HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: berger@atropa (Mike Berger)
Subject: Re: Are Seagate Hard Drives any Good ?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 16:35:34 GMT

fevrier@sunburn.ec.usf.edu. (Ian Fevrier (EE)) writes:
>Recently I had a local computer dealer  try to convince me that Seagate
>drives are not worth the metal they're built with.

>To this date I would have sworn on a Seagate so I'd like to know if I
>have just been lucky. 

>Have any of you lived through personal experiences that substantiates
>this dealers claim ?
*----
It seems to me that it's like saying that IBM makes nothing but junk
based on the IBM 5100 computer.  Seagate makes good disk drives, and
they make cheap ones.  They've had some production problems with
various models, and great success with others.  The ST-251 is not
worth the metal it's built with, in my opinion.  Conversely, the
Wren IV, VI, and VII series drives (originally Imprimis/CDC) are
very rugged, very fast, and reliable.

I'd say your local computer dealer's opinion isn't worth the
objectivity it's built with.
--
	Mike Berger
	Department of Statistics, University of Illinois
	AT&TNET     217-244-6067
	Internet    berger@atropa.stat.uiuc.edu
From: tbbusser@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Tod B Bussert)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: SUMMARY:  STR53041 IC - Where to find
Keywords: Color TV
Date: 20 Aug 92 23:32:29 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA


------------------------ Original Posting ------------------------
>I am in the process of trying to repair my VGA monitor since my
>flyback circuitry decide to go up in smoke.  I need to identify
>an IC labeled:   
>     STR
>    53041
>    9414
------------------------------------------------------------------ 

        This device can be found a Parts Express, 1-800-338-0531,
for $6.50 + P/H.  Also the STR53041 cross-references to ECG 1840; 
check your yellow pages under 'electronic parts' for an ECG dealer.
Color monitors are very similar to color TVs, so TV parts outlets
have a good set of spares for this kind of widget.

Thanks to:
David John Howells <uclydvh@ucl.ac.uk>
Mike MacKenzie <mm@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
John Whitmore <whit@u.washington.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: reynhout@cs.uri.edu (Andrew Reynhout)
Subject: Re: NiCa battery
Organization: University of Rhode Island, Computer Science Dept.
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 09:09:36 GMT

au240@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Ari Pitkanen) writes:
>
>What happens when I discharge a NiCa battery (4 cells) completely empty.
>Will one of the cells be charged in opposite direction or destroyed in
>some other way ?

   I'm afraid I can't help you here.  Hell, I wasn't even aware that
a nickel-calcium battery existed.  Modern technology never ceases to
amaze...

   ;-)

Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: hcooper@javelin.sim.es.com (Harrison Cooper)
Subject: Looking for an 8087-1
Summary: Trying to find a 8087-1
Keywords: 8087
Organization: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 20:52:37 GMT

I have a friend looking for one or two 8087-1 (must be a -1).  If anyone
has one for sale, please email me.

Thanks in advance
hcooper@javelin.sim.es.com

-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Harrison Cooper                    | Methods of locating me :           |
|                                    | email : hcooper@javelin.sim.es.com |
| SP Hardware Design                 | Phone : 801-582-5847 ext 3578      |
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: mpaul@unlinfo.unl.edu (marxhausen paul)
Subject: Re: BASIC for Intel 8031 (8051)
Organization: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Distribution: sci
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 12:41:49 GMT

jon_sree@world.std.com (Jon Sreekanth) writes:


>I'm looking at buying a BASIC compiler for the Intel 8031 (8051). 
>From ads in Circuit Cellar Ink, I found two likely suspects : 

>Binary Technology Inc (508-369-9556) BXC51 for $295

>Systronix Inc (801-487-7412) BCI-51, price not listed. 

>I called for literature, and I'm waiting for it. In the meantime, 
>can someone tell me what one looks for in a microcontroller BASIC ?
>What features are important, what are some things to watch out for ?

>Has anyone used either of these two packages ? Any opinions ? Any other 
>BASIC's I should be looking at ? 

We have the Binary Technology package.  The main intent of this software
is to allow you to compile programs that you might otherwise do in in-
terpreted BASIC on the 8052AHBASIC (8052 with floating point basic in
internal ROM.)  I haven't used it much yet but it looks good and includes
an assembler.  One thing we hadn't counted on when we bought it, though:
the size of the code once compiled.  We had developed an application that
took up all of a 27128 EPROM (16K) in interpreted BASIC, and we figured
compiling it would give us both greater speed and tighter code.  (The
other factor in buying it was that it's much cheaper to buy the 8052
without the onboard BASIC interpreter.)

We did get better speed, though not by nearly as great a factor as
we might have thought - our memory-clear/test routine in our application
ran a little less than twice as fast.  But we were astounded to find that
the compiled code was as large as interpreted code, sometimes larger.

This is puzzling until you realize that the compiler has to stick all
the code to do, say, a PRINT function into your program every time it's
called for, whereas the interpreter has that machine code just once in
it's internal ROM and runs it whenever it finds a PRINT in your program.
Whatever, the point is, don't count on the compiler to cut your code
size.  It was worth it from the standpoint of using cheaper chips (I think
you can use the 8032/8031/8051 with programs written originally for the
8052AHBASIC, depending upon what stuff in the 8052 you use), and for 
better speed.    

--
===============================================================================
paul marxhausen                              \/               grace 
university of nebraska - lincoln             /\              happens           
===============================================================================
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: boortz@sics.se (Kent Boortz)
Subject: SAB 80C537 T2CON register?
Organization: Swedish Institute of Computer Science, Kista
Distribution: sci
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 22:42:39 GMT


I have some documentation about the Siemens SAB 80C537. The documentation
is unclear about the Timer 2. Do you know what the bits in the T2CON register
means? I need to run the timer a lot slower, can it be clocked from outside
the chip?

By the way, the chip looks real nice from the spec. Internal pullup resistors. 
Fast serial port, up to 375 Kbaud. Timers with compare registers that gives a 
change of level on a output pin. AD converter etc. Based on the (strange ;-) 
8051 architecture.

Do you know if there are versions with a debugger in the internal ROM?

Kent Boortz
boortz@sics.se
--
Kent Boortz
boortz@sics.se
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: mcginn@crl.aecl.ca
Subject: data logger & laptop power req.
Organization: AECL Research
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 14:24:47 GMT

I have two questions.

First, I am tring to design a low power data logger. The inputs are four 
logic levels. The processing and output requirments are, on every 
transition of any input I have to timestamp it an record it's level and
the timestamp. Once a day a laptop computer will request all of the data
to be transmitter via RS232. The power requirments are it must run on
UPS/batteries for 24 hours a day for 100 days.

I have been considering a small micro controller running at a low clock
speed. This way I would have less design. Does anyone have any suggestions
on this idea or for an alternate design?

The second question is, What is the voltage and current drawn by
laptops/notebooks running full out with disk access and when in sleep mode.
General ideas as well as specific examples would be help full. I am going
to try and stay with the bigger name brands Compac, Epson, IBM, etc.

Oh, and if anyone knows about the enviromental specs. of laptops/notebooks
I am looking for them to withstand 0-55 degrees celcius and 95% humidity.
Is this a dream or are they available?

I have a tight deadline so if anyone can help please contact me or post 
as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Tim
mcginn@crl.aecl.ca

 
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: wrb@cbnews.cb.att.com (wallace.r.blackburn)
Subject: Re: Are Seagate Hard Drives any Good ?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 15:56:24 GMT

Seagate got a bad rap some time ago for some seemingly bad drives (the
ST-251 comes to mind).  There is an argument though that the drives were
really not the problem as much as how people were using them.  They were
popular in DOS PCs where people knew very little about how such things
should be treated.

They shut them down without parking the heads, turn the computer off in the
middle of a disk access, etc.  Now you could say "If people are going to
use them like that, they should make them to withstand it."  I think that
what they started doing - but they learned on the ST-251 types.

It's easy to fall in the trap of knocking something just because everyone
does.  It's fun and all, but doesn't always give an accurate picture.  BTW,
I have no interest in Seagate whatsoever.
From: downin@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Dave Downin)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Zenith TV repair
Date: 12 Aug 92 20:27:03 GMT
Reply-To: downin@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Dave Downin)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

I purchased a new Zenith 27" color TV about a year ago.  EVERYTHING
is done via on-screen menus and the universal remote.  In the manual
it mentions that if OTHER screens (for tech use only) appear to exit
them.  I have not been able to figure out how to get to these menus
and was wondering if anyone had a clue.

I'm not sure of the exact model number but it is one of their higher-end
models in the 27" area.  It has PIP (also 3 pips/muxed).  Along with
a lot of other features...payed about $700-$800 for it.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

-Dave Downin
From: ridder@zso.dec.com (Hans Ridder)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: EIA-232 cable length restrictions
Date: 19 Aug 92 00:29:25 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation - DECwest Engineering
Originator: ridder@zowie.zso.dec.com

In article <JON_SREE.92Aug18090955@world.std.com> jon_sree@world.std.com (Jon Sreekanth) writes:
>Does anyone know if RS232 drivers are normally slew rate limited ? 
>For example, looking at the 1488 specs, an inexpensive RS232 driver, 
>the inherent slew rate is more than the EIA 30 V/uS, and a 330pf 
>capacitor is recommended to be added. 
>
>Is it conventional to skip this cap, and figure there will be enough 
>cable capacitance ?

All the designs *I've* seen leave the cap out  Although if you're
working on a new design and it's "high-speed," I'd recommend to the cap
in your design and leave it unstuffed until you find you have
problems....

>What is the problem with too high a slew rate ? 
>FCC 15 problems ?

Probably mostly near-end crosstalk.  I worked on a system with an EIA
232 (actually RS 232 back then!) synchronous interface running at 9600
bps.  When the interface was left unconnected, the modem control lines
picked up cosstalk from the clock lines.  The modem control lines (on a
Zilog SIO) interrupted on every *transition*, causing quite a load on
the poor little 2 MHz Z80 driving the port.  Slew-rate limiting fixed
it.  I would imagine that FCC Part 15 could also be issue today.

>/ Jon Sreekanth

-hans
-- 
  Hans-Gabriel Ridder				Digital DECwest Engineering
  ridder@rust.zso.dec.com			Bellevue, Washington, USA
  {pacbell,pyramid,uunet}!rust.zso.dec.com!ridder
From: jrm@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: TTL <-> 232 ICs pin compatible ?
Date: 18 Aug 92 18:43:34 -0500

I have been using the Dallas Semiconductor DS-1228 TTL <--> RS232 level
converters in various projects ... and they work just fine ... but
they are somewhat inconvenient to get. I have seen no regular retailer
stocking them, so I have to deal with DS direct. 

I have seen other such chips - Harris makes a 'ILC232' (?) and there
is another going by the handle 'MAX232'. Are these chips PIN
COMPATIBLE with the DS1228 ? I ask this because I have lots of boards
in stock made for the 1228. It is not relevant if the outboard caps
need slightly different values ... but the pin configuration needs
to be the same. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

-- Jim Mason
From: bob@sna.so.umist.ac.uk (Bob Nutter)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Strobe circuits wanted
Date: 20 Aug 92 12:39:54 GMT
Organization: UMIST Department of Computation, PO Box 88, Manchester, UK

Hi,

Has anyone got any strobe cicuits, or references to them? Our library only has
Edgerton's "Electronic Flash, Strobe", 2nd edition, which has valve ccts in 
it :-(

I'm also trying to track down the project in July '79's Practical Electronics (a
UK mag), which had a dandy one that used a car ignition coil, so if anyone has
that, please let me know.

bob
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bob nutter, computer officer    | "If there's no class divides, then how
UMIST dept of computation       |  come you're standing here waiting for
po box 88 manchester m60 1qd uk |  a bus when someone drives past in a
tel:+44 61 200 3343             |  car worth the price of a house?"
email:b.nutter@umist.ac.uk      |
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: chrism@col.hp.com (Chris Magnuson)
Subject: BOOKS FOR SALE!!
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 17:01:28 GMT
Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division


   What follows is a list of more books for sale.  Terms are the same as before,
shipping is $4 additional, books are hardcover (unless noted), etc.  Best
offer, etc.

   Topics include electronics, DSP (digital signal processing), software
engineering, computer languages and data structures, and realtime
programming.

Chris Magnuson
chrism@col.hp.com
Software Engineer
Hewlett-Packard


*************************
Digital Signal Processing
*************************

  Theory and Application of Digital Signal Processing, Rabiner and Gold, ISBN
0-13-914101-4, 762 pages, $20.


******************
Software/Languages
******************

  A Book on C, Kelley and Pohl, ISBN 0-8053-6860-4, 362 pages, $8 (softcover).
  "Good beginning-intermediate C programming text."

  Compiler Design in C, Holub, ISBN 0-13-155045-4, 924 pages, $30.
  "Good implementation book on compiler writing and theory."

  Data Structures Using Pascal, Tenenbaum and Augenstein, Second Edition, 
ISBN 0-13-196668-5, 774 pages, $20.
  "The most used book on dta structures at the university level."

  Structured Design, Yourdon and Constantine, ISBN 0-13-854421-9, 473 pages,
$15.
  "The classic software design text."

  An Implementation Guide to Real-Time Programming, Ripps, ISBN 0-13-451873-X,
262 pages, $15.
  "Just like it says...implementation-oriented realtime book."

  Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach, Second Edition, Pressman,
   ISBN 0-07-050783-X, 567 pages, $13.
  "I hate to part with this one...McCabe/Halstead/metrics, data flow and
   design...just about everything you can think of including object-oriented
   design."

***********
Electronics
***********

  Circuit Theory Fundamentals and Applications, Budak, ISBN 0-13-133975-3,
590 pages, $10.
  "The best book there is for learning circuit theory from."

  Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Electronics, Douglas-Young, ISBN
0-13-450791-6, 606 pages, $10.
  " Good reference."

  Basic Electronics, Grob, Third Edition, ISBN 07-024917-2, 763 pages, $5.
  "Has a variety of topics, including tubes!"

  Electronic Devices and Circuits: Discrete and Integrated, Ghausi, ISBN
0-03-062481-9, 808 pages, $10.
  "Hot book on designing electronic circuits, from diodes through
   op-amps."

  Micro-Electronic Circuits, Sedra and Smith, ISBN 0-03-056729-7, 927 pages,
$15.
  "Another hot book...diodes, op-amps, FETs, transistors, etc."
  
  Analog-Digital Conversion Handbook, Third Edition, Sheingold, Ed., ISBN
  0-13-032848-0, 670+ pages, $10.
  "Want to know how analog-digital and digital-analog conversion works?"

  Microprocessor Architecture, Programming, and Applications, Gaonkar,
ISBN 0675-201594-05, 655+ pages, $10.
  "Designing with microprocessors is very 90's-ish."

  Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits , Second Edition, Gray
   and Meyer, ISBN 0-471-87493-0, 771 pages, $15.
  "Transistors, diff amps, op-amp stages, FETs..."

Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: evansmp@uhura.aston.ac.uk (Mark Evans)
Subject: Re: Strobe flash tubes
Organization: Aston University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 16:54:17 GMT

enns@waterloo.hp.com (Roger Enns) writes:
: I am looking for a source for the u-shaped, or 'pig-tailed' flash
: tubes for strobe lights.  I am building a set of strobes for my
: homebuilt aircraft, and have been unable to locate a source for
: these.  I have checked the electronics supply houses here in
: Canada, with no luck, unless I want to buy the complete assembly
: with all electronics...

Thats odd.

Try photography places.
Or talk to the tech at your nearest nightclub.
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Evans                                   |evansmp@uhura.aston.ac.uk
+(44) 21 565 1979 (Home)                     |evansmp@cs.aston.ac.uk
+(44) 21 359 6531 x4039 (Office)             |
Xref: sparky sci.electronics:14283 alt.folklore.urban:21258
From: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: SHOCKING STORIES
Date: 12 Aug 92 19:34:16 GMT
Reply-To: reb@Ingres.COM (Phydeaux)
Organization: E 4th St Home For The Overeducated Underemployed - Chicago Div.

In article <7S8IOYI@taronga.com> arielle@taronga.com (Stephanie da Silva) writes:
>In article <1992Aug11.130839.7907@nntp.nta.no>, styri@hal.nta.no (YuNoHoo) writes:
>> In article <1992Aug9.114705.5110@news.iastate.edu>, Anthony Clifton writes:
>> >Essentially, it works this way:  when you have a liquid in contact with ahot
>> >surface (above a certain temperature) the layer of liquid closest to the 
>> >surface will vaporize.  This vapor-layer is a very poor conductor of heat
>> >so the liquid farther away from the surface doesn't heat up as much.
>
>You can very easily test this theory.

A housemate in college used this technique to 'drink' liquid nitrogen.
He put  it  *into*  his  mouth and  as  it started down his  throat it
expanded  and vapor  came  gushing out of his  nose  and mouth!  Quite
an impressive trick for parties!
					reb
From: mycal@netronix.com (Mycal Johnson)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: GPS Availability 
Distribution: world
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 17:44:58 GMT
Organization: Netronix, Inc.


In article <7480107@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> myers@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM writes:

  > 
  > 
  > GPS is most definitely operational, and GPS receivers are now readily
  > available, albeit with less accuracy than their military cousins.  (The
  > Feds require this to be so, so that some turkey like Sodamn Insane can't
  > use our own positioning system to aim his Scuds to the nearest millimeter!)
  > One of the biggest uses right now is in aviation - check with some private
  > pilots in your area and see if they'll show you some of the latest avionics
  > catalogs.

Well actually because of the gulf war, the civilian GPS (unencripted) has
its resolution cranked way up, still is last time I checked.

Seems that the US didn't have enough mil GPS systems, so it shipped the
troops civilian units and cranked up the resolution.

mycal

Mycal Johnson                          _
mycal@netronix.com                    | |_ _ _         There is only one
(707)769-3309                         | | | | |__          nor-cal
-----------------                     |        ___\         so-cal
   -  -  -  -                          \      /              mycal
     Ban all Bans                       |    |
From: jcs@zoo.bt.co.uk (John C Sager)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: GPS questions
Keywords: GPS
Date: 19 Aug 92 10:19:29 GMT
Organization: British Telecommunications plc

In <greg.714049408@coombs>, greg@coombs.anu.edu.au (Greg Price) writes:

> 1) How does the receiver separate out the different signals from a number
>    of satellites if they are all transmitting on the same frequency (using
>    180 degree phase modulation) and using one non-directional antenna?

Each satellite uses a different pseudo-random code to modulate the carrier.
The receiver uses a correlator to select the code it wants to receive.
Single-channel receivers can switch the correlator to sequentially receive
several satellites. Multi-channel receivers have several correlators.

> 2) The satellite has an accurate internal clock, and the receiver has
>    another internal clock which it syncs with the satellites, and uses
>    the propagation delay to determine this distance. How do you initially
>    sync the receiver clock with the satellites from scratch?

The technique is to calculate 'pseudo range' from 4 satellites, then
solve 4 simultaneous equations to get long, lat, height & clock offset.
I believe there is a technique, using the range rate information as well
(calculated from the doppler frequency shift), which allows one to
get long, lat, height and clock offset from only 3 satellites.

John C Sager					Mail:	B67 G18, BT Labs
Email:	jcs@zoo.bt.co.uk				Martlesham Heath
Tel:	+44 473 642623					IPSWICH  IP5 7RE
Fax:	+44 473 637614					England
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad)
Subject: Re: Electric Blankets and Sterility
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Date: 19 Aug 92 20:20:11 CDT
Keywords: Electric Blankets Sterility

In article <25008@castle.ed.ac.uk> cam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm) writes:
>In article <1992Aug19.123408.11089@doug.cae.wisc.edu> kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad) writes:
>>In article <1992Aug19.170303.15912@uniwa.uwa.edu.au> gude@uniwa.uwa.edu.au (David J W Emrich) writes:
>
>>>3.  Is there any field emitted when the blanket is switched off?
>
>>For all intents and purposes, no.  There's some very negligible field
>>left, but you'd be hard pressed to even measure it when the heating element is
>>off.
>
>It's very easy to measure the field left when the blanket is switched
>off. The still-connected earth or neutral line acts as a large aerial
>lying alonside the mains, and picks up a great deal of main hum and
>other interference. If the switch isolates all lines there is still
>capacitive coupling. And if the plug is pulled out the wall the
>blanket still acts as an aerial. 

Ok, perhaps I should have said, "you'd be hard pressed to even measure the
extra field not caused by the background EM..."  In others words, I meant that
simply having the blanket plugged into the wall socket creates only a slightly
larger "antenna" that slightly perturbs the local EM field.  The overall
effect, though, will be to create an EM field that I'd hope you'd agree is
negligibly different from the one that existed before I plugged the electric
blanket in, no?  (Assuming a short cord... i.e., that the still connected
neutral line adds a small length to the overall "antenna" of the entire
household wiring)  (And when I say "negligibly different" above, I mean in
terms of average magnitude that's hitting people, and therefore health effects)

You're quite right that just what the effect of "background" EM in an
average house is debateable.

						---Joel Kolstad

From: myers@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Myers)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 17:49:10 GMT
Subject: Re: How to dispose of NiCads?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA