Archive for December 2009

The anatomy of a modern audio-video amplifier

A modern Audio-Video amplifier/receiver (AVR) is an exceedingly complex piece of consumer electronics, requiring expertise in many aspects of analogue and digital audio and high definition video, plus considerable software skills. ‘The anatomy of a modern audio-video amplifier’ lecture by John Dawson from Arcam for Audio Engineering Society UK is an interesting talk on engineering

Happy Birthday, Linus

Happy Birthday, Linus article tells that today December 28th is the birthday of Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux operating system kernel. The article tells that the birthday has an interesting historical link to the creation of the Linux kernel, too. Some of the funds for buying the Linus’s first PC arrived in the form

Blu-ray 3D specification

The Blu-ray Disc Association has completed its specification for 3D video. The specification was completed just few days before Christmas. It standardises the inclusion of stereoscopic 3D content on Blue-ray Disk. According to BDA the 3D video system doesn’t depend on any specific 3D technology – active-shutter or polarised lens – or display type. The

Cool Computer Keyboards

Computer keyboards are peripherals partially modeled after the typewriter and designed both for the input of text and characters and also to control the operation of a computer. Keyboards can arrive in many shapes or sizes. 14 Cool Computer Keyboards for Geeks shows you a set of extraordinary and interesting computer keyboard designs currently available

Christmas-tree light testing

Simple tester checks Christmas-tree lights article gives you ideas how to test mains powered Christmas lights. The article presents a simple test circuit. Some more testing ideas can be found at Christmas Lights and How to Fix Them web page. LED lights are becoming more and more popular for common in Christmas lights for many

Christmas Light Hero

What do you get when you mix a Christmas Light show with Guitar Hero? Christmas Light Hero! A real game you play with a wii wireless guitar controller. Christmas Light Hero video shows an amazing Christmas Light show with Guitar Hero.

Computerized christmas lights

Do It Yourself Computerizing web page gives idea how to control christmas lights using PC. This web page presents several different technologies to use computer to control lights. If you are interested in the topic after this, it is a good idea to go to ePanorama.net Home Automation forum and read the articles archive there.

How an expensive Blue-Ray player is made

AV Science Forum has an interesting posting on Ayre DX-5 blueray player. The article claims that Ayre DX-5 bluray player is a modified Oppo BDP-83 blueray player and even describes the modifications made to the device. Interesting article indeed to read, although I am a pretty skeptic would those modifications be worth of all of

Ground Loops and Returns in instrumentation

Proper ground configuration is essential for a good data acquisition system. Most measurement systems such as data acquisition devices allow for many different types of ground configurations depending on the type of signal being acquired or measured. This flexibility is the source of confusion when deciding which configuration to use in each specific situation. National