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PRODUCT SHOWCASE Free on-line controller programming course SPLat Controls is an Australian manufacturer of programmable controllers. They have a very large website, with product information, technical documentation and other support materials for their world-wide customer base. One of SPLat’s significant online resources is a free interactive training course covering the programming of real-world controller applications. The course will take you 10-25 hours to complete depending on your prior knowledge. When you have completed the course you will have acquired the following skills: * The ability to understand and identify inputs and outputs. * Understanding the workings of sequential program functions, with programmed decision made through testing and branching. * The ability to define and analyse a moderately complex control requirement and define a solution in diagrammatic form. * The ability to translate the diagrammatic solution into a programming language. * Using timeouts for fault detection. * Counting off events and actions. * Programming Boolean (logical) functions. * Program debugging. * Good programming practice. The course is easy to follow, with lots of explanations and examples. It is used by a number of educational institutions in Australia and overseas, including RMIT Universtity but requires absolutely no prior skills other than a logical mind. You will benefit from it even if you are not planning to use SPLat in the near future. You can run the course on-line or download the files and run it off-line. One of these was just about to be a project . . . Do you curse the designer of your computer for putting all the inputs and outputs on the rear panel? Thought so! If you’re anything like us, you’re continually pulling the PC out of its space or fossicking around under or behind desks to access USB ports, sound card ins & outs, game ports, etc. A few months ago someone here came up with the scathingly brilliant idea of a simple project which brought those sockets – and maybe a few others – out to a plate on the front panel which occupied an unused drive bay. Time goes by, as time does – and then the January issue of SILICON CHIP came out with a Jaycar advertisement featuring . . . a “Multi-Function Transfer Panel for PCs”, which “transfers the USB, firewire, audio line in/out and an infrared IrDA connection” to a plate which occupies an unused drive bay space on the front panel . . . And just for good measure, the Jaycar model (XC5171) also includes a temperature probe to let you know 64  Silicon Chip how things are cooking inside your PC case. Aah well, there goes a project . . . One of the most difficult hurdles we had to overcome in our project was sourcing all the input and output plugs and connectors – but the Jaycar unit includes all of these, along with any mounting hardware required. At a recommended retail price of $99.95, we reckon it’s great value and will save hours of poking around. And in this issue, it’s on special at just $79.95 – sensational value! Contact: Jaycar Electronics PO Box 6424, Silverwater NSW 1811 Ph: (02) 9741 8555 Fax: (02) 9741 8500 Website: www.jaycar.com.au You can access the course by going to the SPLat website at sc2.splatco. com .au then selecting “Support” and “Online training” from the menu. Contact: SPLat Controls 2/12 Peninsular Boulevarde, Seaford Vic 3198 Ph: (03) 9773 5082 Website: sc2.splatco.com.au World’s first Wi-Fi and Flash Memory Cards SanDisk Corporation has introduced a line of wireless Wi-Fi (802.11b) cards with the world’s first card products to include both memory and wireless communications technology at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show. The “Connect” product line includes four products – dual-function 128MB CompactFlash (CF) and 256MB SD cards that combine Wi-Fi and flash memory as well as single-function CF and SD cards with Wi-Fi connectivity. SanDisk plans to add 256MB cards to the CF Connect product line by the middle of 2003. Retail prices are between $US99 and $US149. Contact: Sandisk 140 Caspian Ct Sunnyvale, CA 9408 Ph: (00111)408 542 0500 Website: www.sandisk.com www.siliconchip.com.au TRANSFORMERS manufactured in Australia by Yokogawa ScopeCorder Yokogawa’s new DL750 is the latest in the DL700 series of waveform measuring instruments that can be used for observing a wide variety of waveforms from physical to electric signals. The DL750 ScopeCorder has incorporated 1 gigaword of memory, the largest for this class of device, and is half the size of previous generation products. It is also equipped with the GIGAZoom function, which uses a specially developed ASIC to instantaneously display data stored in the large memory. The DL750 ScopeCorder can act as an oscilloscope for capturing instant events, as well as a data recorder for prolonged trend measurement. Control of the DL750 can be done by Wirepuller software – down-loadable from Yokogawa’s web site – while complete data analysis including waveform analysis, cursor functions, file conversion to ASCII format, etc, can be performed by the Waveform Viewer software. New Gadget Central Store Where do you get a ballpoint pen that doubles as a head massager? Or a motorised Pepper Mill? Not to mention JamesBond style pens with lasers in them... All this and over 1000 more products can be found at Sydney’s newest “must see” Gadget shop. Gadget Central specialises in providing that unique gift for the person who “has everything” or loves to be the first kid on the block with the new toy. Prices range from $5 to $300 so all budgets are catered for. Now what about a pair of spectacles that bend your vision by 90° so you can watch TV while lying flat on your back, or a spring loaded fly swatter that really works? Gadget Central Stores are located at – 225 Macquarie St, Liverpool; 314 Victoria Ave, Chatswood; 95 Burwood Rd, Burwood. Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd USB Print Server from Microgram USB and NT4 don’t mix?? They do now. If you need to connect a USB printer to an NT4 network, all you need is Micro-gram’s new USB printer server. It will host two USB printers and one parallel printer and simply connects by attaching a UTP cable to the nearest hub. It supports pretty well everything, including Windows 95/98/98SE/ME/NT 4.0/2000/ XP, Mac OS 8.1 or higher, UNIX/ Linux, NetWare (Bindery/NDS). Contact: Microgram Computers Ph: (02) 4389 8444 Website: www.microgram.com.au www.siliconchip.com.au STEPDOWN TRANSFORMERS Toroidal – Conventional Transformers Power – Audio – Valve – ‘Specials’ Medical – Isolated – Stepup/down 60VA to 3KVA encased toroids Encased Power Supplies Harbuch Electronics Pty Ltd Encased Power Supply 9/40 Leighton Pl. HORNSBY 2077 www.harbuch.com.au Ph (02) 9476-5854 Fx (02) 9476-3231 Harbuch Electronics Just a reminder . . . Pty Ltd 9/40 Leighton Pl, HORNSBY 2077 Ph (02) 9476 5854 Fax (02) 9476 3231 Psst . . . wanna copy some DVDs? Contact: Private Mail Bag 24, PO North Ryde NSW 1670 Ph: (02) 9805 0699 Website: www.yokogawa.com/au Harbuch Electronics Pty Ltd harbuch<at>optusnet.com.au Verbatim Australia have recently updated their range of CopySmartPlus manual-load DVD copiers. Using a high-speed Pioneer DVD-R drive capable of recording at 4x DVD-R, 2x DVD-RW and 16x CD-R, the towers can copy from and record 3, 5 or 7 new discs depending on the model. A feature of the CopySmartPlus range is their ease-of-use. Note that they will not duplicate copyrighted discs (such as movies). Up to 28 4.7GB DVDs can be produced per hour and the stand-alone towers do not need a PC to drive them. Priced between $5000 and $10000 depending on model, they are built in Australia by Verbatim. Contact: Verbatim Australia Ph: (03) 9823 0905 Website: www.verbatim.com.au On Sunday 23rd February 2003 the Central Coast Amateur Radio Club hosts the Southern Hemisphere’s largest amateur radio and communications show, the Central Coast Field Day. More than 2000 people from 40 clubs and organisation from all over Australia and the Pacific will converge on Wyong Racecourse to display and trade the latest radio communications equipment. Plenty of off-street parking is available within Wyong Racecourse grounds. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available from 8.30 am to 3.00 pm at no charge in the Dining Room. Hot and cold food can also be purchased within Wyong Racecourse. Gates to the Racecourse will be open to the public from 8.30am Entrance fee: adults $10.00, seniors card, pensioner concession, students $5.00, children under 12 free. Anyone with an interest in radio communications or electronics can contact the event organisers, The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club, by phoning 02 43402500 for more information. There is an extensive and informative web site covering the Field Day at www.ccarc.org.au February 2003  65