a media converter or use a PC as a media converter. RS232 for
a projector? Huh?
It's the equipment. For example, the old logic analyzer has a very small
CRT but one can use RS232. Goes into PC, PC display pics -> bingo.
4. However, if you decide to install it on the opposite side of the
bench, it might be far enough away that you won't be bothered by the
fan noise.
5. Try to located the projector near a window. If you're bored, or
find it necessary to irritate the neighbors, point the projector out
the window and let it light up the fog, haze, smog, or neighbors
house. 300 lumens is quite bright at night.
<
http://images.wikia.com/batman/images/b/b1/Bat_Signal.jpg>
Today in the pool I had the idea of projecting a pic there, have a small
margarita mixer on the pool deck, and float around in the water. My wife
thought that would be decadent
IntervalZero real time extensions:
<
http://www.intervalzero.com>
I really don't trust Windows when it comes to realtime.
My experience with NI is that everything will cost at least $500. So
I've largely stayed away from them.
Hadcon real time module for Windoze:
<
http://www.hadcon.ru/rtmintroduc.htm>
Acontis real time extensions for Windoze.
<
http://www.acontis.com/eng/products/windows-real-time-hypervisor/>
etc... Probably a bunch more for Linux. Hmmm... you can even get
real time Java:
<
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_time_Java>
which should run on both.
I'm not a programmist, so I have no experience with any of these.
Unless you're concerned about catching a virus or hosting a botnet on
your oscilloscope, I don't see a problem.
Well, I prefer something that's already natively capable of realtime.
Such as QNX.
I forgot about QNX. I agree, that would be a good, but possibly
expensive, choice for an instrument OS. I looked at the licensing
terms about 10 years ago. It was too much for a marine radio.
However, QNX has done well with automobile computers, infotainment,
and Blackberry phones. The QNX concept car:
<
http://www.qnx.com/products/qnxcar/index.html?lang=en>
I couldn't find any mention of using QNX in test equipment.
I priced it out 15 years ago and licensing was quite favorable. Of
course, there wasn't anything else comparable out there and as far as I
can see there still isn't.
We had a power line impairment simulator (from Dranetz ???) that was
quite good at destroying itself as well as the unit under test. I
became tired of fixing the beast, so I built my own version. It was a
rotating disk with random detents that activated two easily
replaceable switch contacts. (I was merciful and left the protective
ground intact). As the disk spun, the switches would open and close,
simulating the typical PG&E power line glitch. It was crude, ugly,
and quite effective.
A former boss had a different plan. He would turn everything on in
the rack full of radios, set it to transmit at very low power into a
dummy load, and close the rack doors tight. He would then go for
lunch or a cocktail and return about an hour later. Most systems
initially overheated and did not survive this test. Today, it's
common to leave 1RU spaces between rack mounted devices that get hot.
"Overheated and not survived" clearly points to serious design flaws. If
there is a chance of overheating there should always be temp sense and
graceful shutdown.
I've also had coworkers and customers that have the ability to destroy
everything they touch. For example, I had a customer that was
experiencing bizarre computer symptoms which I couldn't seem to either
duplicate or repair. So, I just gave her my known working office
computer in exchange for her problem machine. My known working
computer then preceded to exhibit the same symptoms. I can only
conclude that certain people have the ability to break electronics.
Those are the people you want in quality control
I also had a coworker that would kill any component he touched, even
if the humidity was high, he was wearing non-synthetic clothes, a
grounded wrist and heel strap, and the bench was grounded. I watched
it happen several times. An electrometer test showed that he
consistently produced about 1Kv of static electricity, even with all
the grounding devices in place. He later moved into sales, where he
blew up every computer that he touched.
I have a similar trait: Worked in medical ultrasound much of my life but
I am one of the worst when it comes to ultrasound penetration and
visibility.
Yep. High resolution video does suck the bandwidth, but GigE cameras
work well. USB should be for connecting peripherals, not for
networking.
Exactly. I've often thought of creating yet another business to fill
this need. How about eVil Systems as a name? The base product is a
chip or small PCB, with onboard NVRAM and RTC with I'll simply call a
"warranty timer". Lots of devices qualify. It sits innocently in the
middle of a crowded board, logging seconds, coulombs, power cycles,
and stock prices. If the accumulated data indicates that the warranty
period has been exceeded, the device performs a destructive action,
like applying high voltage to the low voltage power bus. This method
of destruction is particularly nice because the electrolytic capacitor
companies can be blamed. Some randomness will probably be necessary
to prevent it looking like the failure was intentional. Subtlety can
also be introduced by creating increasing unreliability and
spontaneous reboots just prior to end of warranty. The timer can also
be reset remotely after payment of a service contract. I'm fairly
certain Federal funding can be obtained as this device would be
considered an economic stimulus.
Too late. This has already been invented and usually comes in the form
of toner and ink cartridges.
Ah, but you do pay attention. You just don't realize that. In a past
life, I worked in marketing and advertising, mostly in subliminal
advertising. After about a year, I was fairly knowledgeable in how it
works and fairly well practiced in some of the techniques. Despite
having this inside knowledge, I was tricked several times by my
coworkers with subliminals. Please feel free to claim that you are
not affected by advertising, as such people are some of the easiest to
sway. The most difficult are the GUM (great unwashed masses) that are
literally being bombarded by subliminals, and have been callous and
indifferent. People with above average IQ's tend to think about
things first, which is where subliminals have their best effect.
You'd have to watch a great deal of TV to be exposed to subliminal
advertizing. And there is the first problem marketeers have in our case.
We have no cable or dish. Only an antenna and since that dreaded DTV was
made law, reception falls apart so often that what little TV consumption
is left has shrunk to a minimum. So the drill is:
Tape old movies we like, repeat recording as often as needed until you
luck out and the station won't pixelate out in the middle of it, then
watch it some time later while skipping all ads via the FFW button.
TV stations have shot themselves in the foot by two mistakes:
a. Agreeing to have a working system replaced by a flakey one with
sub-par RF path error tolerance.
b. Giving up precious VHF space for less lucrative UHF space. That one
I'll never understand. It has resulted in numerous stations not reaching
suburbia anymore. Suburbia -> people with discretionary dough -> no
longer reached -> drop in ad viewer number -> drop in ad revenue.
Repetition also works quite well at all levels. It can be a jingle or
tune that is repeated by the media until we associate a product with
that tune. Then, all you have to do is play the tune mixed in with
the elevator music, and people will automatically "want" the product.
I've watched this happen and was amazed at how well it works.
Well, yeah, but only the good ones stick. Volkswagen marketing is
exceptionally bright there. But will it result in increased sales? Not
with me and my wife. Or take the repetitive slogan everyone knows: "If
it fits, it ships". So I took a peek, saw that the prices aren't
favorable, and to this day I still pack my own box and ship for a buck
or two less. Sometimes the difference is well over $5.
The way our system works is that marketing creates the need, and sales
fills the need. Marketing look for a problem, which usually means
dissatisfied customers and defines a product that will make them less
dissatisfied. Sales tries to convince the customer that the product
their pushing will fill the need or solve the problem. If the GUM
ever asked themselves "do I really have a problem that needs solving?"
most of the economy would collapse. I don't know how many times I've
dragged home some piece of junk where I couldn't remember why I bought
it, or what problem was it suppose to solve. That's subliminals at
work.
Or should work. They fail to work with many people who have lots of
discretionary income. For example, you can't win much if you convince
people who live on food stamps.
Anyway, I could go on and on and on and on the subject, but that would
be too much topic drift. There are some good books on the subject,
especially those by Wilson Bryan Keys.
<
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Bryan_Key>
His first book, Subliminal Seduction is probably the best, and offers
a dated, but accurate description of the basic principles.
That was replaced by various transistor or FET grid dip meters. ...
I have one, a HD-1250, probably the same one you have. But those easily
go *PHUT* in a high energy system.
...(Have
three Heath grid dip meters). Further replaced by various antenna
analyzers. Carrying such an antique on a field service visit is more
than an embarrassment. What will the customer think? You can't
afford anything better than that? Why are you working on my project
with junk for test equipment? ...
Au contraire. I had cases where people mumbled things like "That looks
like voodoo" or "Now he's really off his rocker". Then at lunchtime I
announced the problem to be found and some jaws dropped.
... Is that thing NIST traceable
calibrated? ...
In engineering? Who cares?
... Is he running a museum on the side? Rather than be
forced to answer such embarrassing questions, wouldn't it be better if
you simply upgraded to the latest in high fashion test equipment?
No, because it frequently found stuff that their fancy schmantzy $10k+
analyzer simply did not see.
Something like an Anritsu Site Master or other portable RF service
monitor? With a modern piece of test equipment, the customer is
assured that they're getting the best measurements possible, from a
device that can genuinely be trusted to produce accurate numbers.
They often don't. Classic real-life example: I was called out to a
client who had internal noise issues in a high-sensitivity chemical
analysis machine they just developed. I dreaded it because it meant at
least 3h each way on the freeways, can't fly there plus I needed to
schlepp tons of gear. And my lower back doesn't like loading all that.
So I got there, they had a luxurious Stanford Research analyzer set up,
looked and looked and looked, couldn't find a thing. "Must be software,
but the guys said it's impossible because the noise is clearly in the
rwa data". So I tried. Shut the SRS analyzer down within 10 minutes.
Pulled a laptop and a fairly ugly contraption out of my stuff, people
cracked jokes about it. By early afternoon we had it, fan-blade induced
noise that triggered air flow pulsing near a cap which in turn created
wee microphonics. I showed them a fairly well distinguished 7-8Hz peak
that was not very stable. On the SRS there was ... nothing. "No, you've
got to be kidding, that's an artifact or something". Slowed the fan down
with the palm of my hand, peak moved towards 4Hz. "I'll be darn!"
Even many boat anchors have never been reached in performance by
"modern" gear. One is the HP-3577 network analyzer. Same with the
HP-3585 baseband analyzer. Or the Tek 2565 scopes. And on and on. So if
you face a difficult analog job chances are that you won't be able to
deliver your best performance if you only have "modern" gear.
