Servicing & Technology - World Radio History

THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL ELECTRONIC AND COMPUTER SERVICERS

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Servicing & Technology September 2000

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: DMMs, Oscilloscopes, Accessories

NPSC Report, CEDIA Preview

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Servicing 21st Century TVs

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THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL EL EC; ,ONIC ANL Pv,CE

ELEGTIMINGServicing & Technologyco rite ntsFEATURES

NPSC Report 12

Attendees at this year's National Professional Service Convention inReno, NV, learned a great deal about recent developments in abroad range of areas, including manufacturers' plans to Increasesupport of independent service, and the many internet-basedresources now available to them.

Not Your Father's DMM 16

Modern multimeters do so much more than just measure volts, ohmsand milliamperes. These days meters can record minimum andmaximum values, store hundreds of readings, check out capacitors,semiconductor junctions and more. This article describes just howfar these multifunction devices have come.

Oscilloscopes for Video 18

Many television malfunctions are related to the video portion of theset. Diagnosing these problems requires an oscilloscope that cantrigger on the video portion of the TV signal. This article providessome information and tips on using an oscilloscope to examine thevideo to track down these problems.

Test Accessories Update 22A test accessory might be as expensive and complex as a wave-form generator, or as simple and inexpensive as a 100W light bulb.The important thing is that it helps the technician troubleshoot theproblem and return the faulty product to its owner quickly, and inworking order. This article provides some ideas on how to use testaccessories to expedite the repair process.

CEDIA Expo Preview 33This month in Indianapolis, IN, people are gathering at the CustomElectronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo to learnmore about installation and adjustment of home theater systems.This Preview provides a rundown of events that will be taking place.

Repairing 21st Century Televisions 36by Bob Rose

Microprocessors, ROM, software: this is the stuff of which moderntelevision sets are made. This article describes several TV faults thatseem more computer related than TV related, and provides somesage advice on diagnosing and correcting them.

Isolation Transformers IncreaseSafety of Electronic Systems 48

Everyone knows transformers provide electrical isolation betweenthe input and output. Isolation transformers are often used forincreased safety and to meet domestic and international safetystandards.

ON THE COVERA far cry from the single function meters of the early days ofelectronics, today's multimeters offer not only accuratereadings, but a broad range of functions: volts, ohms, mil-liamperes, diode test, capacitance, and much more.(Photo courtesy Fluke Corp.)

DEPARTMENTSAdvertisers Index 54 Display Classified 54 News 6Books 53 Editorial 4 Reader's Exchange 56Calendar of Events 51 Literature 52 Profax 25Classified 55 New Products 9 Viewpoint 2

THE MAGAZINE FORPROFESSIONAL ELECTRONIC AND

COMPUTER SERVICERS

MA01101110Servicing & Technology

In July Electronic Servicing & Technology Magazine was purchased from CQ Communications by Mainly Marketing

Enterprises Inc.For the old timers among the ES&T readership, a "new publisher" may have an "old" ring. ES&T has been "owned" by a

number of people and/or firms since Howard Sams began the publication as The PF Reporter some 50 years ago.

Yet, we know that 'owning' a good publication is a little like 'owning' cats...youdon't really ... you are just responsible for their

care and feeding. This 'knowledge' comes from first hand experience... we have a total of five cats in our household and both

of us have spent many years in business -to -business publishing.

The fact of the matter is that Dick Ross, Jon Kummer and the inside staff of CQ Communications interviewed us carefully

before agreeing to sell ES&T. It was a little like interviewing to adopt one of our cats from the North Shore Animal League

here in Port Washington. The good folks at CQ wanted to be certain that we intended to seriouslywork towards making ES&T

the best it could be. We intend to do that.

WHAT HAS CHANGED AND WHAT HASN'T..

From a business standpoint, advertisers will see changes in our sales staffand publishing offices on the mast (page 5)

and in various 'house' ads throughout this issue.

For ES&T's long-term readers and advertisers you should know that Nils Conrad Persson has agreed to continue as Editor.

We are delighted! Conrad has done a magnificent job and has a tremendous following throughout the industry.

During the past month we changed printers. With new capacity, we expect to upgrade the graphics, color, and readability

of each issue.

We have also added Mr. Jay Febrer as our Webmaster. Watch for our new web site under construction at www.estmag.com.

Last month, we attended the NPSC-NESDA show and conference in Reno. We received manycomments, inputs and sugges-

tions for enhancing the basic editorial product. A key issue was the need for information critical to business operations and

survival. (At the Conference, many of the consumer electronics manufacturers made heavy commitments designed to insure

the continuation of the Professional Service Provider.)

So, you will soon see additional information on the opportunities and difficulties facing the Professional Service Provider.

We will be adding more new products, more information on distributor offerings, and more information on the policy,

warranty, personnel and business developments from the consumer electronics manufacturers.

WE ASK FOR YOUR HELP..

If we are to provide the Professional Service Providerwith this information we need your input. Call, write, fax or Email any

of us when you learn information that should be shared with your colleagues. We will make every effort to substantiate and/or

clarify your informationand share it with our readers.

Many manufacturers are not set up to send out press releases on warranty changes, policy changes, regional and/or national

field sales movement, or other developments of importance to the service provider. These issues are notpart of these mega

firms' overall press activity. You can help us develop this dialogue with your service partners.

FINALLY, THANK YOU.

Whether we heard from you at NPSC, on the phone or whatever, we both say "Thank You" to all the readers, vendors,

advertisers and friends who have given us words of encouragement and warmth during this hectic first month.

Thanks again, and do not forget, we want to hearjiSom you.

;il-id// d

Marie MarcellinoDave Allen

PublisherPresident.

[email protected]@mainlymarketing.com

Electronic Servicing & Technology Magazine, A Mainly Marketing Media

403 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Port Washington,New York 11050 Phone: 516.883.3382 Fax: 516.883.2162 [email protected]

2 Electronic Servicing & Technology September 2000

If technology matters,you'd better be at CES.

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Editorialby Nils Conrad Persson

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Here we go again. As you will see on page two of this issuein the page entitled "Viewpoint," ES&T is now under new own-ership. It's not the first time that this magazine has changedhands. There have been a lot of changes of ownership of eitherthe parent company of ES&T, or ES&T itself, over the years.

In 1982, I became editor of ES&T, and at around the sametime, Intertec and a company called Harcourt Brace Jovanovichagreed to a swap of magazines. In that transaction, Intertec relin-quished control of a magazine whose identity I can't recall, andtook over a magazine that many of you are familiar with"Electronic Technician/Dealer." At that time, ET/D was incor-porated into ES&T rather than being published as a separateentity.

There was a fair amount of consternation among the readerswho had previously been receiving ET/D and now began receiv-ing ES&T. One of the features of ET/D was a department calledTekFax, schematic diagrams of television sets. ES&T, whichwas now being sent to them instead of ET/D did not carryschematic diagrams. Intertec was inundated with complaintsfrom the new readers, and it wasn't long before ES&T beganincluding schematics under the designation "ProFax."

Intertec was bought and sold several times after that, but wewont go into any detail about that. However a pivotal changewas made in early 1990. The publisher of ES&T decided that itdidn't fit in with the other magazines in that division of the com-pany, so he put it up for sale. CQ Communications, a publisherbased in Hicksville, NY bought ES&T and published the April1990 issue as a CQ magazine.

CQ published ES&T for a little over 10 years. Recently, theowner of that company decided for a number of reasons that hewished to sell it. On August 1, 2000, Mainly MarketingEnterprises Inc., a company in Port Washington, NY, bought it.

One thing that has characterized ES&T through all thesechanges is that it has never wavered from its mission: to provideconsumer electronics service centers with information that helpsthem do their jobs. And, as you can see from the Viewpoint ofthe new owners, Dave Allen, President and Marie Marcellino,Publisher, that will continue to be the aim of ES&T.

The only changes that are planned are changes that will makeES&T a better magazine, one that will serve its readers in agreater variety of ways, and offer information that will be use-ful in operating a service business beyond just the technical andtroubleshooting aspects of service. These changes are summed

up nicely in the Viewpoint page.

It's exciting to be editor of ES&T at this juncture. As you cansee from the coverage of the National Professional ServiceConvention (NPSC) in this issue, the manufactures of consumerelectronics products have reaffirmed their commitment to sup-port independent service. Many of them are making their ser-vice literature widely available free of charge via their internetsites. Some manufacturers are limiting availability to membersof NESDA, but at least one, Hitachi, is making service litera-ture at their web site available to all industry service centers.

But there's more. For example, some manufacturers who havefor a period of time had a policy of exchanging faulty productsunder warranty will be returning to a policy of supporting serviceof those products in the field by independent service centers. And,

in general, many manufacturers have voiced the intention to makeit easier for service centers to do business with them.

All of this means that independent consumer electronics ser-vice is alive and well, and is being supported in many ways bymanufacturers.

In keeping with the revitalization of the consumer electron-ics service industry, ES&T plans revitalization as well. Watchfor changes to come. For example, we have already contacted anumber of manufacturers, and will contact the rest of them inthe coming months, to obtain access to their service literatureso we can expand and update our ProFax department. Moreover,we have invited manufacturers to provide us with relevant infor-mation about personnel changes in their service divisions thatwill assist readers of this magazine so we can keep you postedas to whom to contact within those companies.

Another feature that we plan to revitalize is our SuccessfulServicing article series. There are many service centers through-out the U.S. that have managed to not only remain successfulbut become even stronger in spite of adversity in the business.We'll bring you their stories to let you know how they did it.

The world has just entered a new millennium, consumer elec-tronics service is entering a new era, and now ES&T has entereda new phase in its development. It's going to be fun and inter-esting to watch how things all unfold as we work together tomake independent service thrive.

arvvt.#.1 e,./1114-4rvk


THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL ELEC IRONIC ANT) COMPUIER SFINCERS

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Servicing & Technology

Electronic Servicing & Technology is edited for servicing profes-sionals and managers who service consumer electronics equip-

ment. This includes owners, managers, service technicians, field

service personnel and avid servicing enthusiasts who repair and

maintain audio, video, computer and the new digital consumer elec-

tronics equipment.

A publication ofMAINLY MARKETING ENTERPRISES INC.

403 Main Street, 2nd FloorPort Washington, NY 11050 USA516-883-3382 Fax 516-883-2162

EDITORIALEditor: NILS CONRAD PERSSONP.O. Box 12487, Overland Park, KS [email protected]

CONSULTING EDITORSTV Servicing Consultant BOB ROSETV Servicing Consultant: HOMER L. DAVIDSONComponents Consultant: VICTOR MEELDIJKAudio Consultant: ALVIN G. SYDNORElectronics Theory Consultant: SAM WILSON

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News

Cisco unveils internet homeTeams with major home developersto enable internet connected community.Building on the vision to provide consumers anywhere, any-

time Internet access in the home, Cisco Systems, Inc., hasunveiled its Internet Home. Cisco's 1,700 square foot InternetHome showcases the benefits of a high-speed, always -onInternet connection that enables an array of consumer devicesand appliances in the home. Cisco also announced it is teamingwith developer Playa Vista, to build Internet -equipped "smarthomes" in a major new residential and commercial communitydevelopment in West Los Angeles. The Cisco Internet Home,developed in conjunction with leading consumer companiesDigital Interiors, The Great Indoors, Hewlett-Packard Company,Sears, Roebuck and Co, and Whirlpool, demonstrates the powerof the Internet in enhancing daily living for consumers, as wellfor the developers creating the homes and communities of thefuture. High-speed Internet connectivity throughout the homeallows consumers to conveniently conduct everyday activitiesonline such as shopping for groceries, listening to music or send-ing family photos to grandparents.

"The Internet Home drives home the message that always -on,high speed Internet connections are available in today's home,whether it's an older home or brand-new development. It alsodemonstrates how an always -on, high-speed Internet connectionis as easy to use as turning on a light or a water faucet," saidMike Moone, group vice president and general manager, Cisco'sConsumer Line of Business. "We are pleased to be working withleading consumer companies and community developers to helpmake Internet Homes a reality for consumers."

In the Cisco Internet Home, the refrigerator knows when thedoor is left ajar and can notify the homeowner via a web paddevice, enables a child to receive homework help from a parentat work or traveling, or control the lights, music and securitysystem with the touch of a button.

These conveniences are all possible with a high-speed Internetlink such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and a Cisco InternetHome Gateway, which will be available next year.

DTV Product Sales to Date Surpass All of 1999Arlington, VA, July, 2000 - According to figures released by the

Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), factory sales to dealersfor digital television (DTV) displays for the month of June were26,750, the biggest sales month to date for DTV. June figuresbrought DTV display sales for 2000 to 129,438, surpassing totaldisplay sales in 1999 (121,226). These figures include DTV andHDTV display monitors that require the addition of a set -top boxto receive digital broadcasts as well as DTV and HDTV sets thatinclude a DTV tuner. In addition, 17,671 stand alone set -topreceivers have been sold to dealers since January 2000.

"These numbers demonstrate that despite limited broadcast pro-gramming and some who advocate delays in the broadcast com-munity, consumers are buying DTV," said CEA President and CEO

Gary Shapiro. "Non -broadcast digital and high -definition contentis available to consumers via satellite and, in some markets, viacable. And many consumers are simply opting to buy DTV andHDTV displays now - to enhance their analog TV and DVD expe-rience." To date, the majority of DTV factory sales have been DTVand HDTV displays that require the addition of a set -top box toreceive digital broadcasts. In 1999, 17 percent of the total DTVproducts sold (including monitors, integrated sets and digital set-top receivers) were capable of receiving digital broadcasts. CEAexpects this trend to continue as long as some broadcasters ques-tion the DTV standard or insist on using DTV primarily as a sub-scription data service.

"Even as consumers enjoy non -broadcast digital and high -def-inition content from a variety of sources, some vocal broadcastersare dragging their feet, confusing consumers, and stalling thebroadcast transition to DTV," said Shapiro. "Broadcasters made acommitment to deliver DTV in return for the loan of valuable pub-lic spectrum. Further delays are a denial of the public trust.Lingering debates over the digital broadcast standard and effortsto accommodate new broadcast business models cannot be allowedto trump consumer interest in DTV."

Earlier this year, CEA released revised DTV sales projectionsto account for delays in the broadcast rollout and limited pro-gramming. According to the new projections, if broadcasterschoose the "fast lane" to DTV and demonstrate 100 percent com-pliance with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) roll-out schedule while providing a high -percentage of digitally -orig-inated content to consumers, DTV product penetration will reach50 percent by 2006. If broadcasters take a "middle of the road"approach and have continued station conversation delays whileproviding a high percentage of up -converted analog content, DTVproduct penetration will be no more that 30 percent by 2006.Finally, if broadcasters choose the "off -ramp" on the road to DTV- characterized by non -HDTV business models and delays relatedto reopening the DTV standard, DTV product penetration will onlybe 15 percent by 2006. 2006 is the target date for return of the ana-log spectrum.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), a sector of theElectronic Industries Alliance (EIA), represents more than 600U.S. companies involved in the development, manufacturing anddistribution of audio, video, mobile electronics, communica-tions, information technology, multimedia and accessory prod-ucts, as well as related services, that are sold through consumerchannels. Combined, these companies account for more than$60 billion in annual sales.

Dolby Announces Pro Logic II DecodingSan Francisco, - Dolby Laboratories announces the introduction

of Pro Logic H, its next generation of Dolby Surround Pro Logicdecoding technology. Pro Logic II brings exciting new features andadvanced performance for decoding the many thousands of exist-ing Dolby Surround programs, making them sound more like adiscrete Dolby Digital 5.1 -channel version than ever before.


News Continued

The world is rapidly transitioning to digital delivery formatslike DVD, and digital television (DTV), satellite and cable, allof which offer Dolby Digital 5.1 audio capability. The musicindustry is on the verge of transitioning from stereo to 5.1 -chan-nel sound with the new DVD-Audio format. Consumers enthu-siastically demand 5.1 -channel sound in new programs of allkinds. But vast numbers of programs already exist in stereo andDolby Surround, and many more will continue to arrive in yearsto come. Pro Logic II lets consumers enjoy these programs witha convincing "5.1 -like" presentation.

Pro Logic II is able to decode the thousands of existing DolbySurround movies and TV shows already on the shelf, compati-bly, and with enhanced image stability. The improvements indecoding techniques mean that the discreteness of the soundfield elements are better -preserved in the decoding process thanwas possible with the now universally standard Pro Logic tech-nology, developed in the mid 80s.

"The technology in Pro Logic 11 is the first fundamentally newapproach in matrix decoder design since the basic design which isstill at the core of every other active matrix surround decoder," saidRoger Dressler, Director of Technology Strategy for DolbyLaboratories. "Pro Logic 11 was designed from the outset to con-vert conventional stereo music recordings, which will be with usfor some time to come, to a natural, believable surround experience.The result is a decoder that can handle a wide range of movie andmusic program material with equal skill. Dolby is proud to be han-dling the licensing and technical support of this exciting new tech-nology." This new system was invented by Jim Fosgate, one of themost prolific developers of surround decoding technologies sincethe quadraphonic era of the late 1960s. Mr. Fosgate said, "I havespent the past 25 years figuring out how to expose the hidden infor-mation in standard two -channel stereo recordings, both new andold. This breakthrough in matrix decoding technology allows usersto enjoy all their existing two -channel programs, whether DolbySurround encoded or not, with an enhanced level of spatiality anddirectionality."

Pro Logic II also incorporates special features for controllingthe overall spatial dimensionality and frontal sound field imagingthat are particularly suited for autosound applications. A standardfour -channel Pro Logic decoding mode is also included in the tech-nology package. Dolby Surround Pro Logic II decoding can beimplemented economically in either analog and digital circuitry,making it ideal for use in all traditional home theater products andin a range of new "music surround" products.

CEA Supports Chairman Tauzin's Demand forHigh -Definition Television Content from Broadcasters

Arlington, VA, July 25, 2000 - The Consumer ElectronicsAssociation (CEA) expressed its full support for comments madeby Congressman Billy Tauzin (R -LA), chairman of the U.S. HouseCommerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecommunications,Trade and Consumer Protection, demanding broadcasters providehigh -definition television (HDTV). The Chairman made his com-ments during a hearing on the U.S. digital television (DTV) tran-sition held today by the Telecommunications Subcommittee.

As he closed the hearing, Tauzin sternly told broadcasters that

any attempt to lease or sell for subscription data or other servicesthe digit al spectrum provided to them for the DTV transition wouldbe a "deal breaker." He said that the spectrum must be used tobroadcast HDTV and warned that it will be a "very big mistake"if broadcasters do not provide HDTV to consumers.

"Congressman Tauzin's comments echo our sentiments exact-ly," said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro, who testified atthe hearing. "We believe that having received public spectrum, allbroadcasters now have the obligation of keeping their end of thebargain. Broadcaster decisions to use the spectrum primarily forservices other than delivering free over the air television abrogatesthe agreement with Congress and denies the public trust."

CEA also applauded Chairman Tauzin's call to ensure that allconsumers can receive a DTV signal. Tauzin argued that cablecompanies must carry high definition signals on their systems aspart of the HDTV "deal." "Consumers are entitled to have a HDTVsignal," he said. "For our part, our industry has every incentiveto make sure that all Americans have access to the wonders ofDTV," said Shapiro "That is why we are offering an ever-increas-ing array of products at various price points. And that is why weoppose any change in the existing, approved DTV broadcast stan-dard, 8-VSB."

During the hearing, consumer electronics manufacturers con-clusively ended the debate over the DTV transmission standardby demonstrating 8-VSB reception within the congressionalhearing room using a simple indoor antenna. A representativeof Zenith Electronics "surfed" local DTV channels and showedthe marked superiority of DTV picture quality over analog pic-ture quality as received within the hearing room. NxtWaveCommunications, a manufacturer of DTV chips, used an indoorantenna to showcase DTV reception on a PC via a card designedby the company. "Some may conclude that I am biased in favorof the current standard," testified NxtWave Chairman and CEOMatt Miller. "I am, because I understand its superior capabili-ties and what they can mean for bringing new and better ser-vices to the American public in both urban and rural areas.Pausing now for years while we debate the intricacies of this orthat standard is the equivalent to 'fiddling while Rome bums.'Our DTV standard is fine, it does the job and will accommodatefuture requirements. Let's get on with it."

In his testimony, Shapiro described a successful consumer tran-sition to digital television (DTV) characterized by board productoffering, increased programming from alternative media sources,steady sales, and high consumer satisfaction with DTV products."TV manufacturers have introduced approximately 200 differentproducts and DTV is available at hundreds of retail locations acrossthe country. Already, more than 300,000 DTV products have beensold to dealers (including DTV and HDTV monitors, integrated setsand stand-alone set -top boxes), representing a consumer investmentof nearly $800 million. As we have heard from retailers, DTV ismeeting and even exceeding consumer expectations," said Shapiro.

"Broadcasters must now meet their end of the bargain by pro-viding high quality, true high definition programming," Shapiroadded. "We look forward to working with Chairman Tauzin andothers to ensure that the DTV transition continues to move for-ward."

September 2000 Electronic Servicing & Technology 7

News Continued

Agilent confirms X -Ray inspection testcapability for Lead-free solder

Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced confirmationof the ability of its automated X -Ray Inspection systemto test a variety of the new lead-free solders destined toappear in consumer electronics in the coming years.

"We are seeing strong market pressures regarding thetoxicity of lead and other materials found in today's con-sumer electronics products," said Kamran Firooz, gener-al manager of Agilent's Manufacturing Test Division."Consumers want more environmentally friendly prod-ucts, thus manufacturers worldwide are exploring new sol-der alternatives such as tin, copper and silver."

Both Japan and Europe are accelerating the eliminationof lead from printed circuit boards. With lead-free dead-lines of 2001 and 2004 respectively, manufacturers mustaddress the solder issue and work to incorporate newer,more environmentally friendly solder in existing products.

Manufacturing with lead-free solder alloys poses newchallenges to the manufacturing process, includingincreased material costs and higher melting points. Highermelting point solders may create new challenges for ser-vice centers as well.

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CEA Creates R-7.5 Engineering Subcommittee toEstablish Standards for A/V Home Networking

Arlington, VA - The Consumer Electronics Association(CEA) R-7 committee on home networking standards has cre-ated subcommittee R-7.5 to better facilitate the interoperationof cluster networks. The goal of the R-7.5 Audio/Visual sub-committee is to define a set of common services for networkedaudio/visual devices so they can interact with other devices viathe home network.

Launched and managed by CEA's Technology and StandardsDepartment, R-7.5 will first seek to adopt or modify an existinghome networking standard. If the creation of an entirely newstandard is set, R-7.5 will use a network framework that is archi-tecturally neutral (A/V cluster protocol neutral) and indepen-dent of the run-time environments (operating system and plat-form neutral).

To foster broad compatibility, R-7.5 will work with the R-4Video Systems Committee on Audio/Visual intra-cluster issues,the R-7 Home Networking committee on cable compatibilityissues. Bill Rose, Leviton vice president of electric engineeringand R-7 Chairman explains, "The problem is the numerous stan-dards involved from the protocols used on each network to themethods used to control all of the products. R-7.5 has been cre-ated to look at just such scenarios and help define the systemneeds so this and other applications can be simplified to the pointthat the homeowner can handle the job without the use of anintegrator and equipment."

New EIA Standard Specifies Tests for Node DataLink Layer's Conformance to CEBus

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has pub-lished the EIA-633.42 standard that specifies the test meth-ods and procedures used to determine the level to which anode data link layer conforms with the CEBus set of homenetworking standards. The CEBus standards are a series ofspecifications for a network that provides a standardized com-munication facility for devices and services to exchange infor-mation and control signals throughout a home.

EIA-633.42 describes how to measure a node data linklayer's conformance to EIA-600.42, the node data link layerstandard. The new standard determines node data link layercompatibility using test cases, test steps and test case dynam-ic behavior. The test cases outline the test steps and featuredescriptions of each test to be run on the unit under test (UUT).The standard's test case dynamic behavior section is a formalexpansion of each test case, written in the form of a series oftest steps with a pass or fail outcome.

The standard was created by R-7.2, the CEBus subcom-mittee of CEA's R-7 Home Networking Committee. R-7.2,chaired by Bernadino Camba of Domosys, is responsible forthe recently completed CEBus standards series (EIA-600series) as well as CEBus conformance series (EIA-633 series).R-7.2 is now working on a specification that puts commonapplication language (CAL) on top of eXtensible markup lan-guage (XML).



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A Sound Pressure Level meter to ensureproper level balancing of each speaker.

A Noise Criteria (NC) Test to analyzebackground noise.

All the output Test Generator signalsyou need, in one portable packageincluding white & pink noise, and sine& square waves - all fully adjustable.Standard RCA phone, 1/4" mono, 1/4"stereo, and XLR output connectors.

A Signal Level Meter that accuratelymeasures any audio input.

A Built-in Distortion Meter for check-ing speaker distortion.

Polarity Tester checks speaker and sys-tem polarity.

Quick, dynamic Cable Tester findsopens, shorts, or crossed cables.

Built-in audio bandwidth digital SampleScope for signal monitoring.

Sencore Inc.Circle (5) on Reply Card

Mobile workbenchA heavy-duty mobile workbench that

can be equipped to handle changingrequirements in manufacturing, assem-bly, test, and laboratory environments isbeing introduced by APW-Wright Line.The Mobile TechBench features 12 gauge

all -welded steel construction, heavy-dutylockable casters, and an ESD-safe worksurface with fully integrated cable man-agement. Adapting to changing needs,this modular workstation can be easilycustomized for multipurpose applicationswith various shelving and an ergonomicswinging jib and balancer. Designed toperform a wide variety of in -plant and lab-oratory functions, the bench is 60"W x36"D x 35"H and includes a fully sup-ported 16"H organizer shelf. Primaryapplications include expanding fixedassembly lines, movable electronic work-stations for ESD waxing and cleanup, androll -up troubleshooting test stations.

APW-Wright LineCircle (6) on Reply Card

Digital sound level meterBK Precision introduces the Model 732

Digital sound meter. The new lightweight,battery powered, hand-held unit meets IEC651 Type II specifications. The meter pro-vides three convenient measurementranges: low - 30dB to 80dB, medium - 50dBto 1 00dB, and high - 80dB to130dB, withan accuracy of +/- 1.5dB. The meter meets

the IEC 651Type II andincludesfrequencyweightingA and Cand fast andslow timeweighting.Two auxil-iary portsprovide acoutput,1Vrms fullscale, or dcOutput,10mV/dB. The unit also offers the follow-ing features: a 4 -digit LCD with 0.1dB res-olution and 0.5 second update cycle, MAXMIN function, low battery indication, elec-tric condenser microphone with wind-screen, and auto power off. Specificationsinclude a dynamic range of 50dB, a fre-quency range of 31.5Hz to 8kHz, OC to 40C(32F - 104F) operating temperature, and10-80% RH.

BK Precision CorporationCircle (7) on Reply Card

MultimeterExtech's new

MultiPro mod-els MP510,MP520, andMP530 providebasic voltageaccuracy of0.08%. Theoptically isolat-ed RS -232 PCinterface withWindows95/98compatiblesoftware(optional)allow the user to collect, display, plot,save, or export data or graphs.Measurements are displayed on a backlit5000 count LCD with high resolution:0.01mV, 0.1µA, 0.l0ohms, 0.01nF,0.001Hz. Features also include a wide(voltage bandwidth of 40Hz to 20kHz,smart Auto Power Off which is disabled if

t ;1


New Products Continued

a signal is present at the test leads, high andlow resistance auto -lead zero, and waterresistant housing. All models measure volt-age and current, resistance, frequency,capacitance, diode, and continuity. ModelsMP520 and MP530 provide True RMS forac voltage and current. In addition, ModelMP530 measures selectable degrees F/degrees C temperatures and featuresRelative, Min, Max, Max -Min, and 5msPeak Hold. An analog zoom provides 5times resolution to detect small signals

(updates 60 times/sec). All models are ULlisted and meet IEC 1010 CAT III- 600V,CAT II- 100V.

Extech Instruments CorporationCircle (8) on Reply Card

Rework stationPACE announces a new look and new

features for the all -new MBT 250-SDPTmultifunction rework station. New frontpanel graphics make the units easier toset-up and operate. The SDPT acronym

What's Your Best Servicing Value?The magazine that makes money for you!

THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL ELECTRONIC AND COMPUTER SERVICERS

ELE011101110Servicing & TechnologyAs an electronic servicing pro-

fessional, it's crucial for you tokeep current in an industry that'salways growing and changing.

Each month, ES&T brings youhow-to service articles on HomeTheater... TVs...VCRs...Computers... CD players...Microwave ovens... Audio prod-ucts and more. It's the informationyou need to do your job every day.

Regular columns and special features from experts will make you more effi-cient - and more profitable - in no time. Plus, our monthly PROFAX, aFREE 8 -page pull-out of popular TV, VCR and computer schematics, makesES&T an even greater value.

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When ordering include:Name, address, city, state,zip. Check, money order,MasterCard, VISA, Discover,and American Expressaccepted. Send credit cardnumber along with expirationdate. If renewing, send a labelalong with your request.

Electronic Servicing & TechnologyCirculation Dept., Suite 405, 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY 11801

Tel: 516.681.2922 Fax: 516.681.2926

reflects the type of hand tools packed outwith the system; Solder, Desolder,ThermoPik and ThermoTweez. For sol-dering, the PS -80 iron is both rugged andversatile. To handle desoldering tasks theMBT line now features the SX-80 SODR-X-TRACTOR, which is an innovativenew desoldering handpiece with a dis-posable solder chamber. The Thermo-Tweez is a flexible handpiece that canremove anything from the smallest twosided components to the largest four sidedquad flat packs. Finally, the Thermo -Pikis designed for medium and large foursided components and features an integralvacuum pick up.

PACECircle (9) on Reply Card

Contact cleanerSprayon 502020 is a versatile cleaning

and degreasing agents available for elec-

tronic contacts. It is a non-flammable,non -corrosive, non -staining cleaner thatis safe on virtually all plastics. Its non -ozone -depleting formulation is an alter-native to TF1I3. The cleaner removeslightcontaminants without leaving a residueand without causing temperature controlproblems. According to the manufactur-er, it can be applied while equipment isoperating because it instantly evaporates.


New Products Continued

Its dielectric strength is 19,000V The sol-vent comes with an extension tube forfast, precise cleaning of electronicsequipment. It cleans printed circuits,relays, switches, precision instruments,clocks, vacuum tube parts, cameras, coincounters and chutes.

Sherwin-Williams Consumer GroupCircle (10) on Reply Card

DMMsExtech's NEW MultiTec Series of

MultiMeters (Models MT310, MT320,and MT330) measure ac/dc voltage,ac/dc current, resistance, frequency,duty cycle, and capacitance. The basicdcV accuracy of Model MT310 is 0.5%.

Model MT320 features a basic dcVaccuracy of 0.3% and a temperaturefunction with switchable F/C units.Additional features of Model MT330include a basic dcV accuracy of 0.1%,temperature function with switchableF/C units, True RMS measurements forac voltage and current, and a backlit dis-play. Measurements are displayed on anoversize, high contrast, 4000 countLCD. Display prompts indicate correcttest probe connections, blown fuses, andto disconnect power for passive func-tions. The optically isolated RS -232 PCinterface with optional RS -232 cableand Windows 95/98 compatible soft-ware allow the user to collect, display,plot, and save data. Added functionsinclude diode and continuity tests, DataHold and Relative functions, and Autopower off. UL listed. Meets CAT II -1000VDC, 700VAC.

Extech Instruments CorporationCircle (11) on Reply Card

Desoldering handpiecePACE announces the new SX-80

Sodr-X-Tractor handpiece. At the heartof the system is a disposable cardboard

solder and flux trap that reduces hand -piece cleaning time and provides anenvironmentally friendly means ofreclaiming the solder. Additionally, theSX-80 utilizes a modular plug-in heaterwhich decreases maintenance down-time. The SX-80 Sodr-X-Tractor exclu-sively uses the new clog- resistantEndura Desoldering Tips.

PACECircle (12) on Reply Card

Universal Cable Tester

Test just about anycable or harness infractions of a second.

IC Tester

Tests hot chips likeTTL, CMOS, & LSI

Universal DeviceProgrammer

Programs EPROMchips for HDTB,CDMA or GSM.

Arb Generator

Creates waves pointby point likenobody else.

PC Cable TesterTests most PC data cables and network cables,such as printer, monitor, modem, mouse.

It's our new look for the millennium...But with the same quality and reliabilityyou've trusted for the past SO years. We'll becelebrating our SOth birthday in 2000...so watch formany more new products in the coming months.

Ask for our new 2000 Product Catalog...It's hot off the presses and it's free.

Elf PRECISION1031 Segovia Circle, Placentia, CA 92870

(714) 237-9220 Fax: (714) 237-9214

bkprecision.com

Meet the BK Kid at WESCON, Booth #2456Circle (31) on Feply Card


ISCET ISCET/NESireometiond Sooety of Cdpfthed

MeaningfulCertification

forProfessionalTechnicians

The

first National ProfessionalService Convention (NPSC) of thenew millennium (or, if you happen

to be a purist, the last NPSC of the presentmillennium) featured an interesting mix ofseminars and show exhibits. In a time whenthe computer has come to predominate notonly as a business tool and a communica-tions and information -gathering device forhomes, but as a device at the hearts of manyconsumer electronics products, much of theconcern of the service community revolvesaround diagnosing problems in computer-

related circuitry and dealing with the soft-ware that operates it.

Because of the small size of many of thecomponents that are used in constructingthese circuits, service technicians are alsoconcerned with removing and replacing tinycomponents without damaging the sur-rounding circuitry.

Yet another perpetual concern of servicecenters is gaining access to manufacturersfor filing of warranty claims, ordering ofreplacement parts, accessing of service lit-erature, and more.

Many of these concerns wereaddressed by seminars and trade showexhibits at the 2000 NPSC, held August7 through 12, 2000, at John Ascuaga'sNugget in Reno NV.

NPSCShow

Report

The seminarsThe broad array of seminars at this con-

vention was aimed at providing service tech-nicians with information designed to helpthem in a number of areas: servicing theincreasingly complex products, understand-ing the finances of servicing, dealing withcustomers. Following is a selection of theseminars that were available to attendees.

PTV Digital convergence training,presented by Hitachi.CET review course, presented by theInternational Society of CertifiedElectronics Technicians (ISCET).Service Diagnostics on CTV and DVDproducts including Force, presented byPhilips.Digital PTV convergence training, pre-sented by Panasonic.Lab course on alignment of Sony's flat -screen WEGA TV line, andConvergence procedures for the RA -3Projection TV, presented by Sony.Basic facsimile service techniques, pre-sented by SharpDigital PTV convergence training, pre-sented by Pioneer.Customer relations for technicians, pre-sented by Hitachi.Using service materials on CD-ROM,presented by Mitsubishi.

Computer media and the InternetThe trade show exhibits made it clear that

manufacturers, distributors, and other enti-ties that either depend on, or sell to inde-pendent consumer electronics service cen-ters are increasingly using computer mediaand the Internet to exchange informationwith service centers. Various exhibits madeit clear that service centers can now use theInternet to do the following:

File warranty claims,Check on the status of warranty claims,Research parts,Order parts,Download service literatureAccess the manufacturers' service sup-port system.

Moreover, many manufacturers are offer-ing service literature in the form of CD-ROMs. Different manufacturers are usingdifferent software systems to operate theirCD -ROM -based service literature, althoughthere is some commonality of approach. Forexample, a service technician can use theoperating system for Thomson ConsumerElectronics to view and print service litera-ture for Mitsubishi products and vice versa.

But it's not just the manufacturers whoare offering information exchange via theInternet and via computer media. Otherexhibits made it clear that distributors,


extended warranty companies, tech tipssoftware providers and others are alsodoing business via the Internet.

ClickFixOne of the more interesting announce-

ments made at the convention was a web -site by a company called ClickFix. It'sdesigned to allow the user of the site tomore quickly service a faulty product. Andwhile it does provide such things as service"tips," it also provides the user with a sug-gested step-by-step troubleshooting path,possibly similar to a troubleshooting"tree,"

Before we get anyone too excited aboutthis, the site provides solutions for a num-ber of types of product at the presentmoment, but the consumer electronics por-tion is still under construction. It should,however, be available soon. Interested par-ties can visit the website at www.clicksoft-ware.com. ClickFix provides:

Predictive maintenance: Equipmentproblems are anticipated before theyoccur.Web -based customer self-help:Customers can access help online,which may let them fix the problemthemselves.Remote diagnosis: Problems are identi-

Heard At NPSCNPSC provided 6 days of face-to-face dialogue on all aspectsof succeeding in the electronic servicing business. ES&T jotteddown these random comments heard during sessions, presen-tations, the exhibition and table talk.

`If we do a good job servicing, we make the retailerand the manufacturer look good.

"Our best technicians will have to be in the field,not on the bench"

HDTV comment... "you have higher educated clients...you must have above average people out there".

"If manufacturers give top quality pre assistancewe can send lower level technicians on service calls."

"90% of the time service center professionals sign warrantyprice schedule agreements without negotiating anything...even though many printed schedules offer that option."

"One formula for successful servicing: diversify...and when an area is no longer profitable, cut it out."

"When the marketing people at the consumer electroniccompanies are sold on the value of good service,the Field problems will diminish."

"If you are going to sell a $30,000 home theater setup,upgrade your shop's appearance."

fled before a technician is ever sent out.Help desk support: Call center person-nel know each problem's history andthe most likely fix.On -site support: Each technicianarrives fully knowledgeable, fullybriefed, and fully equipped.

Each of these layers learns from the oth-ers - customers don't waste time repeatingthemselves if the problem escalates to thenext layer. ClickFix also learns from the pre-vious episodes of similar problems - accu-mulating knowledge for maximum benefit -but giving the user only the right informationso the problem can be resolved quickly.

SatisFusionMany service centers are familiar with a

company named Wood TechnologiesInternational (WTI). This company offersservices to consumer electronics servicecenters such as full service claims pro-cessing, claim validation service, andclaims payment service. At NPSC 2000,the company announced that it has under-gone some changes and improvements,and is now called SatisFusion. Followingare that company's words on its new direc-tion.

"With the growth in the Internet indus-try, WTI will be part of a new vision,

SatisFusion. Rest assured that the samegreat service that you have received fromWTI will continue; in fact, service will beenhanced. In the meantime you can stillprocess all of your needs throughwww.woodtek.com."

The company helps businesses to gen-erate more revenue and enhance their prof-its by raising their customer satisfactionand overall customer lifetime value, result-ing in higher customer retention.

By fusing the company's establishedfulfillment and service programs with thespeed of the Internet, the company pro-vides quick, easy and reliable service plansfor customers, as well as a comprehensivepackage of post -sale services - all of whichhelp manufacturers, retailers, and servicecenters build great customer experiences.

This system seamlessly integrates withretailers' branding on their Web sites to laythe foundation for an ongoing relationshipof trust with the customer. The systemoffers transparent and seamless executionand operation by branding the platform topartners, not this company.

The company expects that customers willprefer to use a transparent SatisFusion pow-ered site for their online shopping needs andwill return again and again to track the lifecycle of their purchases. By combining the


power, speed, networking and data pro-cessing capabilities of the Internet withdependable warranty and post -sales exper-tise, the system enhances the commerceexperience of retailers' web business andhelps increase lifetime customer values.

Find more information at www.satisfu-sion.com.

An opportunity to serviceelectrically powered toys

You've no doubt seen those battery -pow-ered toys such as cars, trucks, etc. People con-tinue to buy those products in increasingnumbers and they do break down. Thatmeans that companies that make those toysare constantly recruiting service centers toservice their toys when they fail.

One such company, Peg-Perego, exhib-ited at NPSC looking for qualified ser-vicers to repair their little cars, trucks, fireengines, motorcycles. Here's some infor-mation about that company.

For more than 50 years, Peg Perego hasbeen taking children on outings: first intheir baby carriages and strollers, and laterin pedal and battery -powered riding vehi-cles. Operating on an international level,with facilities in the United States, Canadaand Europe, Peg Perego carries on its rep-utation of fashionable, quality productsand service for juvenile products and chil-dren's riding vehicles.

Peg Perego started in Italy in 1949 withthe creation of a baby carriage forGiuseppe Perego's son. Mr. Perego hand -built the frame while his wife created thefabric coverings. Other parents liked thecarriage and in response to these parents'

requests for their own carriages, PegPerego was born. Within a few years, thiscraftsman became an industrialist.

In the early 1960's Peg Perego intro-duced pedal -operated and rechargeablebattery -powered children's vehicles.

Peg Perego employs almost 1,500 peo-ple worldwide and operates in nearly 1.2million square feet of factory and officespace in Italy, Germany, Canada and theUnited States. These facilities undergo fre-quent updating and enlargement, includingthe recent 125,000 square foot expansion ofthe Fort Wayne, Indiana, facility that nowtotals 325,000 square feet.

In addition to keeping facilities up-to-date, Peg Perego research focuses on andcontinually cultivates original and innov-ative ideas for high -quality baby carriages,strollers, juvenile products and children'sriding vehicles.

At the moment, Peg Perego is recruitingservice centers to service their products. Ifyou're interested, you can find more infor-mation and/or contact them atwww.perego.com, or 800-782-2108.

Service center managementAnother type of product/service repre-

sented at the NPSC trade show was ser-vice center management software. One ofthe newer products exhibited at the showwas Miracle Service Electronic andAppliance Edition by Nexent Corporation.This software, according to the company,allows electronic and appliance repaircompanies around the globe to have thesame powerful features that were onceonly available to large repair centers.

This software, says the manufacturercan take you from the Customer,Equipment and Work Order to theWarranty Claim or Invoice in one simplesmooth process

For work order management, the soft-ware provides

Work Order Number and Dealer/ThirdParty Work Order NumberGeneral and Progress NotesSymptom/Repair Notes and CodesIn, Due and Completed Date/TimeDetails of Work PerformedParts Used and Parts ChargesAssign to TechnicianIn Shop LocationAccessories ListJob and Bill CodePriority, Status and Call TypeLabor Hours and Labor ChargesShipping and Travel ChargesIn Warranty, Extended Warranty, In -Shop Warranty and Non Warranty StatusPrints Task/Claim TicketsThe software also allows the service

center to use virtually any claims submis-sion format, such as:

In -Shop WarrantiesUser Definable warranty and extendedwarranty claims companiesElectronically submits warranty claimsin a variety of formats, including XML,CPX, KPI and Sony ServNet, and manyothersTransmits claims via e-mail, FTP orBB S

Prints warranty claim forms forNESDA, NARDA, CEASA, ABCD andmore.


MANUFACTURERS PROMISE SUPPORT AT NPSCSeveral of the manufacturers made announcements that brought smiles to the NPSC audience, and in some cases brought them to their

feet with applause. In effect they were renewing their commitment to independent service by providing service literature at low or no cost, bybeing easier to do business with, and in at least one case by providing expensive and seldom used test jigs, etc. without charge.

THOMSON"Think digital, think service, think profit:A partnership opportunity."

Following is a condensed outline of remarks made by Steve Zell,Director, Consumer & Product Services, Thomson ConsumerElectronics. The theme was "We know that the number one issue isprofitability.For 2000, here are our 20 key initiatives to help our ser-vice network become more profitable, more efficient, and easier to dobusiness with."

Increasing Service Contract Labor Rates to 20% Vs 10%premium over standard warranty rates.A major emphasis on paying fairer in -home negotiated warrantylabor rates by encouraging servicers to share their Cost of DoingBusiness. It is critical that each servicer performs In -HomeService.

Thomson Service Network (TSN): Thomson's goal is to offer thebest web enabled service network site in the industry.

Tech -Line assistance on NESDANET is a big hit and we hope toimprove even more with interactive technical assistance on TSN.

The Quality of Service (QOS) Program is alive and well resultingin more financial rewards for the servicer.Paying In -Home Rates for first dealer stock claim when the ser-vicer is required to go to the dealer's floor to repair an in -homewarranted product.All new audio systems are returning to a field repair warranty vscustomer exchange.

VCR will remain field serviceable for the near future. Thomson's strategic partnership with Radio Shack (The RCA

Digital Entertainment Center) means more service for the inde-pendent authorized service center. I encourage you to contactyour local store. Contact your local FSM if you need assistance.

Our HDTV Systems Servicing Plan pays to troubleshoot the com-plete system and to help execute the exchange of the set top boxwhen required. In addition, Thomson is developing a program thatwill allow select Authorized Service Centers to become exchangepoints for shippable UPS type digital products. Our goal: offer aTotal Digital Service Solution for our customers.Our preapproval program simplifies claim processing.

We are testing a program to allow Authorized Service Centers to sellRCA Service Contracts with a good margin opportunity.In June, we launched our Business -to -Business Support Line toassist Authorized Dealers and Service Centers in resolving cus-tomer service issues. We now offer one number to contact forTech -Line, Field Service Manager, and Consumer Relations.Last year's Get -Connected Program was designed to drive cus-tomers to you for hook-up and assistance that you get paid forwhen offering on -site hook-up assistance.As a part of TSN, FixFinder is now FREE.With every new training course we develop, a free copy of theinformation will be provided to each state and local association.

Thomson continues to hold its annual Service Advisory Councilmeeting in Indianapolis where we listen to you, and respond.

We will launch our initial effort surrounding Internet BasedTraining later this year. Our goal is to offer the best InternetBased Training in the industry.

We have reached an agreement that will allow the server version ofour AutoMan service data runtime engine to our Authorized ServiceCenters -free of charge: no passwords, no lock -down and greaterfreedom in accessing the data you need to get the job cone.

We are actively reviewing all internal processes, policies, and pro-cedures to see how we can better streamline our operation andmake the job of dealing with Thomson easier.

HITACHI

"We cannot survive without each other"

Here are several points made by Walt Herrin, General Manager,National Service Division, Hitachi America Limited, Home ElectronicsDivision:

Provide electronic Service Manuals (to both Authorized and non -Authorized Service Facilities via our Service Division Website, freeof charge. Subscription fees have been eliminated.Seldom used and expensive Convergence Overlays and AlignmentJigs will be available to both Authorized and non -Authorized ServiceFacilities on loan, free of charge. They will be shipped overnight,with our compliments.Access to Service Division website (electronic Service Manuals,Symptom -Cause data, Technical Bulletins, Training Programs, etc.)is available upon request to any established Service Center in theUnited States and Canada, free of charge.Electronic "Critical Customer Complaint Backordered PartsExpedite" service is available to all Authorized and non -AuthorizedService Centers via the Service Division website.Telephone technical assistance is available free to all Authorizedand non -Authorized Service Centers.Support to Local, State, and National Electronics Associations.Suggested that Service Centers "sell" their service to end -users andmanufacturers, justifying pricing structure with superior service andcustomer support.

Other manufacturers pledged renewed support to independent ser-vice to a greater or lesser degree. The conclusion that can be drawnis that independent service is important to manufacturers, that theywill support independent service, and that, therefore, independent ser-vice will be a viable business for the foreseeable future.

Hitachi... "Give my customersthe same level of service

you give out -of -warrantycustomers...and fix it!"


TOOLS OF THE TRAD

NOT YOUR FATHER'S DMMBased on material provided by Fluke Corporation

ere was a time when the tool ofchoice for a servicing technician wasthe VOM, the volt/ohm/millimeter.

It was a very useful tool, but it only per-formed those three functions. Moreover, theanalog scale required a great deal of inter-pretation and interpolation. Gradually, thegeneral-purpose meter evolved, adding atvarious times a digital readout (then a bargraph display to show trends that a digitalreadout cannot), continuity measurement,semiconductor junctions, capacitance, fre-quency measurement and more. Somemeters of today even have an oscilloscopetype of readout. All of this functionality hasbeen a boon to technicians.

Troubleshooting in the field/on siteWorking out in the field and taking mea-

surement readings can be a grueling taskfor electronic and electrical technicians andengineers because of varied working con-ditions. The DMMs that today's techni-cians and engineers use not only provideaccurate measurements and perform con-sistently under harsh conditions, but theyalso allow for quick and easy documenta-tion of those measurements. More impor-tant, technicians and specialists working inthe field are using a new universe of spe-cific applications available with the newwave of digital multimeters to help assessthe service needs for a wide range of sys-tems in many different industries.

One US company that designs, pro-duces, and markets control system inte-gration products and services that providefactory automation solutions to the world-wide control industry uses new versatileDMMs to perform wherever and when-ever needed.

One of several project engineers for thecompany recently had an opportunity towork with a highly functional DMM. Hefound its many options and functions use-ful, including the multiple readout display,the improved accuracy percentage and therugged case He also liked the meter's abil-

ity to log data and store large amounts ofinformation over a long period of time.

This particular meter can store up to1000 measurements in a stand-aloneoperation. Moreover the unit offers a 250microsecond Min/Max for capturing peaktransients. When the engineer was fin-ished taking his measurement they

The bright display also includes a real-time clock for enhanced troubleshootingthat powers -up and settles on measure-ment readings. The display can be used,for example, to correlate the time of daywith measurement events. The meter alsoprovides temperature measurement and

time stamping features with a real-timeclock. Expanded capacitance ranges to50mF provide a wide range of measure-ment reading for technicians and engi-neers working on power supplies andother equipment.

A factory automation applicationOne factory automation application

opportunity where the data logging featureof the new meter would be particularlyappreciated is in an aircraft hanger thatserves as the West Coast manufacturer's

painting facility. The curing room must beheated to a constant 82 degrees C in orderfor the special paint to properly adhere tothe aluminum skin of the aircraft. Obviouslythese are challenging working conditionsfor employees who need to conduct long -tern meter readings. However, by using adata -logging meter, maintenance personnelcan now set up and secure the meter insidethe electronics cabinet and log the meterreading over a prescribed amount of time.This eliminates the need to post someone atthe electronics cabinet for an extended peri-od in order to take the reading.

With a meter that can log and save up to1,000 measurements users can set up theunit to log the minimum, maximum andaverage readings while at the same timemonitoring a signal that spans seconds todays. The logging feature will also classi-fy a measurement within a specific timeperiod as either "stable" or "unstable."

Determining signal stabilityStable is commonly defined as a peri-

od of time during which the measured sig-nal stays within a narrow range, whereasunstable is a period of time during whichthe signal varies outside of that narrowrange. Coupled with the time -stamp fea-ture, the user can determine when a volt-age or current drops out and comes backas well as how far out of range the para-meter of interest strayed. Obviously thisis useful when the technician is trying tofind intermittents or when monitoring sig-nals over time

Readings can also be manually savedand entered into a maintenance log thateven can be used to create a very low-costmaintenance management system.

Time of day clockThe logging feature with time -of -day

clock has been found useful at anotherMidwestern company -a manufacturerof power inverters. There at their mainmanufacturing plant, an engineering


technician has used the logging feature toclearly identify a software bug that causedan engineering development model to failafter several hours. The voltage logged bythe meter showed a failure at precisely 17hours, and a retest repeated the failure andthe timing exactly. Although this problemhad eluded the technicians previously,now armed with this new information, thetechnician consulted with the onsite pro-grammer and quickly found the error inthe program.

Audible signalsWhile recording data, the meter emits

an audible tone to signal that a new min-imum or maximum reading has beensensed and stored. Users can selectresponse times between 100 millisecondsand 1 second. The meter also has a 250 -microseconds response time setting forcapturing fast transients. The 250 -microsecond Fast Min\Max mode can beused to isolate the peak of an ac signal.

FormsThis meter can be provided with forms

software that enables the user to useready-made templates to create customreports. The software also gives the userthe ability to further analyze measure-ments by zeroing in on measurementswith much finer detail. It's also possibleto log many more than 1000 measure-ments when a PC is connected directly tothe instrument.. Under this arrangement,the meter downloads each measurementdirectly to the PC through the meter'sbuilt -in -infrared communications portinstead of saving it in the meter's memo-ry. The software is useful for document-ing test procedures for new equipmentinstallations, meeting the demands on aregulatory agency or tracking mainte-nance history.

Another useful feature is a built-in fre-quency counter. It measures ac signals upto 1 MHz. A "slope trigger selector"allows the user to measure duty cycle andpulse width. With the slope trigger set topositive, the meter will display the per-cent of cycle for the positive portion ofthe signal in pulse width mode. Switch tonegative slope for the opposite effect.

Reading holdAnother useful feature of some modem

DMM is feature that captures the mea-surement, automatically beeps and locksit on the digital display for later viewing.Auto Hold is a useful safety feature thatallows the user to focus his full attentionon the location of the probe while mak-ing a measurement and is automaticallyupdated with each new measurement. Themeter's "Relative mode" remembers areading and shows the difference betweenthe first reading and subsequent readings.

SafetyAs distribution systems and loads

become more complex, the possibility oftransient overvoltages increases. Motors,capacitors and power convention equip-ment such as variable speed drives can beprime generators of dangerous spikes.Lighting strikes on outdoor transmissionlines also cause extremely hazardous high-energy transients.When a technician istaking measurementson electrical systems,these transients are"invisible" and largelyunavoidable hazards.The occur regularly onlow -voltage power cir-cuits, and can reachpeak values in themany thousands ofvolts. In these cases, theuser's protectiondepends on the safetymargin already builtinto the meter. Thevoltage rating alone,unfortunately, will, notindicate how well thatspecific meter wasdesigned to survivethese high -voltagetransients.

Modern DMMs aredesigned for IEC-61010, Category III1000 V environments.Moreover, all inputsare protected fromovervoltage transientsto 8 kV.

More like a Swiss Army Meter?With all of the features available, mod-

em DMMs take the place of many differ-ent test and measurement devices thattechnicians have had to take with theminto the field in he past. Moreover, sinceall the functions are contained in a singleinstrument, there's a minimum of swap-ping of leads to capture all of the readingsthat are needed.

Check 'em outToday's test instruments, whether oscil-

loscopes, DMMs or other devices are con-stantly being made to be more rugged, morefunctional, easier to use, smaller andlighter. An instrument that was designedjust a few years ago may just not do the jobdemanded by today's more sophisticatedelectronics products. Technicians are well-advised to shop carefully and compare fea-tures and prices before buying a meter theymay be living with for years to come.

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OSCILLOSCOPES FOR VIDEOAdapted with permission from the LeCroy L.A.B. Brief V "Using Analog Scopes In Video Applications."

4 4 ideo" is a broad term thatencompasses many appli-cations. These include, but

are not limited to, commercial broadcast,medical imaging, military chemicaldetection and targeting, surveillance,industrial imaging, consumer/commer-cial service, and training simulators.Many video formats are currently in use.The most common formats are NTSC,PAL, and SECAM. HDTV is an emerg-ing technology.

Each of these general formats has sub-categories of specifications. But all videoformats share general characteristics incomposite form. And therefore the rec-ommended test procedures, which exploitthe benefits of analog oscilloscopes, havemuch in common. The analog scope is aversatile and cost-effective tool. Over theyears, analog scopes have been used asgeneral-purpose test equipment in a vari-ety of applications. The analog scope'sability to display mixed -signal, relative -frequency content is especially usefulwhen viewing complex video wave-forms. In addition to a crisp and familiaranalog display, features possessed bysome analog scopes are useful for view-ing complex signals:

Composite video: TV triggering (lineor TV horizontal), channel output foranother test instrument (e.g., vector scopeor waveform monitor), calibrated variabletime increment to optimize the display'svertical and horizontal size, and pedestalclamp to lock the back porch to ground.

RF head switch -point adjustments:dual -delayed trace "zoom," bright dis-play, 2+2 channels for trigger source.

Transmitter intermodulation distor-tion: X -Y mode real-time update, Z -Axisinput.

Data transfer constellation patterns:DC offset bias, allows the scope to remainDC -coupled and maintain dynamicrange.

Serial data video: Skew compensa-

tion adjustment, front -panel active probeconnections, 50 Ohm/1MOhm inputs,and percent display control.

Video Camera Setup: Fast retriggerrate, real-time display, composite videotriggers, bright display with grey scalingand persistence.

Post -production Subcarrier toHorizontal Sync Phase Adjustment:Delayed trace, bright dis-play, stable trig-ger, fast display update rate.

A brief video overviewVideo is designed so the human eye and

brain can perceive individual frames asseamless motion. Though visual acuitymay vary from person to person, the bio-logical peculiarities of the human eye andbrain are exploited to create the illusionsof motion and color in video. Frame rates,resolution, color levels and gamut, hue,persistence of vision are essential to allvisual display technologies. The basicidea is quite simple - single still framesare presented at a high enough rate so thatthe eye integrates these into motion.

Interlaced linesIn a fashion analogous to movie film,

video creates the illusion of motion bysuccessively overwriting a sequence ofcomplete pictures for one entire screenimage. Each individual "still picture"screen image (commonly referred to as aFRAME) is composed of interlaced rasterscan lines.

Slow frame refresh rates cause "flick-er" in moving images. This is because thetime between frames is longer than theduration of persistence of vision. Humanvision persistence decreases with increas-ing brightness, and as a result, bright pic-tures require faster update rates-

Movie film is typically presented at therate of 24 frames per second. The rate isslow enough to cause flicker. Theater pro-jectors avoid the flicker problem by plac-ing rotating shutters in front of the image

in order to increase the repetition rate bya factor of 2 (to 48 frames per second) or3 (to 72 frames per second) withoutincreasing the actual number of images.

Television electronically accomplishesthe same effect by presenting each framein two interlaced fields. The first scanincludes only the odd lines; the next scanincludes only the even lines. This dou-bles the number of "flashes" per frame,because the field rate is double the framerate. NTSC systems have a field rate of59.94 Hz, and PAL/SECAM systems afield rate of 50 Hz. The line values werechosen to ensure that the picture does notflicker under normal lighting conditions.Historically, the synchronizing rates wereselected by relating them to power -linefrequency (e.g., 50 Hz or 60 Hz), buttoday they are derived from a stable oscil-lator.

Each video frame consists of an oddnumber of lines (e.g., PAL=625 orNTSC=525). The number of pictures persecond is directly related to the line rate.

For each frame, the number of dis-played raster lines is less than the totalnumber of transmitted raster lines. Someof the raster lines are typically used toensure vertical blanking interval and oth-ers are for test or special purposes. Theelectron beam writing to the screen makestwo trips per frame. The first trip downthe beam "draws" all the odd -numberedlines of the frame. The second time down,the even -numbered lines are drawn.

For example, an NTSC frame consistsof 525 interlaced raster lines. Only 485of them are active lines in the frame. Theremaining 40 lines represent the verticalblanking interval, containing the pre -equalizing serration pulses.

Interlaced means 2 sets of raster scans(commonly referred to as Fields) aredrawn for each frame. The fields are alter-nately drawn on the screen - Field 1 first,then Field 2. The first half (Field 1) of theframe is composed of raster scan lines 1through 264 sequentially drawn on the


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screen. The second half (Field 2) of theframe is fit between the first set of lines(interlaced) and is composed of lines 265through 525. In Field 1, lines 21 through263.5 (242.5 lines) are active video. Infield 2, lines 282.5 through 525 (242.5lines) are active. The total number ofactive lines in a frame raster scan is 242.5+ 242.5 = 485.

Some backgroundTo clearly understand video, consider

how the NTSC times and frequencieswere derived. The Line Frequency (f line)and Field Frequencies (f field) for NTSCwere defined in the original monochromesystems with respect to power line fre-quency. Historically, 525 lines were dis-played at a 30 Hz rate (or one half the acline frequency), and therefore the hori-zontal line frequency was 15.7 kHz.

Each TV frequency band is mandatedas 6MHz wide to conserve the spectrum.The monochrome picture carrier is1.25MHz. The audio carrier is separatedfrom the monochrome carrier by 4.5MHzand is 5.75MHz. The introduction ofcolor required a monochrome -compati-ble system while both preventing inter-face between audio and video carriers andmaintaining a 6MHz bandwidth. Toaccomplish this and maintain 4.5MHzaudio separation and 525 lines, the fre-quency was changed to an odd multipleof the half-line rate to ensure: a) a colorburst phase reversal between alternatelines, and b) that the beat frequencybetween color subcarrier and averageaudio level is approximately 920 kHz.

To accomplish this, the following def-initions were adopted:

1) Line frequency is defined as:f line = 4.5MHz/286= 15.73426kHz

2) Field frequency is defined as:if field = f line + (525/2)=59.94Hz.

3) Color burst frequency (fsc) isdefined as:fsc = (455/2)x(4.5MHz/286)= 3.579545MHz.

Color overviewThe field lines are always displayed

from left to right. After each line is writ-

ten, while the beam returns back to theleft, the signal is blanked (retrace blank-ing). When the beam reaches the bottomof the screen, it is blanked until it returnsto the top to write the next line (verticalblanking).

The electron beam is analog -modulat-ed while drawing the horizontal line. In

ET11 UM, -

black and white, the modulation signal,called luminance, translates into intensi-ty changes in the electron beam and,therefore, gray -scale levels on the picturescreen.

Color television was developed to becompatible with existing black and whitetelevision receivers. Color TV added thecolor information on the monochrome sig-nal. For color signals, a color synchro-nization signal, called the color burst, isinserted into the horizontal blanking sig-nal back porch. Additionally, chroma mod-ulation carries color level information.

Analog advantageThe analog oscilloscope has inherent

advantages in viewing the complex sig-nals discussed above. These include fastupdate rates and rearm times that allowviewing waveform changes in real time.Effects of adjustments on the deviceunder test are immediately visible on thebright analog display. The ease of use and"alias -free" display afforded by analogscopes make them the ideal choice whenmaking critical measurements, especial-ly when setup time is limited.

Video triggers, pedestal clamp-ing, delayed traces

Three major TV standards are present-ly in use:

National Television Systems

Committee (NTSC) Phase Alternation Line (PAL), and Sequential Couleur avec Memoire

(SECAM). The differences between PAL,

SECAM, and NTSC video systemsare defined in their respective stan-dards. Each system has a set of rec-ommended test practices, whichexploit the advantages of an analogscope equipped with TV trigger.

PAL SECAM and NTSCAll three systems use the same defini-

tion for luminance, but not for primary R,G, and B colors. The major differencesbetween the systems are the number andfrequency of horizontal lines.

NTSC is mainly used in the UnitedStates and Japan. NTSC 525/60 refers to525 lines at a 60 Hz rate (30 frames persecond).

PAL is used in parts of Europe. PAL625/50 refers to 625 lines at a 50 Hz rate(25 frames per second).

SECAM is used in France and manyparts of the former Soviet Union.SECAM 625/50 refers to 625 lines at a 50Hz rate (25 frames per second). PAL andSECAM differ in chroma modulation.

MeasurementsComposite video is typically monitored

while triggering in line rate or horizontalsync rate. The line rate allows selection ofField 1 (ODD), Field 2 (EVEN), or Fields1 and 2 sequentially (BOTH).

NTSC example measurementsIn making video measurements, the TV

line trigger (TV -BOTH, ODD, EVEN)can he selected to view the signal withrespect to line rate. Setting the timebaseto 3.24 ms/div, the scope will display onefull frame (two fields) of video. The delayfunction allows examination of one linewhile displaying the entire frame. Thisuseful feature lets a user view one "pixel"while monitoring the full video frame.

The horizontal sync trigger (TV -H) isused to display two adjacent horizontal(2H Display) lines.

Some scopes have a rear panel outputthat lets the user measure video while out -


r

putting the same signal to a specialized device such as a vec-tor scope, video monitor, or lower -impedance device that loadsthe device under test.

The variable timebase is calibrated so that valid time/div andfrequency measurements can be made while in variable mode.Amplitude can be adjusted in the same way. The amount of dis-play compression is displayed on the screen when variableamplitude is invoked or changed. Some high performance ana-log scopes even have the added feature of an IRE unit scalewhen in CCIR or ETA scales.

Using the TV triggerThese descriptions describe a typical sequence for trigger-

ing on video signals.1. Input composite video signal of any format to CH 1

or CH 2.2. Select TV Trigger.3. Select the appropriate TV Trigger type triggering at the

TV horizontal (TV -H) rate.

Selecting TV triggerUsing the appropriate controls on the scope allows the tech-

nician to select from among the followinga) TV -H (Horizontal Sync): The sweep is triggered by the

horizontal synchronization pulse.b) ODD (Odd Field Lines): The sweep is triggered by the

selected horizontal synchronization signal in the odd -numbered field.

c) EVEN (Even Field Lines): The sweep is triggered by theselected horizontal synchronization signal in the even -numbered field.

d) BOTH (Odd or Even Lines): The sweep is triggered bythe selected line number of a horizontal synchronizationsignal in the odd -numbered and even -numbered fields.

e) OFF (Non -TV Trigger)

Using dual timebases in videoSome analog scopes let you use delayed traces to show two

timebases on a signal. This lets the user examine a large sec-tion of the waveform in one timebase, while zooming on detailsin a faster timebase. Delay timebase provides more resolutionon long duration signals. An oscilloscope with dual delay letsthe user examine two sections of a larger waveform. These fea-tures are useful when measuring VTR head switch points onan RF envelope, or Subcarrier to Horizontal Sync Phase forGen -Lock.

Use the oscilloscopeMany technicians shy away from using the oscilloscope.

Sometimes it just seems to complicated. But there are manymalfunctions, such as problems in the video circuits, that canbe diagnosed most readily by viewing waveforms on the oscil-loscope. The more a technician practices with the 'scope, themore familiar with it he'll be, and the more ready to fire it upand apply it to the problem.

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TOOLS OF THE TRAD

TEST ACCESSORIESSPEED TROUBLESHOOTING

When a television set, or some otherpiece of consumer electronics equipmenthas malfunctioned and been brought in tothe service center for service, the infor-mation and materials needed to restore itto operation vary, depending on the natureof the unit and the skills and experience ofthe technician. Some problems are rela-tively simple and yield readily to the atten-tions of the service technician, and othersare very difficult and require that the tech-nician resort to every tool available.

For example, some problems requirelittle more than a visual inspection. Thetechnician removes the covers from theinert, or improperly operating, product,inspects carefully and fmds that one ormore component(s) are discolored orburned. Those obviously must bereplaced. Then the technician makessome measurements with the multimeterto be sure that resistances are within spec,and if they are, he applies power to theproduct. If it works, problem is solved.

In other cases, careful inspection of theproduct, extensive testing with the multi -meter, and other troubleshooting proce-dures yield no results. In these cases, thetechnician must evaluate the symptoms,and possibly bring to bear some otheritems in his inventory.

Test accessoriesWhen inspection, resistance measure-

ments, and other basic steps don't revealthe cause of the malfunction, the servicetechnician may have no option but toapply some test accessories to the project.For example, if the technician deems itnecessary to use a line -powered oscillo-scope to observe waveforms in a modernTV set that will be checked while alsoconnected to the power line, he will needto connect the set through an isolationtransformer. If the technician connectsboth the set and the oscilloscope to thepower line, as soon as he attaches theoscilloscope ground lead to the TV, he

will almost certainly damage componentsin the power supply of the set, and coulddamage the oscilloscope as well.

But that's only one of the procedures forwhich the technician will require a test acces-sory. If he wants to limit the current to theset in case it has a short circuit in it, or startthe set up at reduced voltage to avoid dam-age to the circuits in case of a voltage -sen-sitive problem, or perform any of a numberof operations, he will have to rely on somekind of accessories. These accessories maybe as simple as an ordinary 100W light bulb,or as complicated as a personal computer.

A list of test accessoriesAs manufacturers

continue to alter thedesignsproducts, introducenew consumer elec-tronics products, andincorporate new tech-nology into their prod-ucts, the list of testaccessories continuesto grow. For example,back in the days beforeTV sets were poweredvia a full -wave bridgerectifier, it wasn't nec-essary to have an isolation transformeravailable to connect the TV to the powerline in order for it to be probed using anoscilloscope. Today it is. Before the daysof infrared remote control, it wasn't nec-essary to have a method to test remote con-trol transistors. Today it is. Or at least it'sa good idea.

Following is a partial list of helpful testaccessories. If there are any of these herethat you don't have available, you mightgive some thought to obtaining them. Ofcourse, not all of these test accessoriesapply to all service centers.

Test leads Test Probes IC test clips

Variac Isolation transformer DC power supply Waveform generator Decade boxes Dummy loads Sweep/marker generator NTSC color bar generator Test jigs and fixtures 100W light bulbThe above are some of the old stand-

bys. The following list includes some thathave become requirements, or at least areuseful in some situations, more recently:

Personal computer Remote control tester

120VacTO SET

Figure 1

IR remote control receivers) Camcorder VCRFollowing are some applications for

some of these test accessories

The 100W bulbInterestingly, some of the simplest of

the simplest of these devices can be themost helpful. Take the 100W light bulb.It hardly seems to qualify as a test acces-sory, yet it's amazingly useful when theproblem is a dead set, or one that comeson when power is applied then immedi-ately shuts down. The cause of the prob-lem might be a number of things, includ-ing a problem in the shutdown circuitry,

Universal remote control (for testing


TOOLS OF THE TRADEor a problem that's triggering the shut-down circuitry, but it could be a short cir-cuit or overload somewhere.

In such a case, if you connect a lightbulb in the hot leg of the power line con-nection (Figure 1), if the problem is somekind of overload, the resistance of thelight bulb may limit the current suffi-ciently to allow the technician to makesome voltage or waveform checks to atleast isolate the problem to a segment ofthe circuitry. Moreover, the light bulb pro-vides a rough guide to the severity of theoverload. If the light glows brightly, theoverload is heavy. If it glows more dimly,the overload may be only slight.

The isolation transformerWe covered the use of the isolation trans-

former in depth in the June article on testequipment, but it bears repeating here. Ifyou attempt to connect a modern-day TVwith a power supply that's based on a full -wave bridge rectifier, you're going to causeproblems. The reason for this is that by con-necting the grounds of both instrumentstogether through the power line groundconnection, you place the full power -linevoltage across one of the diodes in thebridge (Figure 2). This has a tendency toproduce if not infinite current through thediode when it is forward biased, then at leastthe full current that the power line can pro-duce. The diode is quickly destroyed.

Because of this problem, every servicecenter should have an isolation trans-former at every position where productswith full -wave bridge rectifiers will betested. Isolation transformers are rela-tively inexpensive and using one on everyproduct to be tested can save a great ofmoney in bridge rectifiers and time torepair the self-inflicted problem.

The variable transformerThe variable transformer is another

device that can help the service centertroubleshoot products that would other-wise be nearly impossible to trou-bleshoot, and to avoid destroying replace-ment components that have just beeninstalled. For example, if a TV set shutsdown immediately when it is turned on,sometimes it is possible to get it to oper-ate with reduced line voltage. Once the

set is is operating, the technician canobserve waveforms and make other testswith the set on in order to troubleshoot it.

In other cases, the set may not operateat line voltage because it is not correctlyadjusted, but it will operate at above nor-mal line voltage. In this case, the techni-cian can take advantage of operation ofthe set at above line voltage in order toobserve the operation and to adjust it soit works at normal line voltage.

Another use of a variable transformeris to operate the set at reduced voltageafter a repair has been completed. Here'ssomething that a number of technicianshave reported that has happened to them.The technician troubleshoots a dead setusing visual observation and resistancemeasurements only, and finds one or morecomponents that are damaged ordestroyed, then replaces them. Satisfiedthat the repair has been made adequately,the technician applies power to the setonly to find that the set shuts down imme-diately to the accompaniment of a cloudof smoke, and the replacement compo-nent is damaged or destroyed.

Now the technician again replaces thefaulty components, and attempts to deter-mine, through resistance checks again, ifthere are any other bad components.

There are no other obvious faults, but thistime, the technician, having already spentquite a bit of time and money on the repairdoesn't want a repeat of the catastrophicfailure he witnessed last time, so decidesto connect the set to the power line via avariable transformer. He starts at muchreduced voltage and gradually brings thevoltage up and sees that the set comes on.

Now the technician can feel thereplaced components, and connectedcomponents, to see if they are running hot,perform voltage tests and observe wave-forms. All of these power -on tests willallow him to locate any other faulty com-ponents, or circuit wiring, withoutdestroying the replacement componentshe already installed.

An actual experienceThe following describes an experience

that Homer Davidson, a frequent contrib-utor to ES&T, had when troubleshootinga set that had improperly adjusted B+voltage, and the actions he took in cor-recting the problem.

Improper adjustment of the B+ controlin the older sets can cause intermittentshutdown symptoms. Most of thesesymptoms occurred with power lines thatwere poorly regulated. In some of these


TOOLS OF THE TRADE Test Accessories

cases, in the evening when the power linewas loaded down, causing reduced volt-age, the TV would operate. When the acline voltage became higher in the daytime,the TV would shutdown.

If you observe intermittent shutdownproblems that seem to be caused by incor-rect power line voltages, check for defec-tive start and run diodes, both rectifier andzener diodes, in the power supply and reg-ulator circuits. In one RCA CTC125chassis, the chassis would operate whenthe power line voltage was 118Vac, butwould shut down when the power linevoltage increased to 125Vac. Replacingintermittent zener diode CR110 (75V)cured the intermittent shutdown problem.

An RCA CTC159 chassis that Iencountered would operate with the vari-able isolation transformer set at 95Vac,but shut down at normal line voltage of120Vac. Replacing CR4160 solved thisintermittent problem.

In one unusual case, intermittent shut-down symptom in an RCA TX82 13 -inchset was followed by a motorboating soundin the audio. Replacing leaky DPO1solved this problem

Another use of the variabletransformer

If this TV will not operate, the first stepfor the service technician to take is to deter-mine if the cause is excessive high voltage,or if this is simply chassis shutdown. In thisset, the high voltage is monitored by diodeCR4901, which rectifies the pulses from theflyback (T4401). If the high voltage shouldincrease, the rectified voltage at the cath-ode of CR4901 will also increase. This volt-age increase triggers zener diode CR4409and the chassis shuts down.

To troubleshoot this symptom, start bydisconnecting power to the set and dis-connecting one end of CR4901 from thecircuit. Now connect the set through avariable voltage transformer (often calledby a brand name of one brand of variablevoltage transformer, "Variac"). Start withvoltage output of the transformer near OV,and slowly increase the voltage to the set.Make a note of the ac voltage at which thechassis shuts down.

lithe chassis shuts down before the trans-

former voltage reaches normal power linevoltage, this is high -voltage shut -down, andthe problem is somewhere in the high volt-age and/or horizontal circuits. To cure theproblem, troubleshoot the high voltage andhorizontal circuits to isolate the problem.Resolder the end of CR4901 after repairsare made. If you determine that the chas-sis is not in high voltage shutdown, checkthe horizontal deflection circuits.

Keep in mind that the Variac, or variablevoltage transformer is not an isolationtransformer, it is an autotransformer, whichmeans that the output winding is actually aportion of the input winding, and this devicetherefore provides no isolation whatsoeverbetween its input and its output.

Using the dc power supply andthe signal generator totroubleshoot a problem

The following is another case in whichHomer Davidson made clever use of twotest accessories to troubleshoot a difficultproblem. In this case the subject was anRCA set. Here's how Homer described theprocedure.

In the RCA CTC166 and 167 chassis,the 9Vdc supply for the deflection proces-sor IC (U1001) is scan -derived from theflyback circuits and fed to pin 16. With thistype of arrangement, the low voltage powersource, the horizontal circuits, and the fly-back power source must all function tooperate the entire TV chassis. If any of theabove circuits are defective, the chassismight not fire up and remain shut down.

To determine if the horizontal circuitsare operating, disconnect the set fromthe ac line and inject a +9Vdc source atpin 16 of U1001. With the 9V sourcefeeding pin 16, scope pin 64 of U1001to see if there is a square waveform atthat point. If you find a square wave-form at pin 64, you know that the deflec-tion circuits are okay. Next, check fora vertical waveform at pin 55. If thereis no waveform at the vertical or hori-zontal output pins, the horizontal IC(U1001) and related circuits must berepaired before servicing the low volt-age power supply circuits.

Inject a horizontal drive signal at thebase of the horizontal output transistor

(Q4401) to determine if the horizontaloutput circuits are normal. If horizontaldeflection is now present, check the wave-forms and components associated withpins 57 through 64 of U1001. If by chancethere is no horizontal deflection, checkQ4401, and the voltage and waveformsconnected to the horizontal output trans-former (T4401). Determine if the raw165V and 129V sources are functioning.

A few other test accessoriesWe listed them above, the personal

computer, remote control tester, univer-sal remote control (for testing IR remotecontrol receivers), camcorder, VCR. Allof these can be useful as test accessories.A few are obvious: the remote controltester will tell you if the hand-held send-ing unit is operating. It can be as simpleas a card that glows when illuminated byinfrared light, or as involved as a circuitthat uses a photodiode to sense the pres-ence of IR. The VCR can be used to gen-erate program material to help to deter-mine if a TV is operating properly.

And here's a clever idea that was foundon the interne at http://www.repairfaq.org/. If you have an intermit-tent problem, and would like to make arecord of, say a TV, when an intermittentfailure occurs, you can set up the set, withthe oscilloscope attached to the point ofinterest, set both TV and oscilloscope sothat the camcorder can record both unitson tape, then start recording.

When the failure occurs, the videotapewill record what happened on the TVscreen, and what happened to the wave-form on the oscilloscope screen. Withboth of those bits of evidence you'll bewell on your way to solving the problem.

Test accessoriescan save time, money

There are a lot of test accessories avail-able, and certainly not everyone is worthhaving by every service center. But insome cases, the correct accessory can saveminutes, or sometimes hours, of headscratching and valuable service time. Wehope this article has provided readers withsome ideas on how test accessories can beuseful to them.


CEDIA EXPO PREVIEW"who is better qualified to select and connect a home theater system

than a consumer electronics service center?"

Home theater is a mushrooming seg-ment of the consumer electronics market.Consumers, especially those who go tomovies regularly, and are aware of the spec-tacular sensations that a large -screen mov-ing picture combined with hi-fi surroundsound can generate, are increasingly awareof the sophistication of consumer elec-tronics products in their homes.

Home theater represents a significantopportunity for consumer electronics ser-vice centers. Many service centers haveshied away from home theater because theysee home theater installations that requirethe skills of carpenters, masons, sheet rockspecialists, and the like, to install.

Many consumers are justlooking for an expert

who can help...

But the definition of "home theater" isbroad. It means anything from a large -screen TV in a cabinet or on the floor con-nected to a sophisticated audio surroundsound system, all the way up to a full-blown theater arrangement. While ser-vice centers may not want to becomeinvolved in a huge construction project,many consumers are just looking for anexpert who can help them select the com-ponents that best suit their living room orfamily and can hook up the cable and thesatellite dish to the TV and connect thewhole thing to a 5.1 channel surroundsound system and do it correctly so itlooks and sounds great.

And who is better qualified to selectand connect a home theater system thana consumer electronics service center.Service managers and technicians areintimately familiar with the operation oftelevision systems, and audio is easy bycomparison. And they can certainlyquickly learn what one of these gee -whizhome theater systems is all about.

CEDIAThere's an entire organization of peo-

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Friday, Sept. 8: 11:00AM -6:00PM

Saturday, Sept. 9: 9:00 AM - 5:00PM

Sunday, Sept. 10: 10:00 AM - 3:00PM

of home theater and related systems.They call themselves the CustomElectronics Design and InstallationAssociation (CEDIA). CEDIA's annualExpo for the year 2000 is in Indianapolis(Wednesday, September 6 throughSunday, September 10). ES&T is attend-ing, and will be preparing a report for ourOctober issue.

In the meantime, just to give readers anidea of the concerns of CEDIA, and the edu-cation opportunities for attendees, we pre-sent this schedule of events for the 2000CEDIA Expo.

Boot campAs if that weren't enough in the way of

educational courses, CEDIA also puts ona "Boot Camp" for newly hired custominstallation employees. Here's a synopsisof what it's all about.

The number one issue facing the indus-try is bringing in new installation person-nel to cope with the spectacular growth ofthe industry. Three years ago, CEDIAintroduced the first industry Boot Camp.

CEDIA Boot Camp brings a progres-sive blend of short lectures followed byhands-on workshops, followed by review,followed by test. Key concepts, defini-tions, techniques and procedures aredrilled repeatedly. The Boot Camp facul-

ty will feature some of CEDIA's most pop-ular instructors and some of the industry'smost experienced installers. Each of themodules is complemented by hands-onworkshops.

Every attendee will receive a referencemanual that gives further exercises andexplanation of key installation proce-dures and techniques.

Boot camp course hours are: Thursday7:45 am until 6:00 pm: Friday 8:00 amuntil 12:30 pm, followed by FridayGraduation and Instructor Guided Tourof Show Floor 1:30 pm to 2:30 pmCourses presented duringboot camp include:

Introduction to installation fundamentals

Wire, cable and connector overview

Basic installation techniques:framing structure

Drilling plans and drilling technique

Basic installation techniques: Pulling wire,squaring boxes and brackets

Basic installation techniques: J -box trim,device and speaker installation

Basic system installation and operation

Special eventsIn addition to the courses mentionedabove, the CEDIA Expo offers severalspecial events and features, including:

The Garden of High Definition Delight II

Opening Reception on the Show Floor

The Jam Session

Live Broadcasts from the "At Home withCEDIA" television program

The Home of Electronic Lifestyles(tm)

The EXPO Awards Banquet

The Electronic Lifestyles(tm) Awards

CEDIA's Sixth Annual Golf Tournament

The Opening Keynote Breakfast

The Annual Meeting and Keynote Luncheon

24 -hour broadcast of EXPO programs intoyour hotel room

Educational coursesat CEDIA Expo

According to the CEDIA material, theCEDIA EXPO offers attendees a highreturn on their investment.


CEDIA EXPO 2000 PROGRAM

CEDIA 2000Sept. 6-10

1;11,-k .

ESSENTIAL TECHNOLOGIESIlluminating the custom home -Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Saturday, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

RF troubleshooting - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Sunday,2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Audio/video system grounding and interfacing -Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm;Saturday, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

NEC/OSHA - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm;Saturday, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Fundamentals of electrical circuits - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm; Sunday.10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Media center and head end engineering - Level:200Sessions: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Sunday,12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Residential infrastructure wiring - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm; Friday,10:00 am- 1:00 pm

Power management - Eliminating electrical arti-facts and noise from audio/video installations -Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am; Sunday2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Antenna installation and theory - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm; Friday,3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Blueprints and basic drafting techniques - Level:200Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am; Friday,5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Category 5 installation processes - Level: 100Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm;Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Installation Tips and Techniques - Level: 200Sessions: Friday 10:00 am - 1:00 pm; Sunday, 8:30am - 11:30 am

WHOLE HOUSE TECHNOLOGIESMulti -room audio - Leve1:100Sessions: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

Multi-source/multi-zone audio/video - Level: 200Sessions:Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am; Sunday,12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

IR control of A/V components 200 - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm; Sunday,10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Whole house technologies overview - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

Advanced whole house systems - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm; Sunday,2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Touch screen interface design and testing - Level:300Session: Thursday, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

"Mind -melding" with your customers - Matchingthe technologies to deliver their desired experi-ence - Level: 200Session: Friday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Fundamentals of HVAC systems - Level: 100Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm; Friday,3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Interfacing with HVAC systems - Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Automating wired lighting systems - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Powerline carrier control - Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm;Saturday, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Fundamentals of security systems - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm; Saturday,2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Fundamentals of access control - Level: 100Sessions: Friday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Telephone installation - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm;Thursday, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

HOME THEATER

Multi -channel systems in real world rooms -Level 100Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Saturday 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Technical considerations of high end screening& music rooms- Level 300Session: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Projection screen technologies- Level 300Sessions: Saturday, 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Video display technologies- Level 200Sessions: Thursday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm, Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

CRt projection calibration- Theory and practice -level 300Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Friday,5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Video display essentials - "Digital widescreentelevisions rewrite the rulebooks!" - Level 100Sessions: Saturday 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm; Sunday,2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Room equalization and system measurement -Level: 200Classroom Sessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30am; Friday, 10:00 am - 1:00 pmLab sessions: Friday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm; Saturday,8:00 am - 9:30 am

Multi channel audio formats - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am; Sunday,10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Applications of digital equalization - Level: 400Session: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Basic home theatre acoustics - Level: 100Session:Thursday, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

The home theatre space/Ergonomics & layout -Level: 300Sessions: Friday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm; Sunday,12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

The home theatre space/Creating the envelope -Level: 300Sessions: Friday 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Sunday,10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Minimizing acoustic distortion in home theatres -Level: 300Sessions: Friday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Sunday, 2:30pm - 4:00 pm

HOME NETWORKING Home networking in a wireless world - Level: 200

Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Saturday,4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Home networking will change the custom busi-ness - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm; Friday,10:00 am- 11:30 am

Installing residential high speed data networks -Level: 200Sessions:Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm;Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Home networking technologies and standards -Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm; Saturday,8:00 am - 9:30 am

Home networking in multi -dwelling units - Level:200Sessions: Wednesday, 11;30 am - 1:00 pm; Friday,7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Networking microsoft windows for SOHO - SmallOffice/Home Office - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 3;00 pm - 4:30 pm; Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

System integration -"The real world" - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am, Sunday,10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Serial communications - Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm; Sunday,12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

AN networking with 1394/HAVi - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm; Sunday,12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Universal plug and play (UPnP) system design &device integration - Level: 200Sessions: Friday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm; Sunday, 2:30pm - 4:00 pm

PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE: Networking multiple sources - Level: 300

Sessions: Friday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Saturday,2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 1394 UPDATE - Level: 100

Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am; Friday,7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

New technologies updaTE - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am; Friday,5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Future technologies -The inside scoop from siliconvalley - Level: 200


CEDIA EXPO 2000 PROGRAMSessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm; Friday,3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Digital audio formats - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm;Saturday, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

The future of home networking in the custominstallation business - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm;Saturday, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Connecting home control systems to the internetSessions: Wednesday, 3;30 pm - 5:00 pm; Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

PVR's & TiVo - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Sunday,10:30 am- 12:00 pm

MP3: How will downloadable digital audio affectthe custom industry? - Level: 100Sessions: Friday, 10:00 am - 11:30 am; Sunday,12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

BUSINESS MANAGEMENTBasic company operations documentation -Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm; Friday,5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Advanced company operations documentation -Level: 200Sessions: Friday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm; Sunday, 2:30pm- 4:00 pm

The secrets to developing & selling service agree-ments; Creating the perfect cash flow machine! -Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm; Friday,10:00 am- 11:30 pm

The business of doing business -How to makemoney in the custom installation business -Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm; Friday,3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Strategic management - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday 9:00 am - 10:30 am; Saturday,4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Custom installation operations management -Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm;Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Financial management demystified - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm;Sunday, 8:30 am - 10:00 am

Managing and motivating your custom installa-tion employees - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm; Saturday,2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

"The life of Fred"- How to make money sellinglabor! Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Thursday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb- Level: 100Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm;Saturday, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm business.

How to run a successful small custom installationbusiness - Level: 100Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm; Friday,3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

The essentials of project management & prof-itability - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Sunday10:30 am - 12:00 pm

BUSINESS EXCELLENCE PRESENTATION 101 - Level: 100

Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am; Friday,5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Creating satisfied customers - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Saturday,4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

I'm spread so thin you can see right through meSessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am; Friday,3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

The installer / customer interfaceSessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Sunday, 8:30 am - 10:00 am

The art of coaching employees - Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm;Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Thinking through effective business - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm; Friday,10:00 am - 11:30 am

Organizing your company to handle the emergingbusiness of advanced integration - Level: 400Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm;Saturday, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Public speaking for the petrified - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 9;00 am - 10;30 am; Sunday,12:30 pm- 2:00 pm

Brain technology - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm; Sunday,2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Effective leadership styles - Level: 100Session: Sunday 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Managing change - Level : 100Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm;

There's no substance without structure (Why &how to organize your business for growth) -Leve1:100Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm -Sunday, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Entrepreneurial excellence in your business, andyour life (Custom designing your business tomeet your life goals) - Level: 100Sessions:Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

MARKETING STRATEGIES Making the move into public relations & market-

ing - Level: 100Sessions: Wednesday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm;Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Advanced public relations & marketing - Level:400Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm; Friday,7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Dinosaurs fuel cars, sales & marketing fuel theweb - Level: 300Sessions:Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Friday,10:00 am - 11:30 am

Basics of designing a profitable web site - Level:100Sessions: Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am; Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

Taking your web site to the next level - Level: 300Sessions: Saturday, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Sunday,2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Merchandising differentiated systems for results- Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Sunday, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Get famous in four steps - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Friday,5:00 - 6:30 pm

Advanced getting famous in four steps - Level:400Sessions: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm; Saturday,4:30 - 5:30 pm

Marketing your business...How to tell the worldWhat you do - Level: 300Sessions: Thursday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm; Sunday,8:30 am - 10:00 am

DTV - Be the expert in your area - Level: 200Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Sunday,10:30 am - 12:00 pm

SALES RELATIONSHIPS The big picture through the eyes of Sam Runcc &

digital TV - Level: 100Session: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

A SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY SAM RUNCO,RUNCO INTERNATIONAL When only a palace theater will do - Level: 100

Session: Friday, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

A decade of selling "best practices" - Level: 200Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am;Thursday, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Home theater custom cabinetry design; Make itwork for your business - Level: 100Sessions: Thursday, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm; Friday, 7pm - 8:30 pm

How to keep your clients smiling - Level: 300Sessions: Wednesday, 9:30 am - 11:00 am; Friday10:00 am- 11:30 am

Custom sales - A real world approach - Level:300Sessions: Thursday, 9:00 am - 10:30 am;Saturday, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Selling lighting control systems "Best practices" -Level: 100Session: Friday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Elite sales & marketing skills - Level: 400Sessions: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm;Saturday, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

How to sell to women in the custom installationworld - Level: 100

Session: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Sales to builders for the next decade - Level: 300Sessions: Friday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm; Sunday,10:30 am - 12:00 pm

The art of managing home cinema projects -Level: 400Session: Thursday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Selling upscale products - Closing the big ticketsale - Level: 200Session: Wednesday, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm;Thursday, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

How to generate a winning proposal - Level: 200Sessions: Saturday, 8:00 am - 9:30 am; Sunday,830 am - 10:00 am


REPAIRING 21st CENTURY TVsby Bob Rose ... Change is the order of the day.

It doesn't come just once or twice in five years any more.It now comes about every six months ...

confess to a certain difficulty introduc-ing this subject. It is as if I know what

want to say but can't get at it. So, Iguess the best way to begin is to state theobvious, that you and I are in a professionthat is changing at such a rate that keepingcurrent is close to impossible. I have beenaround in some capacity since the mid -1950's, meaning I have lived through thetransition from tubes to transistors, to inte-grated circuits, to microprocessors, to sur-face mount devices, and to the current fluxin consumer based electronics.

There was a time when we technicians

could expect major changes once or twicein, let us say, five years. Beyond thosemajor changes, very little happened. Forexample, Zenith has used the same basicpower supply design in its middle-of-the-road products since about 1988 and is infact still using it though their engineershave come up with a new design that willprobably dominate the current "C" lineproducts. If you search through Zenithproducts -all of them -you will find just avery few basic power supplies in the TV'sthey have put on the market in the last tenyears. Thomson, on the other hand, seems

to have set the pace for the industry. I havecounted at least nine, different power sup-plies that their engineers have used in thesame time span in their middle -of -the lineproducts.

I say all of that to say this: change is theorder of the day. It doesn't come just onceor twice in five years any more. It nowcomes about every six months, and it isso radical that we technicians must con-stantly read, watch videos, and peruseCD's just to keep up it.

Having said that, let me move on toillustrate the kinds of problems you and I

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face when we open our shops on a givenMonday morning and say a frosty "hello"to the twenty-first century televisionswaiting to be fixed.

Software versus hardwareDid you ever think that when you

looked at a broken television you wouldhave to decide whether the problem iscaused by software, hardware, or a com-bination of the two? We who work a bitwith computers have had to think in thoseterms for many years, and the time hascome when we who work with televisions

must also think in those terms. I'm notsaying anything new. If you have workedon RCA televisions for the last five years,you worked with software problems everytime you either replaced or programmedan EEPROM in a CTC175/76/77 orCTC187 chassis.

As a matter of fact, every manufacturerof televisions now employs a version of thetechnology Thomson more -or -less pio-neered. EEPROM's have been around forquite a while, but Thomson was the first asfar I know to rely on them as the sole repos-itory of the chassis' working parameters.

Since chassis parameters are now set elec-tronically and stored in electronic memo-ry, software problems have become aboutas common as hardware problems.

A CTC195 that losespicture and sound

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Figure 2. If you encounter a CTC195 that loses picture and sound, check pin 12 of U16201 (Figure 2) for 3.8V. If the voltage is higher than 3.8V(and it probably will be), use Chipper Check to adjust the IFvco for as close to 3.8V as you can get. You might also want to check the APC settingwhile you are monitoring pin 12, which should also be at 3.8V.

er tuner shield problem." If you are, youare incorrect. This problem is cut from adifferent cloth because it concerns the set-ting for the voltage -controlled oscilla-tor(VCO) that controls the demodulationof the IF signal. Thomson calls it theIFvco setting.

Before getting to the IFvco problem,you ought to know that some productionruns have a similar problem that is causedby oscillations within the tuner. Thomsonissued a service bulletin detailing thechanges that should be made to cure theproblem (TV 98-001A). The service bul-letin does not apply to those tuners thatattach to the bottom cover by means oftwo solder points. This type of bottom

tuner cover indicates that the resistor andI -bar upgrades have been installed. If thetuner on which you are working does notmeet the "two solder points" criterion,change R17106 from a 1052 resistor to a390 resistor using part number 205322.Then, if a zinc liner is present, remove itand toss it into the garbage. Clean offexcess solder and install the new tuner I -Bar (part number 242605) in place of thediscarded zinc wrapper. Install the bottomshield and realign channels 35, 41, 45, 58,and 50 using the Chipper Check align-ment software.

When the CTC 95/197 first came out,there was a tendency for a channel to dropout for a few seconds and then return.

Thomson issued a service bulletin (TV97-021) instructing the technician tocheck R17520 and replace it if it isn't a10052 resistor, using part number 218508and then to replace C17503 with a 22 pfcapacitor (part number 194903). If the TVon which you are working was manufac-tured after December 1997, you shouldn'thave to perform this update, but you oughtto be aware of it in case you do.

We have encountered one other condi-tion that causes the tuner to malfunction. Itseems that a type of glue was used to holdcrystal Y17401 (Figure 1) in place while itwas being soldered. Under certain condi-tions, the glue becomes conductive andkeeps the crystal from oscillating. If you


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encounter a situation such as this, take thecrystal off the circuit board, carefullyremove the glue, and install a new crystal.I know it's a lot of trouble, but my philos-ophy is, "better safe than sorry." Besides,the crystal isn't expensive, and the proce-dure takes very little time.

Back to the IFvco alignmentBegin by checking pin 12 of U16201

(Figure 2) for 3.8V, and do use a highimpedance DMM. If the voltage is higherthan 3.8V (and it probably will be), useChipper Check to adjust the IFvco for asclose to 3.8V as you can get. You mightalso want to check the APC setting whileyou are monitoring pin 12, which should

also be at 3.8V. If it isn't, tweak the settingtill it is. I won't give you instructions abouthow to use Chipper Check to make theseadjustments because the instructions arecontained within Chipper Check itself.

I have since learned there is an easierway to align the IFvco than getting outChipper Check and your computer.Attach a DMM to pin 12 of U16201, andmonitor it while you adjust L12302(Figure 2) for a reading of 3.8V on themeter. Let me caution you to be extreme-ly careful when you adjust this coilbecause even a slight turn makes a sig-nificant difference in the voltage readingat pin 12. I frequently need to turn the coilsomething like an eighth of a turn to get

the correct voltage reading.A misaligned IFvco leads to symptoms

other than total loss of video and audio. Forexample, I worked on a CTC197 today thatgot wide noise bands in the picture andsomething that sounded like static crashesin the audio after it had played for a while.The voltage at pin 12 of U16201 read 6.8V.Adjusting L12302 for 3.8V put the televi-sion in good working order.

A Sharp TV that had no audioMy second illustration concerns a

Sharp TV that had no audio. I searchedmy records to find which model gave thisparticular problem but couldn't find it.For the illustration, assume that it was a


21st Century Ws

Figure 3. In some Sharp sets, you call up the service menu by pressing the volume up and chan-nel up buttons while applying ac power to the chassis. Three numbers appear at the top of thescreen when the service menu comes up. The first number is the "service adjustment number,"the second is the "data number," and the third is the channel number.

25K -M100. Let me repeat. The model inquestion was not a 25K -M100. I am usingit solely as an illustration.

I made the usual checks around theaudio output chip and found nothingamiss. I also found nothing out of the ordi-nary when I checked the circuits in andaround the "rainforest IC." Havinglearned a thing or two in the past, I calledup the service menu by pressing the vol-ume up and channel up buttons whileapplying ac power to the chassis. (In somechassis, Sharp tells you to short two testpoints together.) Three numbers appear atthe top of the screen (Figure 3) when theservice menu comes up.

The first number is the "service adjust-ment number," the second is the "datanumber," and the third is the channel num-ber. I used the data in Figure 4 to checkthe settings for the chassis on my bench.

(Continued on page 42)

SERVICENUMBER ADJUSTMENT ITEM DATA ADJUSTMENT CONTENTS

INITIAL VALUE RANGESO1 PICTURE 55 00-7FSO2 TINT 46 00-7FS03 COLOR 32 00-7FSO4 BRIGHTNESS 40 00-7FS05 SHARPNESS 24 00-3F MUST BE SETTO 28"SO6 VERTICAL PHASE 00 00-3F MUST BE SET TO "00"S07 HORIZONTAL PHASE 12 00-1FS08 RF-AGC 23 00-3FS09 VERTICAL AMP 20 00-3FSlO VCO 2C 00-7FS I I R CUT-OFF 00 00-FF512 G CUT-OFF 00 00-FFS13 B CUT-OFF 00 00-FFS14 G GAIN 7F 00-FFS15 B GAIN 7F 00-FFS16 TRAP (3.58MHz) 00 00 OR 01 MUST BE SET TO "00"S17 BALANCE 20 00-3F MUST BE SET TO "20"S18 C.C. POSITION 17 00-7FS19 Y -MUTE 00 00,10,03 00= NORMAL, 01=NoY, 03 = No

VERTICALOP

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Figure 4. I used these data to check the settings for the Sharp chassis on my bench. All of the data numbers were correct except the "options"(OP) setting. When I set the options data correctly, the audio popped in.


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21st Century TVs

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Figure 5. If a CTC185 set loses reset voltage, which is a low followed by a high on pin 2 of U3101, system control goes into a power saving rou-tine to permit it to store pertinent data before it shuts down.

(Continued from page 40)All of the data numbers were correctexcept the "options" (OP) setting. WhenI set the options data correctly, the audiopopped in.

There is no need to belabor the point thatsoftware -we talk about a "corrupted" EEP-ROM-has a profound effect on the opera-tion of twenty-first century televisions.Having begun the conversation about soft-ware problems, I am certain you can finishit based on your experience, can't you?

Microprocessor problemsThe problems I am about to discuss

aren't caused by a failure of the systemmicroprocessor, but by incorrect infor-mation getting to it. Microprocessors arehighly reliable, among the most reliablecomponents in twenty-first century TV's.They won't work, however, if they don'tget correct information. Well, that's notquite true. In some instances, they won'twork. In other instances, they won't per-mit the TV to work. I'll give you an illus-tration of each of these conditions.

A dead set CTC185This CTC185 came in as a dealer stock

repair with the complaint, "Plays for a fewminutes and turns itself off." The firstorder of business is always to confirm thecomplaint. Sure enough, the TV workedfine for about five minutes and then shutdown. It would come back on when Iissued a power on command, play forabout a minute, and shut down. However,it wouldn't come back on a third time.

As you know, several things can causea chassis shutdown. I began by checking


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the regulated B+ and the retrace pulse onthe collector of the horizontal output tran-sistor. They passed the test. I checked theXRP circuit and found nothing amiss.

For some reason, I moved the focus ofattention to system control (Figure 5).Vdd and Vss were fine, but the oscillatorstopped working when the set shut down.You might think that I had stumbled ontothe problem, but you really ought to sus-pend that opinion. Remember, we aredealing with a Thomson product, andthings are not always what they seem. Ifthe set loses reset voltage, which is a low

followed by a high on pin 2 of U3101(Figure 5), system control goes into apower saving routine to permit it to storepertinent data before it shuts down. Theoscillator is therefore one of the first"non -essential" functions to be sloughedoff. Well, you guessed it. This set was los-ing the +5V at pin 2. The next questionwas, "Why?" To make a long story short,C3113, a 0.01uF surface mount capacitor,was leaking. I replaced the capacitor andfixed the TV.

You live and learn. Since then, I haveseen three CTC185's that came in as dead

sets. Each and every one of them wasmissing the necessary reset voltagebecause C3113 was leaking the voltageoff to ground.

The moral of the story is: a micro-processor won't work if it doesn't havecertain minimum requirements, specifi-cally B+, ground, oscillator, and reset.

A dead set CTC203The CTC203 is Thomson's newest

offering, slated to be used in a variety ofmodels and screen sizes. Important addi-


21st Century TVs

Error code: Chassis: Error:HEX DEC00 001 1

03 3

08 8

09 9

OA 10OB 11

10 16

12 18

HEX DEC22 342C 4480 128BA 186C4 196C6 198

POWER CONTROL ERRORSALLALLALLALLALLw/F2PIPALLALL Run IIC bus latchedALL Standby IIC buss latchedIIC ACKNOWLEDGE ERRORSw/Gemstarw/F2PIPALLALLALLALL

No Errors16V_STBY fault12V_RUN faultT4 -Chip XRP (X-ray protection)T4 -Chip POR (power on reset)F2PIP PORStereo Decoder POR

Gemstar bus faultF2PIP faultStereo Decoder FaultT4 chip faultMain Tuner PLL bus faultMain Tuner DAC bus fault

Figure 6. In the CTC203 the set stores in mem-ory the three most recent faults that the micro-processor detects, the most recent error storedin memory location 03. The error codes are list-ed here.

tions include a Gemstar Program Guide(Guide Plus +), V -Chip, on -board tuner(though some come equipped with a tra-ditional modular tuner!), and a sophisti-cated system control. Most of these cir-cuits have been around for a few years.For example, the TOB is similar to the oneused in the CTC175/76/77, and the sys-tem control looks and operates like theCTC195/97 chassis. However, the powersupply is brand new.

The set in question had a peculiar setof symptoms. It had great audio and video

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Figure 7. The tech to whom I talked regarding a problem in a CTC203 said, "Yes, you are going to have to make three changes on the F2PIP mod-ule because the PIP processor isn't resetting fast enough." I followed his instructions, and the set worked exactly as it should.


and worked like a champ until it was tunedto an inactive channel, at which time itshut down, tried to restart three times, andfinally turned itself off. You know thissoftware -based routine as "three strikes,and you're out."

"Oh, my!" I thought as I looked at this32 -inch monster, "what have I gottenmyself into?" Where does one begin? Justto have something to do, I checked theXRP circuit and found it normal. I alsochecked the regulated B+ and the retracepulse and found nothing amiss.

A little voice inside my head said,"Why not check the error codes?" Well,I did and found three: 16, 16, and F2PIP.The set stores in memory the three mostrecent faults that the microprocessor

detects, the most recent error stored inmemory location 03. The error codes arelisted in Figure 6. If I read the codes cor-rectly, the F2PIP had caused the run busto latch. By the way, "F2PIP" isThomson's way of saying, "comb filterplus picture -in -picture." This little mod-ule is contained on a single, verticallymounted circuit board located just to theleft of the tuner if you look at the chassisfrom the rear. It does duty as comb filter,video switch, and PIP processor.

Okay, the time had come to make aphone call. I fought my way through totechnical assistance. The tech to whomI talked said, "Yes, you are going to haveto make three changes on the F2PIPmodule because the PIP processor isn't

resetting fast enough." I followed hisinstructions, and the set worked exactlyas it should.

Here is the cure for this truly esotericproblem. Remove the F2PIP module.Don't worry because it plugs onto themotherboard. No soldering necessary.Now use Figure 7 as your guide andmake the following changes to the cir-cuit of U18100. First, replace R18116(a 47k smd) with a 100k smd using partnumber 192084. Second, replaceC18121 (a 0.33 smd capacitor) usingpart number 220132. Third, add smdpart number 192096 from pin 21 toground. Simply piggy back it onto anexisting component and solder it intoplace.

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I guess I ought to say that you shouldcheck R18116 at pin 23 of U18100 first.If it is indeed a 47k resistor, then makethese changes. The newer F2PIP moduleshave already been modified.

See what I mean when I say the micro-processor will shut down a TV if itdoesn't get correct information? Systemcontrol in the CTC203 constantly pollsthe major circuits via the data bus. If itdetects a fault, it will promptly turn thetelevision off. In this instance, it did notreceive an acknowledgment from thePIP processor, "assumed" the F2PIPwas inoperative, and did what its soft-ware mandated which is turn the set off!Welcome to the world of twenty-firstcentury televisions.

A CTC195/97203 without audioNow, let's change pace a bit and look at

an audio problem these new marvels have.The no audio condition shows up in one oftwo ways. First (and our shop has seen lotsof these) the customer may say, "I turnedmy TV on this morning, and I have nosound." My partner responds by saying,"Unplug it and reapply ac after it has beenunplugged for about twenty minutes. Callus back, and let us know if you have soundthen." The customer usually calls back tosay, "It's perfect now." This scenario mightrepeat itself in something like a week or amonth. Or the customer might say, "I stilldon't have any sound."

Let's take the second condition first.Begin by checking the dc voltage on pin 49

of U16201 for approximately 3.9V (Figure8). If the set happens to be a CTC203, checkpin 49 of U12101 for approximately 3.4V(not shown). You are measuring the volt-age on the FM tune pin of the FM detectcircuit. If the circuit isn't working proper-ly, the dc voltage will measure high, oftenin the neighborhood of 7V.

To fix, look for an open C12304 in theCTC195 or C12309 in CTC203. Thecapacitor is located just off pin 3 of L12303.Use part number 197600 to replace it. Next,check CR12301 located just off pin 1 ofL12303. If it is defective, replace it usingpart number 227051. Or better yet, justreplace them as a matter of course if the dcvoltage is ramping high.

Now, go back to the first condition, the


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"on again" and "off again" audio situa-tion. Thomas, the technician who does thebulk of our in -home service, has fixed inthe neighborhood of ten sets by replacingC12304, CR12301, and U1600 (usingpart number 237930). Be aware that thenew IC comes as a kit of parts. Do readthe instructions carefully because youmight need just the IC and not the partsthat accompany it. We were told that thisfix was just "a shot in the dark" and askedto report our success or failure. We havenot had a single failure to date.

A defective tuner in a CTC203I will wrap up this discussion of twen-

ty-first century repair problems byrecounting a CTC203 that sometimes

would display a fine picture with excel-lent audio and sometimes wouldn't. Mostof the time, the tuner just wouldn't work.

The literature suggests that for a "notune" situation, you begin by verifyingchannel number changes on the screen.If the OSD doesn't respond to a channelchange command, forget the tuner and goto work on the system control circuit. Inthis instance, the OSD responded to allcommands. Second, check all of the sup-ply voltage to the tuner, specifically +5V,+12V, -12V, and +33V. They were okay.Third, check for the correct band switch-ing voltages on pins 14 and 17 ofU17401, pin 7 of U17301, and the col-lector of Q17402. Those voltages werealso okay.

Next, check the tuning voltage on pin 5U17401. It should change as the channelsincrement or decrement. It didn't change.The literature also says if this voltage isstuck high or low, suspect a problem in thePLL loop, like Y17401. Use a X10 probeand check for a 4MHz signal at a value ofabout 1VPP. The waveform I saw was notonly low in amplitude but also distorted.It is easier to change the crystal than theIC, but a new crystal didn't fix the prob-lem. I had to change U17401 using partnumber 231529 to fix the set.

Enough for now. I hope these cameosgive you a taste of the kinds of problemswe technicians are called upon to dealwith in the beginning years of the new mil-lennium. 1111


ISOLATION TRANSFORMERSINCREASE SAFETY OFELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

Every consumer electronics servicetechnician knows what an isola-tion transformer is. Or should know.

It's a transformer that provides electricalisolation between the input and the output.Isolation transformers used while servicingproducts that derive their power via a full -bridge rectifier are 1:1, that is, the voltageat the output is the same as the voltage atthe input. The products with which isola-tion transformers are used have a "hot"ground, and thus the only way to test themsafely is to connect them to the power linevia an isolation transformer.

But isolation transformers are used insome electronics equipment to make themsafer to use. These transformers may haveany turns ratio depending on the desiredoutput voltage. Technicians who might ser-vice such products should be aware of thereasons that they contain isolation trans-formers. This article, based on a pamphletpublished by Signal Transformer, describesthe application of isolation transformers inelectronics equipment.

IntroductionAdequate isolation between a power

source and a user of electronic equipmentensures the safety of that equipment.Given the high voltages that exist in mod-ern electronic equipment, proper isola-tion protects an operator from contactwith excessive electrical energy should ashort circuit occur in the equipment.Isolation transformers have represented atraditional solution for providing highisolation in electronic circuitry.

Even with the increased use of efficient,switched -mode power supplies (SMPS),isolation transformers can improve theoverall isolation of an electronic designwithout severe penalties in added size,weight, and cost.

Isolation transformers offer an effec-tive means of meeting the requirementsof domestic and international safety stan-dards for electronic equipment. In theUnited States, for example, such stan-dards are set by the Occupational Safety

Figure 1, An isolation transformer placed before a linear power supply, or a switched -modepower supply can provide safe operation in accordance with a variety of standards.

and Health Administration (OSHA), withproduct testing performed according toappointed laboratories, such asUnderwriters Laboratories (UL).Throughout Europe, safety standards areestablished by the International Elec-trotechnical Commission (IEC), withtesting performed by the laboratories ofindividual member nations, such as theVerband Deutscher Electrotechniker(VDE) in Germany.

Isolation transformers enable a varietyof electronic systems to meet safetyrequirements. Such systems include med-ical diagnostic equipment, computer sys-tems, and telecommunications equip-ment. The systems may incorporate linearpower supplies, SMPS, and sometimes acombination of both. A single isolationtransformer can help an electronic designmeet all of its isolation requirements.With proper system design, an isolationtransformer can also help reduce the sizeand cost of the power -electronics compo-nents following it in a design.

Understanding ULSeveral techniques commonly provide

isolation when designing electronicequipment. Fuses or circuit breakers, forexample, can protect both the equipmentand its operator from overvoltage condi-tions or surges of high -voltage energy.Careful component placement and print-ed -circuit -board (PCB) layout can pro-vide adequate room for creepage andclearance of components in close prox-

imity of high voltages.Creepage is defined as the shortest dis-

tance between two conductors, measuredalong the surface of the insulators.Clearance is the shortest path through theair between two conductors that must beisolated. Each component subject to creep-age and clearance must meet the require-ments in UL, CSA, VDE, or other applic-able standards. An isolation transformercan reduce the impact of meeting theserequirements by reducing the line voltagefrom hazardous to nonhazardous levels.

Decreasing the need to consider creep-age and clearance in an electronic designcan improve a product's time to market,simplify its circuit layout, and reduce itscost. An isolation transformer is consid-erably more effective than a full -wavebridge rectifier in screening electronicequipment from high input voltages.Unfortunately, an isolation transformercan add cost, weight, size, and increasedcooling requirements to a design. But itrepresents a reliable solution forincreased isolation, even for systemsemploying switching power supplies.

Switching power supplies convert acvoltage to dc voltage directly in an off-linerectifier followed by a capacitive filter. Theconverted high voltage is switched at fre-quencies from thousands of times per sec-ond (kilohertz rates) to millions of times persecond (megahertz rates).

Usually, semiconductor devices, suchas silicon bipolar transistors or siliconmetal -oxide -semiconductor field-effect


transistors (MOSFETs) are used to switchthe voltage waveforms on and off. Theoutput voltage of a switching power sup-ply is proportional to the pulse width ofthe switched or chopped waveform andthe duty cycle of the pulse wavetrain. Byvarying the pulse width of the outputwaveform, the output voltage can be auto-matically adjusted.

The isolation transformer used in con-junction with an SMPS can be smaller thanthe transformer needed to achieve the samelevels of isolation and voltage step-downfunctions when used in conjunction with alower -frequency 50/60 -Hz linear powersupply with the same power rating. As aresult, switching power supplies are small-er, lighter, and dissipate less power thanequivalent linear regulated power supplies.Because of this, SMPS have long been usedin airborne, military, and space applicationswhere weight and size were key designrequirements.

When used with a switching power sup-ply, an isolation transformer can preventhigher -order harmonic signals from

degrading the performance of adjoiningcircuitry. This is especially important incomputers or other equipment incorpo-rating microprocessors, which rely onharmonically rich, high -frequency clocksignals for their timing. Improperly iso-lated, these harmonic signals can appearas interference to other functions in thesystem, even resulting in excessive out-put -voltage ripple in the power supply.

Isolation transformers are specified interms of the amount of isolation that theyprovide, usually given as the root -mean -square (RMS) voltage, as well as thepower rating, in terms of volts -amperes(VA). Additional specifications includeefficiency (in percent) and the toleranceof the voltage regulation (in percent).

Switching power supplies can bedesigned with either internal or externalisolation transformers, although greaterisolation is achieved by means of externalisolation. When an external isolation trans-former is placed within an electronic designin series with a switching power supply, theoutput voltage from the transformer is

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reduced to a level that is no longer haz-ardous to the operator of that equipment(Figure 1). Because there is no hazardousvoltage after the transformer, the subse-quent circuitry is below the voltage thresh-old (30.0Vrms or 42.4Vdc peak open cir-cuit for Class 2 circuits) required for circuitsto meet creepage and clearance electronicsafety requirements. Because the trans-former provides adequate isolation withina single component, there is no longer aneed to achieve distributed isolationthroughout the circuitry of a product.Because the voltage following the trans-former is low, smaller components (such asinductors and capacitors) can be usedthroughout the remaining circuitry.

In many cases, standard off -the -shelfswitching power supplies can be used inthe design because of the relaxed creep-age and clearance requirements of lower -voltage circuitry. Isolation transformersthat meet international safety standardscan be specified for use with both linearand switching power supplies, with a vari-ety of power ratings. For example, low -

Callbacks up here can be a matter of life and death.Technicians at NASA's Space Shuttle Logistics use

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Circle (17) on Reply CardSeptember 2000 Electronic Servicing & Technology 49

Isolation Transformers

Figure 2. Incorporation of an isolation trans-fomer such as this Flathead transformer byInternational can help manufacturers designand manufacture products that meet UL, IEC,VDE,. and CSA standards.

profile isolation transformers in SignalTransformer's International Flatheadseries meet a wide range of United Statesand international standards, including UL506, IEC 950, as well as German VDEstandards and Canadian CSA standards.The transformers, with heights as low as0.69in., have standard isolation of4000Vrms and can be supplied with rat-ings from 2VA to 30VA with dual pri-maries of 115/230V, 50/60 -Hz operation(Figure 2).

These compact transformers can beused on densely packed PCBs.

Isolation transformers represent aneffective means of achieving high isola-tion in distributed -power systems, such ascomputers and telecommunications sys-tems. In a typical distributed power sys-tem, multiple dc -to -dc converters, ratherthan a single, centralized power source,provide voltage and current to the sys-tem's subsystems and circuits. Small,efficient converters can typically gener-ate 200 W or more at a specific location,helping to overcome voltage drops com-mon when power is transmitted over a dis-tance within a system. By locating con-verters on each of the system's circuitboards, the system can be assembled in amodular fashion, speeding and simplify-ing manufacturing and testing processes.Thermal design is simplified in the sameway, since heat is distributed throughoutthe system, rather than concentrated inone location.

Even though isolated dc -to -dc convert-

ers can be used to achieve high isolationin such a modular, distributed -powerarchitecture, they are expensive com-pared to nonisolated converters. A betterapproach is the use of nonisolated dc -to -dc converters where necessary in a dis-tributed -power system, with a single iso-lation transformer providing thenecessary high -voltage isolation. In thisway, each dc -to -dc converter need notmeet the high -voltage isolation, creepage,and clearance safety requirements for aparticular United States or internationalelectronic safety standard. A single isola-tion transformer can provide the isolationand the low -voltage transformation tosimplify the safety requirements of sub-sequent circuitry.

Otherwise, each converter or separatepower supply must be specified to applic-able United States and international safe-ty requirements, greatly increasing theoverall cost of the equipment.

Isolation transformers are commonlyused with linear power supplies toimprove the amount of isolation in theoverall circuit. But such transformers canalso pay huge dividends when incorpo-rated into high -frequency switchingpower supplies. They can improve the iso-lation of a design, as well as enable theoverall power -supply circuitry to be madesmaller, lighter, less complicated, and lessexpensive.

In Europe, the IEC either directly orindirectly sets the electrical safety stan-dards for a great many individual nations.The IEC's chief standard for Safety Isola-tion and Safety Isolating Transformers isthe IEC 1558 (recently replacing the IEC742). In contrast, the European Commun-ity (EC) version of the IEC 1558 isEN61558. An additional IEC standard,IEC-601-1, is generally acceptedthroughout Europe as the standard bywhich medical electronic equipment mustcomply (such as UL 544 in the UnitedStates and C22.2 No. 125 in Canada).

As with the UL requirements, IEC 950specifies the amount of leakage currentthat can be allowed while still gaining cer-tification. Per IEC 950, leakage currentshould not exceed 3.5 mA for Class Imachines and 0.25 mA for Class IImachines. Class I electronic products thatare designed for hand-held use must be

limited to 0.75 mA or less leakage current.In order to simplify the design and man-

ufacture of electronic products in Europe,a great deal of consolidation has takenplace in the European electronic safetystandards. The EC standard EN 60950 isan example of this trend. It is designed toprovide an umbrella standard that safetyagencies in various countries can useeither as is or with modifications that sat-isfy local needs.

Consolidation of standards is alsoaffecting countries such as Germany,well-known and respected for its ownsafety standards per the VerbandDeutscher Electrotechniker (VDE). Eventhough the organization has seen manyother nations adopt many of its referencestandards, including VDE 0805 and VDE0750, even Germany is moving towardadoption of the IEC and EN standards asconsolidation continues.

The expected end result is a set of elec-trical safety standards that is uniformlyadopted and recognized throughoutall Europe.

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50 Electronic Servicing & Technology September 2000Circle (18) on Reply Card

Calendar of EventsNETWORLD+INTEROPSeptember 24-29, 2000Georgia World Conference CenterAtlanta, GANetworld+Interop, Key Media300 First AvenueNeedham, MA 02494-2722888-886-4507www.interop.com

COMDEX-FALL 2000November 13-17, 2000Las Vegas Convention CenterSands Expo and Convention CenterVenetian Resort, MGM Grand ConferenceCenter, Las Vegas HiltonLas Vegas, NVCOMDEX-FALL 2000, Key Media300 First AvenueNeedham, MA 02494-2722781-433-1500www.comdex.com

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (CES)January 6 through January 9, 2001Las Vegas Convention and Las Vegas Hilton,Alexis Park and RivieraLas Vegas, NVConsumer Electronics Association2500 Wilson BlvdArlington, VA 22201-3834703-907-7605www.ce.org

ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION SHOW &CONFERENCE (EDS)May 15 through May 17, 2001Educational Programs May 14Las Vegas HiltonLas Vegas, NVElectronic Distribution Show Corp222 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2160Chicago, IL 60606312-648-1140www.edsc.org

NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICECONFERENCE (NPSC)July 30 through August 4, 2001Riviera HotelLas Vegas, NVNational Electronics Service DealersAssociation (NESDA)2708 Berry St.Fort Worth, TX 76109817-921-9061www.nesda.com

CUSTOM ELECTRONICS DESIGN ANDINSTALLATION ASSOCIATION (CEDIA)September 5 through September 9, 2001Indianapolis Convention CenterIndianapolis, INCEDIA Headquarters9802 N Meridian St, Suite 200Indianapolis, IN 46260-1810800-669-5329www.cedia.org

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Literature

Catalog of wireless RFsystem products

Andrew Corporation has published itsfull product catalognumber 38. Thispublication is a ref-erence tool forwireless RF systemplanners and prod-uct specifiers. The752 -page full colorprinted catalog 38 isa complete refer-ence source for the

company's products and services. Featuredmaterial includes detailed product descrip-tions, specifications, planning guides, tech-nical data, and system planning softwareinformation. New sections coverBroadband Antenna Products,PerforMaxTM Base Station Antennas,ValuLine antennas, and ISM, MMDS, andUNIT Band Passive Products. The revisedHELIAX coaxial cable section offers stan-dard VSWR specifications for cables. Newcable attenuation figures are now specifiedat an industry -standard 20 degrees C. Thecompletely updated Terrestrial MicrowaveProducts section includes antennas andwaveguides. Ordering tables in this sectionnow display RPE (Radiation PatternEnvelope) figures. The catalog is alsoavailable on-line at www.andrew.com.This version may be viewed on-line andpages can be sent via e-mail as .pdf files orin fax format. On-line catalog 38 hasimproved keyword-, page number-, andtype number -searching features.

Andrew CorporationCircle (19) on Reply Card

Andrew Corporation -38

Catalog of fiber optictest equipment

Fotec is offering a new catalog of testequipment and tools for installing fiberoptic networks of the communications sys-tems for the next millennium. The coverof the catalog symbolizes the multimediatechnologies made possible by networkssuch as the Internet that are revolutioniz-ing the way the world communicates. The

catalog includes the company's full line offiber optic test equipment, tools and train-ing materials. New products in this cata-log include the ACT2 Fiber Optic CableCertifier and the PC -based OTDR.

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Telecom websiteJensen Tools has just launched Jensen

Telecom Onlinel a new niche catalogspecifically targeted toward telecom pro-fessionals. This new site offers telephone 1cable and electrical test equipment, serviceaids, hand tools, cutting! stripping andcrimping tools, cable and accessories andmany other products from leading manu-facturers. Search for specific items byproduct name, product number, or manu-facturer name, or browse our extensiveofferings in seven categories. New prod-ucts for telecom workers are featured in aspecial section, offering the opportunityfor an early look at new industry items.Jensen has recently introduced the JTS lineof telephone test sets. These are featuredon the site, along with Jensen's existinglines of JTM handheld meters and JTK(r)original tool kits. You can also design yourown custom kit online in two easysteps with Jensen's "Create -A -Kit" atwww.jensentools.com.

Jensen Tools Inc.Circle (21) on Reply Card

Static control productsCasual contact

between peopleand their work sta-tions can generateenough static elec-tricity to "shock"computers or othersensitive electronicequipment into fail-ure. Even charges

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small enough to go unnoticed can dam-age delicate devices. The results can bedisastrous - lost data, dysfunctionalcomponents, and destroyed circuits - allof which might require replacing expen-

sive equipment, scheduling service calls,and costly downtime. Vizifiex StaticSolutions' comprehensive line of staticcontrol products can help dissipate elec-trostatic properties whenever people andsensitive electronic equipment meet.Every business today that either uses,services, or manufactures computers orother electronic equipment should makeViziflex Static Solutions' products thefirst line of defense in the battle to safe-guard date and equipment investments.

Viziflex Static SolutionsA division of Viziflex Seels, Inc.


Custom arm catalogWaldmann's complete line of arm

solutions featuring extensive arm stylesand weight load capacities are shown inthe company's newest comprehensiveArm Solutions brochure. The arm sizes,ranging from 16 to 32 inches, can be cus-tomized to specific application require-ments and have the capacity to holddevices from 1/2 -lb. to 18 lbs. of weight.The broad range of fully adjustablegooseneck and articulated arm configu-rations are designed to hold and easilyintegrate into an array of OEM medicaland industrial devices such as: digitalcameras, flat screen computers, splashguards, instruments, tools, microscopes,lasers, and more. These articulatingarms are constructed with durable inter-nal spring and band mechanisms andmost models offer horizontal and verti-cal mounting. Gooseneck model fea-tures a flexible shaft that holds positionwithout vibration. A four -hole mountingbase pattern is available. Several mod-els offer a head joint movement range of160 degrees up-and-down and 360degrees side -to -side for maximum posi-tioning. Plus, the articulating joints canbe rendered flexible or locked into placefor stay -put reliability. A 60 mm (2.4 -inch) mounting pin is standard for thesemodels and a 1/2 -inch pin is offered.

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Books

Sourcebook for ElectronicsCalculations, Formulas, and

TablesBy: Newton C. Braga ISBN #: 0-7906-

1193-7 440 Pages $34.95 PromptPublications

Sourcebook for ElectronicsCalculations, Formulas, and Tables iswritten for the engineer, student, techni-cian, or hobbyist who designs or needs tounderstand more about electronic cir-cuits. Newton Braga, author of numerousbooks and hundreds of articles - and cir-cuit designer himself - has compiled anassortment of all the basic informationnecessary to make calculations whendesigning new projects. Arranged by sub-ject, the information ranges from the sim-plest elementary operations to the morecomplex trigonometric and calculus func-tions. Physical property tables of circuitsand materials are included, and many ofthe formulas are accompanied by appli-cation examples to show practical uses.Units conversions, reduced formulas, and"non -conventional" notations are alsoincluded. Can't quite remember thatequation, constant, or multiplication fac-tor you learned back in school? You'll findit here, along with precalculated values,tables, and examples. Subjects coveredinclude: dc formulas, ac formulas, elec-tronic circuits, transistors, JFETs andMOSFETs, oscillators, operationalamplifiers, digital, temperature conver-sion, sound, crossover networks, opto-electronics, colorimetry and more.

Sams Technical Publishing1-800-428-7267

Communication Electronics forTechnicians

By: Joseph J. Carr ISBN #: 0-7906-1156-2 320 Pages $39.95 Prompt Publications

In Communication Electronics forTechnicians, noted and respected authorJoe Carr explains why the CET is animportant and valuable addition to yourprofessional resume. Carr, has composeda comprehensive text in three sections,divided into Associate Level,Journeyman Level, and a "Body ofKnowledge". The first two sections con -

min a question -answer -discussion chap-ter, so that you can not only see the cor-rect answer, but also the reasoning behindit. Following that, a practice examinationchapter tests your knowledge in a multi-ple-choice format with answer key. Thethird section represents a set of facts everyjourneyman in this trade needs to know,especially those thinking about attainingMaster Technician status. If you takepride in your work, and want to elevateyourself above the other run-of-the-millelectronics techs, then completing theCET exam is a major step.


Internet Guide to theElectronics Industry

By John Adams ISBN #0-7906-1092-2256 Pages $19.95 Prompt Publications

The Internet is an invaluable tool in theelectronics industry, just like a multime -ter or oscilloscope.Finding informationon the Internet can bea grueling chore, how-ever, and this is wherethis book can help you.The Sams' InternetGuide to theElectronics Industry isa vital tool for anyelectronics profes-sional . Not only doesthis book provide use-ful information aboutthe Internet and how touse it, it also containsa complete, up-to-datedirectory of electron-ics resources on theInternet and instruc-tions on how to findthem. The Sams'Internet Guide to theElectronics Industrycan help you locateinformation on the fol-lowing: ProductApplications,CompanyInformation, Product

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Wholesale/Retail Information,Frequently Asked Questions, TechnicalSupport, Electronics Chat Lines, OtherHobbyists/Technicians/Engineers,Product Datasheets, Books & Magazines,Product Support Software, ElectronicsDiscussion Groups, Free ProductSamples, Firmware, Software, ProductSupport, IC Pinouts, Company Contacts,Email, Product Pictures, Contests,Product Information, Hardware, Projectsand more About the Author: John J.Adams is co-owner of InfiNet-FX, anInternet consulting service for business-es, specializing in the electronics indus-try on the Web. John has studied comput-ers and electronics for 20 years. Now heteaches classes on Basic Electronics, aswell as Computing and Internet Basics,and provides companies with alternativeadvertising methods.


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Wan ilia (MEW1-1,vmen CA9rwarahouz4

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HERMANwww.hermanelectronics.com


Do You Repair Electronics?

Repair databases for TV,VCR, Monitor, UL Audio,

FCC, and more.

Over 76,000 records Private user forums Live on-line chat rooms

RepairWorld.comElextronix Corp., 1 Herald Square, Fairborn, OH 45324 (937) 878-9878


TO PLACE YOUR BUSINESS CARD AD

HERE EVERY MONTH CALL:

Lyndiane PaolettiElectronic Servicing & Technology


..41C)C13.nW `4.4(lig

Sweep rates to 64kHz Gray Scale/Color Bars & More

"AutoScan" (auto rate switching) Portable & Bench units

TV/Stereo/S-Video Products

CMM 1-800-466-4411, 770-662-5633www.computermonitor.com

Visa-MC-AMX-Discover-On-line ordering


ADVERTISERS INDEX

COMPANYPAGE

NUMBER

READER

SERVICE

NUMBERADVERTISER

HOTLINE

B&D ENTERPRISES 5 3 (888) 815-0508

BK PRECISION 11 31 (714) 237-9220

COMPUTER & MONITOR MAINTENANCE 54 29 (800) 466-4411

CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW/CEA 3 2 (703) 907-7605

ELECTRO HORIZONS -

BOOK LIBRARY 21 15 (800) 462-4659

CD-ROM LIBRARY 41 16 (800) 462-4659

GLOSSARY OF ELECTRONIC TERMS 53 24 (800) 462-4659

ELECTRONIC DESIGN SPECIALISTS 49 17 (561) 487-6103

ELECTRONIC SERVICING & TECHNOLOGY

- SUBSCRIPTIONS 10 (516) 681-2922

ELECTRONIC TECHNICIANS ASSOCIATION 8 4 (800) 288-3824

ELEXTRONIX CORP. 54 28 (937) 878-9878

ES&T BOOKSHOP IBC (800) 462-4659

"ESCALERA, STAIRCLIMBER" 54 25 (800) 622-1359

HERMAN ELECTRONICS 54 27 (800) 938-4376

INTERNATIONAL COMPONENTS 54 26 (800) 645-9154

ISCET 50 18 (817) 921-9101

POMONA ELECTRONICS IFC 1 (909) 469-2900

SAMS TECHNICAL PUBLISHING 51 (800) 428-SAMS

SENCORE 19 14 (800) SENCORE

THOMSON CONSUMER ELECTRONICS BC 30 (800) 336-1900

VIZIFLEX STATIC SOLUTIONS 17 13 (800) 307-3357

We'd like to see your company listed here too. Call:Joni Jones, East/Midwest

516-944-8C68, e-mail: [email protected] Allen, West Coast

516-883-3382, e-mail: [email protected] work out an advertising program tailored to suit your needs.


CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING By -the word. $1.65 per word, per insertion, pre -paid. lvinimum charge is $35 per insertion. Initials and abbreviations count asfull words. Indicate free category heading (For Sale, Business Opportunities, Miscellaneous, Wanted). Blind ads (replies sent to ES&T for forwarding) are $40additional. No agency discounts are allowed for classified advertising. For further information, or to place your order, contact:

Lyndiane Paolel:tiElectronic Servicing & Technology


FOR SALE

Sencore Equipment: .LC103 $1200,PR570 $450, CR7000 $1000, SC3100$1500, VC93 $1000. All equipment eitherunused or like new. Will sell all as packagefor $4900. Serious inquires only (513) 509-5474 or email:[email protected]

TV CASE HISTORIES: Volume 8 with3,325+ histories. Satisfaction assured. Only$59.75 (plus $3.25 shipping). Over 10,800books and supplements sold with only 1returned for a refund! Mike's RepairService, P.O. Box 217, Aberdeen ProvingGround, MD 21005. Same mailing address36+ years. Send SASE for samples. 410-272-4984,1-800-2-FIX-TVS 11a.m.-9 p.m.(http://mikesrs.webjump.com)

IN -CIRCUIT CAPACITOR TESTER - Findbad caps FAST and RELIABLY with theCapacitor Wizard in -circuit ESR Tester!Great for monitors, switching power supplies,TV, etc. Still only $179.95. MC/VISA.Independence Electronics Inc. 800-833-1094. www.awiz.com

TEST EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: REASON-ABLE PRICES SENCORE, TEKTRONIX,HP and MUCH MORE. View complete listat: http: www.astglobal.com or contact:AST GLOBAL ELECTRONICS. Voice: 888-216-7159; Fax 814-398-1176; e-mail:[email protected]

SENCORE, TEKTRONIX, HEWLETTPACKARD (all models). We BUY, SELL, &TRADE Please call "CHOICE ELEC-TRONICS" for all of your test equipmentneeds. Complete financing options avail-able. Call 1-800-609-0677, 605-361-6386ask for Lance Toole.

WinSTIPS - 149,000 Repair tips from 500shops! All brands. All types. $149.95.Includes 2 months free web updates.http://www.ServiceSoftware.com. KDTV5053rd Street, Aurora, IN 47001.1-888-537-8477. All c/cards. Download FREE 30 days.

ServiceTalk e-mail repair group. Whywork alone? 30 day free trial.http://www.ServiceSoft.com

ANY Tuner we rebuild is $25, YES $25,YES $25, YES $25! Includes FREE Shippingand Handling. *BUY - SELL - TRADE* TipTop TV, 18441 Sherman Way, Reseda, CA91335. 818-345-1974.

FURTHER PRICE REDUCTION! DiehlMark III $49, Diehl Mark V Horizontal circuittester $139. New. Conductive coating forremote control keypads $9.99 ppd. WEEC,2411 Nob Hill Road, Madison, WI 53713.http://Sites.Netscape.net/DuaneConger/HomePage. 608-238-4629, 608-273-8585.

OSCILLOSCOPES. New 40 MHz DualChannel With Delayed Time Base. B&K,Goldstar, or Pintek. Your choice $450.00each. New 20 MHz Dual Trace. B&K,Goldstar, or Metrix. Your choice $275.00each. Free catalog. GEOMA. Tel. (608) 462-4222, Fax: (608) 462-4223.

SC 3100 Wave Form Analyzer 100 MHz$1,400.00, CM 2125 Comp Monitor Analyzer$1,700.00, Powrite II $400.00, LC 102 AutoZ -meter $1,000.00. All equip. is Sencore -NEW - including manual and all acces-sories. Tel. (718) 927-1937, Email:[email protected].

WANTED

WANTED: USED TEST EQUIPMENT.TURN IDLE OR EXCESS EQUIPMENTINTO CASH. AST GLOBAL ELECTRON-ICS. Voice: 888-216-7159; Fax 814-398-1176; e-mail: [email protected].

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Beautiful sunny south Florida, 30 milessouth of Miami, 20 miles North of Key Largo.Excellent return. Electronics repair busi-ness. TV, VCRs, camcorders/stereo equip-ment. Authorized service center for manymajor brands. Priced to sell, $175,000.Business only. Call Ken Johnson, 305-245-6262.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA TV/ELECTRON-ICS REPAIR SERVICE. In business Since1991. $34K. Good location & Money Maker- Owner Retiring (703) 754-8790.

Established Repair Business in Kingman,Arizona. Includes service truck, inventory,all equipment, etc. $110,000. Call 520-692-1916.

Central Montana electronics sales and ser-vice business with building for sale. Lowcrime area, excellent hunting and fishing.75K. (406) 323-3257.

EMPLOYMENT

Service Network Manager - N.E.W. is aleading provider of customized extendedwarranty programs on consumer prod-ucts. Last year, over 85 million consumerswere covered under our broad range ofinnovative programs. As Service NetworkManager for our rapidly growing opera-tions center in Great Falls, MT, you willoversee our service group which isresponsible for the network of appliance,electronics and a variety of other servicecenters across the country that repair ourcustomers' products. This requires tech-nical service center knowledge/experi-ence, strong management skills, the abil-ity to recognize improvementopportunities, and a proven record of costreduction and quality management.

In exchange for your expertise, N.E.W.offers excellent growth opportunities, agreat work environment and paid reloca-tion. Send fax, or e-mail resume or letterof interest to our corporate headquartersin VA: N.E.W., Attn. AN -EST, 44873 FalconPlace, Dulles, VA 20166. Fax: 703-709-6573. E-mail: [email protected].

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

CENTRAL FLORIDA TV/ELECTRONICSBusiness/Building. Heart of the retirementarea. 36 years (75K). Owner retiring. 863-385-0359.


Readers' Exchange is a free service. The following restrictions apply toReaders' Exchange:

Only individual readers may use Readers' Exchange, and items mustbe restricted to those that are ordinarily associated with consumer elec-tronics as a business or hobby. If you're in business to sell the item(s) you

want to offer for sale, the appropriate place for your message is in a paidadvertisement, not Readers' Exchange.

Readers' Exchange items must be restricted to no more than threeitems each for wanted and for sale.

All submissions must be typed or printed clearly!

Send your Readers' Exchange submissions to:Readers' Exchange

Electronic Servicing & Technology403 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Port Washington, NY 11050

Tel: 516-883-3382 Fax: 516-883-2162

FOR SALESencore equipment VG91, TVA92, PR570, lessthan 1 year old.

Sencore PA81 and SG80, stereo and power ana-lyzer for sale.

Going out of business: parts, manuals, equipmentfor sales. Email: [email protected]

Service Literature for Sams 200-2242, & mostmanufacturers' subscription literature to currentdate. All parts and test equipment associated withoperating a service center for the past 45 years.For information contact A Walter at [email protected]

Sencore TVA92/VG91 Video Analyzer -Generator combo, Sencore CR70 Universal CRTTester, Sams Photofacts #2838 (7-91) thru #4298(5-00) and Tektronix 2213, 60MHz, triggereddual trace scope. Everything for $1800. All comecomplete and are in excellent condition. Shippingincluded within the contiguous USA.

Sencore TC28 transis-tube checker, $194.00.Beltron system picture tube restorer w/ cricketuniv. adaptor, $590.00. B&K 1826 freq. counter,$80.00. Elenco S-1325 dual trace scope, $284.00.Sencore SCR250 SCR & triac test accessory,$99.00. S.W. technical products regulated DCpower supply 0-35V, $161.00. 2 -high voltageprobes @$41.00 each. Computer monitor testerMT802, $152.00. B&K 1801 freq. counter,$203.00. Sencore LC102 auto Z cap. -inductoranalyzer, $1,305.00. N.W. microfilm 514 doublefische reader, $149.00. Sencore VC93 all formatVCR analyzer, $1165.00. Sencore TVA92 TVvideo analyzer, $1,435.00. Sencore VG91 univ.video generator, $1615.00. Sencore PR 57 a/cvariable isolation transformer & safety analyzer,$383.00. Tektronix 2235 100 MHz scope,$585.00. Heathkit ET -1000 circuit design train-er, $104.00. Fluke 77 multimeter, $113.00. Allnegotiable. Contact: Dennis Hastings, 703-754-8790, E-mail: [email protected].

Service literature for Sams 200-2242 and mostmanufacturers' subscription literature to currentdate. All parts and test equipment associated withoperating a service center for the past 45 years.For information Contact: A. Walter, 507-354-4617, Fax 507-359-5556. E-mail:[email protected].

Optoelectronics MI MicroCounter 10Hz -

2.8GHz with antenna pack (still in box), new con-dition. $250.00. Contact: Aaron 918-456-2030(evenings).

TF46 Sencore transistor tester $200.00, like new,PR57 $200.00, microfishe cards $100.00, servicemanuals many models $500.00. Shipping notincluded. Contact: Patrick R. Willie 520-871 -2139.

Digital Engine Analyzer $65, Charging SystemTester $25, Electronic Ignition Tester $25. Allabove $100 plus shipping with manual. Contact:Leonard Duschenchuk 561-871-5831.

Sencore VC93 VCR Analyzer in excellent con-dition. Comes with all leads, manuals, and testtape. Also has output connector cable for VA62Aor VG91. $550.00 plus shipping. Call Gerald at252-745-4493 or 252-745-5707.

Sencore VC93 Video Analyzer, new, all probes,manual, $1000.00. Contact: Edward Lozada,787-839-6264.

SC3100 Sencore scope, like new $1500.00. Willpay shipping. Contact: Ralph Bianco, 610-446-7788.

Sams #101-1862. Best offer will transport with-in 300 miles. Contact: Ben, 804-526-6412.Sencore SC3100, scope, meter, frequency counter,$1995.00. Sencore PRS570, digital AC isolationtransformer, $595.00. Many other pieces of testequipment priced to sell. E-mail: [email protected] for complete list and prices. Contact:Alex, 858-274-6935 (work) 9 a.m- 5 p.m.

Sencore VG91 universal video generator andTVA TV video analyzer with PR57 isolationtransformer/safety analyzer. All for $1800.00.Sencore SC61 waveform analyzer $950.00.Sencore CR7000 beam -rite CRT analyzer/restor-er, $1190.00. EDS-88A cap analyzer, brand newwith probes and manuals, $150.00. Contact:Fred, 316-204-3680.

B&K 545 auto component analyzer, $1500.00.Contact: Kim Gutzke, 612-869-4963.

Radios, test equipment, radio tubes and literature.Send $0.99 SASE. Contact: Paul Williams, 236ABeaver Valley Pike, New Providence, PA 17560-9622, phone: 717-786-3803.

WANTEDIC for a model 2700 dish receiver. I believe this tobe a voltage regulator. It is a 5 pin device with thefollowing markings, ST, (in a small square in thetop left corner), then MRC, under that is VIP am50, under that is C9829. Need cross reference forpart, and schematic, or will copy and return. Anyhints on lightening damage to this receiver wouldbe appreciated. Contact Marvin White's TV serv.,622 N. 5th St., Hollis, OK 73550, 580-688-2612.Circuit board designation for this part is: u5002.

Hi-fi tube equipment, pro -sound gear, limiters,Technics SP-10MK2 and MK3 turntables withobsidium base. Contact: Kim Gutzke,612-869-4963.

Umax UC-630 scanner service manual/schemat-ics/repair manual/operators manual/setup. Willbuy or pay copy costs. Contact: L. Hicks, 1218S. 257th Place, Des Moines, WA 98198.

IC Part # DEC0015B. Also service manual forEmerson VCR953. Will buy or copy. Contact:Murray Goldstein, 1622 Granfern Avenue, WestPalm Beach, FL 33415, phone: 561-966-8862.

Zenith 9-351 deflection module, used. Contact:Ray's TV, Box 70, Lacombe, LA 70445, E-mail:[email protected].

SAE Model #P101 pre -amp or part #11-0224(ICU210). SAE Model T101 stereo receiver orpart # Fd 612U14 (tuner unit). Contact: JustElectronics, 316 North Lake Street, Mundelein,IL 60060, phone: 847-949-8808.

Output transformer for Crosley radio model 12A.Must be original. Contact: Paul Williams, 236ABeaver Valley Pike, New Providence, PA 17560-9622, phone: 717-786-3803.


,;C Serve;Bohol lel.vairs

Oing BrunetrIr te,r. Mere

Applied Roboticsby Edwin Wise

A hands-on introduction tothe field of robotics, this bookwill guide the hobbyistthrough the issues and chal-lenges of building a workingrobot. Each chapter buildsupon the previous one,extending a core robot pro-ject throughout the book.Examples of chaptersinclude MechanicalPlatforms, Power Supplies,Adding Sense,Microcontrollers, InsectRobots, Pneumatics, MoreBehavior and Intelligence,Programming Projects,Robot Behaviors,and much more.

61184 $29.95

Manufacturer toManufacturer PartNumber Cross Referenceby Howard W Sams & Co.

Desperate to get thatreplacement part?Wondering if that two-weekwait for one part is worth it?Have a workshop full of partsyou aren't sure are the rightreplacements? With theManufacturer -to -Manufacturer Part NumberCross Reference you willhave the source for findingall the possible alternativereplacement parts.

61207 $29.95

Dictionary of ModernElectronics Technologyby Andrew Singmin

New technology overpowersthe old every day. Oneminute you're working withthe quickest and mostsophisticated electronicequipment, and the nextyou're working with amuseum piece. Thisdictionary thoroughlydefines the ever-changingand advancing world ofelectronics terminology.

61164 $34.95

SEMICONDUCTOR"ROSS RUCRENCE BOOK

PROMPT

Component Identifier &Source Book, 2/Eby Victor Meeldijk

Written to assist techniciansand system designers, this isa vital tool for anycne whowants to make the processof identifying and locatingcomponents easier andfaster. Provides cross refer-ence to component types,manufactLrers, trade names,abbreviation, and more.

61159 $34.95

Semiconductor CrossReference Guide, 4/E andSemiconductor CrossReference on CD-ROMby Howard W. Sams & Co.

Available in paper or onCD-ROM. this referencecovers all major types ofsemiconductors and is themost comprehensive guideto replacement data availablefor engineers, technicians,and students who work withsemiconductors. Coversmore than 490,000 partnumbers. A necessary com-ponent of your workbench!Paper Version:61080 $29.95

CD-ROM Version:61140 $29.95

TO ORDER TOLL FREECALL 1-800-462-4659

When ordering books please include the following information: Name, address, city, state & zip. Please list thebooks you're requesting and their ID#. When paying by credit card send the number along with the expirationdate. Check, Money Order, Mastercard, VISA, Discover and AMEX accepted. Please make your check or moneyorder payable to: Electronic Servicing & Technology.U.S. possessions - add $4 shipping/handling. FREE shipping/handling on orders $50 or over. Foreign - ship-ping/handling charges are calculated by order, weight & destination. A $4 credit will be applied for Foreignorders over $50.

Please call or mail your orders to:MARY TALI, ELECTRONIC SERVICING & TECHNOLOGY

P.O. Box 748, Port Washington, New York 11050Tel: 800.462.4659 Fax 516.883.2162

Exact Semiconductors

How many times have you heard that!

You built your reputation on hardwork and quality repairs.Why change now?

Put your reputation on the linewith two names you can trust.

SK Series and ThomsonConsumer Electronics.

With over 1,700 exacts instock, you won't have to lookanywhere else. And when you'rein need of any video heads,belts, tires, flyback transformersor video replacement parts,we have them too.

But we don't stop there.

Our continuing quality assurance andaccuracy goes into every SK Series product.

For more information on SK Series products,contact your nearest Thomson Distributor.

SK Series...The parts you need to do the job. "Trust me!"

TMSON CONSUMER ECTRON

Servicing & Technology - World Radio History

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Transcript of Servicing & Technology - World Radio History