Okay, I've looked into some IC's to get this thing to work.
First, you need to convert analog to digital. I found what looks to be a decent A/D converter (12 bits, so with 0-+5V input, you get resolution of ~.001V) at DigiKey. This also has a "MicroWire" interface which is what the USB controller speaks.
Then, you'll need some way to talk to the USB bus, where the National Semiconductor USBN604 would work. I have no idea how to program this thing, but after reading the docs I know how to get a circut working between this and the A/D converter (I think).
On the analog lines, you'll want a (big) transistor to transpose the input voltage on a regulated 5v line. You might want a bargraph display on this 5v line, and a potentiometer to adjust input to fit a nice range.
I imagine that it would easy to create a frequency generator using a D/A converter connected to the USB chip. Here the IC would output 5v, so you'd want to connect an external power source and drive that with some transistors (+ and ground). You might want some sort of buffer to do constant waves; thus saving USB bandwidth.
Okay, those are pretty much my ideas for now. Time to do more research and draw some diagrams with xfig. I'll probably post some stuff on my site shortly. (How helpful, huh... now I'm obligated!)
It is; you have to ask (pull a pin up) the A/D converter for a reading. The timer ensures that you get one on the lines every n seconds; this way your software doesn't have to ask and wait for a reading. It just gets one.
I was going to build something like this a while ago, but I haven't had time. Just get a A->D chip, hook it up to a USB bridge, and read it a certain number of times a second (500, I think; most D/A converters can handle this IIRC). Connect a probe, voltage limiting circutry, and ground (and a timer, so your software doesn't have to raise the read pin 500 times a second:). Since it's USB, you can easily have another device in the box that does D/A and transposes it on a higher voltage. Then you have an osciloscope and a frequency generator. I think I'll start drawing some diagrams and investigating the IC's. Email me if you want information.
Well, I've read through the first page of comments, and I'm sick. Why is everyone criticizing VA Software!? They're the ones who provide us with the OSDN. Guess what, guys... VA dies, so does slashdot. And we all love slashdot. And Sourceforge. And freshmeat. They really have no way of making money off these sites, and yet they keep them up anyways. Just be thankful, and don't be so mean because they took "Linux" out of their name. Microsoft doesn't have "Windows" in their name, and they do okay (crap product, but oh well;). Okay, I'm done ranting now:)
You know what I hate about Apple hardware? It's all too cool! Every time they come out with something (or rumor it), I want to go buy it. *sigh* Being a 16 year old is no fun at all;-)
Oh, and then once I buy it; they come out with something cooler! Darn it!!
Not a real computer, huh? Well this old iMac Rev. B runs Linux every bit as well as a `real computer'. There's nothing that this computer can't do that a 'real' one can. Except that playing Unreal Tournament requires a dual boot:-D
What the hell do you need XP in a friggin' ATM for? Here's what the ATM does -- it asks you for 4 digits, an account (1-4), and a dollar ammount, 5 digits usually. We need a consumer desktop GUI in order to type in 10 digits?
> Charge them a reasonable one-time relicensing fee that gives them an non-exclusive unlimited license to the code base with the exception that they may not patent any algorithms derived from the codebase. Also make sure the price is reasonable and small.
You know, that screenshot looked like crap. Transparency looks good in MacOS because Apple got it right.... but in windows it just looks STUPID. Imagine what an ordinary user would do with transparent windows! Aahahahahah!
Slashdot Mirror
> It might just be easier to start off with some sort of video
:)
> capturing dongle. This way you are at least good to a few
> MHz bandwidth...
Yeah, most of the A/D's go at 250MHz. That should be plenty (well, unless you want to measure the clock on a new Pentium 4 or Athlon XP
I haven't checked D/A's yet; but I'd assume them to be similar (so you can theoretically generate ~125MHz waveforms, I think)
Okay, I've looked into some IC's to get this thing to work.
First, you need to convert analog to digital. I found what looks to be a decent A/D converter (12 bits, so with 0-+5V input, you get resolution of ~.001V) at DigiKey. This also has a "MicroWire" interface which is what the USB controller speaks.
Then, you'll need some way to talk to the USB bus, where the National Semiconductor USBN604 would work. I have no idea how to program this thing, but after reading the docs I know how to get a circut working between this and the A/D converter (I think).
On the analog lines, you'll want a (big) transistor to transpose the input voltage on a regulated 5v line. You might want a bargraph display on this 5v line, and a potentiometer to adjust input to fit a nice range.
I imagine that it would easy to create a frequency generator using a D/A converter connected to the USB chip. Here the IC would output 5v, so you'd want to connect an external power source and drive that with some transistors (+ and ground). You might want some sort of buffer to do constant waves; thus saving USB bandwidth.
Okay, those are pretty much my ideas for now. Time to do more research and draw some diagrams with xfig. I'll probably post some stuff on my site shortly. (How helpful, huh... now I'm obligated!)
It is; you have to ask (pull a pin up) the A/D converter for a reading. The timer ensures that you get one on the lines every n seconds; this way your software doesn't have to ask and wait for a reading. It just gets one.
I was going to build something like this a while ago, but I haven't had time. Just get a A->D chip, hook it up to a USB bridge, and read it a certain number of times a second (500, I think; most D/A converters can handle this IIRC). Connect a probe, voltage limiting circutry, and ground (and a timer, so your software doesn't have to raise the read pin 500 times a second :). Since it's USB, you can easily have another device in the box that does D/A and transposes it on a higher voltage. Then you have an osciloscope and a frequency generator. I think I'll start drawing some diagrams and investigating the IC's. Email me if you want information.
Well, I've read through the first page of comments, and I'm sick. Why is everyone criticizing VA Software!? They're the ones who provide us with the OSDN. Guess what, guys... VA dies, so does slashdot. And we all love slashdot. And Sourceforge. And freshmeat. They really have no way of making money off these sites, and yet they keep them up anyways. Just be thankful, and don't be so mean because they took "Linux" out of their name. Microsoft doesn't have "Windows" in their name, and they do okay (crap product, but oh well ;). Okay, I'm done ranting now :)
And the question is, do these things work with the new "anti-theft key" cars? Hahahahah....
No no no, we'll get standards complient movies when Ogg Vorbis / Ogg Tarkin catch on.
Those are very cool. I question the accuracy, but hey! Cool pics ;)
You know what I hate about Apple hardware? It's all too cool! Every time they come out with something (or rumor it), I want to go buy it. *sigh* Being a 16 year old is no fun at all ;-)
Oh, and then once I buy it; they come out with something cooler! Darn it!!
Not a real computer, huh? Well this old iMac Rev. B runs Linux every bit as well as a `real computer'. There's nothing that this computer can't do that a 'real' one can. Except that playing Unreal Tournament requires a dual boot :-D
What's the IP of this server? I'll bet it's still vulnerable to CRC32.
Mutt sends the message body as an attachment (which is what the standard specifies). Should you outlaw all valid email!?
And hey! He created the internet!
(Just to dispell a popular rumor, Al Gore invented HTTP, TCP/IP, UDP, UNIX, and everything else. Not computer people... oh no...)
Gallahad: What a strange person!
I just say "Do not fold, spindle, or mutilate." :-)
60,000ms :) 60 seconds * 1000 miliseconds / second = 60,000 ms.
What the hell do you need XP in a friggin' ATM for? Here's what the ATM does -- it asks you for 4 digits, an account (1-4), and a dollar ammount, 5 digits usually. We need a consumer desktop GUI in order to type in 10 digits?
That sounds.... umm... insecure. *smack* Windows... right
Interestingly, I can get up and take a shit rather than watch comercials. Nobody's sued me yet :)
> you *must* have broadband and you *must* make your box accessible from the internet
Oops. I didn't. Damn. What the hell are they gonna do about it?
> Charge them a reasonable one-time relicensing fee that gives them an non-exclusive unlimited license to the code base with the exception that they may not patent any algorithms derived from the codebase. Also make sure the price is reasonable and small.
What if I fork the codebase and charge less?
If you have a CRT display on your laptop, it's not a laptop anymore (it's a "penis crusher" or something)...
How about running:
longprocess && echo -e "\a"
Your process will run then beep at the end. Doesn't even take your eyes off your real work.
> Why not just make them darker and blurred out
:-)
of focus?
Then you can really call it focus-follows-mouse (or click-to-focus if you like that kinda thing)
You know, that screenshot looked like crap. Transparency looks good in MacOS because Apple got it right.... but in windows it just looks STUPID. Imagine what an ordinary user would do with transparent windows! Aahahahahah!