Electronic devices have significantly influenced the development of many aspects of modern society, such astelecommunications, entertainment, education, health care, industry, and security. The main driving force behind the advancement of electronics is thesemiconductor industry, which continually produces ever-more sophisticated electronic devices and circuits in response to global demand. Thesemiconductor industry is one of the global economy's largest and most profitableindustries, with annual revenues exceeding $481 billion in 2018. Theelectronics industry also encompasses other branches that rely on electronic devices and systems, such as e-commerce, which generated over $29 trillion in online sales in 2017. (Full article...)
There is a critical value of transformercoupling coefficient at which thefrequency response of the amplifier ismaximally flat in thepassband and thegain is maximum at theresonant frequency. Designs frequently use a coupling greater than this (over-coupling) in order to achieve an even wider bandwidth at the expense of a small loss of gain in the centre of the passband. (Full article...)
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Telephone cable containing multiple twisted-pair lines Theprimary line constants are parameters that describe the characteristics of conductivetransmission lines, such as pairs ofcopper wires, in terms of the physical electrical properties of the line. The primary line constants are only relevant to transmission lines and are to be contrasted with thesecondary line constants, which can be derived from them, and are more generally applicable. The secondary line constants can be used, for instance, to compare the characteristics of awaveguide to a copper line, whereas the primary constants have no meaning for a waveguide.
The constants are conductor resistance and inductance, and insulator capacitance and conductance, which are by convention given the symbolsR,L,C, andG respectively. The constants are enumerated in terms of per unit length. The circuit representation of these elements requires adistributed-element model and consequentlycalculus must be used to analyse the circuit. The analysis yields a system of two first order, simultaneous linearpartial differential equations which may be combined to derive the secondary constants ofcharacteristic impedance andpropagation constant. (Full article...)
The project began with two aims: to prove the practicality of theWilliams tube, an early form ofcomputer memory based on standardcathode-ray tubes (CRTs); and to construct a machine that could be used to investigate how computers might be able to assist in the solution of mathematical problems. The first of the series, theManchester Baby, ran its first program on 21 June 1948. As the world's first stored-program computer, the Baby, and theManchester Mark 1 developed from it, quickly attracted the attention of the United Kingdom government, who contracted the electrical engineering firm ofFerranti to produce a commercial version. The resulting machine, theFerranti Mark 1, was the world's first commercially available general-purpose computer. (Full article...)
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TheZenFone 6 is a 2019Android-basedsmartphone that was manufactured, released, and marketed byAsus. It is the only release in Asus' sixth-generationZenFone lineup and directly succeeds theZenFone 5Z. Asus chairman Jonney Shih unveiled the ZenFone 6 on 16 May 2019 inValencia, Spain, and it was released in Spain the following day.
The ZenFone 6 has a larger 6.4-inch (160 mm) display, a faster processor, and upgraded cameras than the ZenFone 5Z. The ZenFone 6'sflip-up camera module doubles as a front-facing camera. It is the first mobile device Asus released after restructuring its smartphone division in late 2018. The ZenFone 6 was released in the Indian market as the "Asus 6Z". (Full article...)
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TheRevox B215 is acassette deck manufactured byStuder from 1985 until around 1990. A professional version with different control layout and audio path electronics was manufactured concurrently as theStuder A721. A later improved version was marketed as theRevox B215S. Because it was expensive compared to other consumer models and had exceptionally good mechanical performance and durability, the B215 was used primarily by professional customers—radio stations, recording studios and real-time cassette duplicators.
The B215 used a proven, reliable four-motortape transport derived from the earlier B710 model. The B215 differed from the B710 and competing decks of the period in having an unusual, computer-like control panel and elaborate automation performed by threePhilipsmicrocontrollers. The deck was equipped with automatic tape calibration, microcontroller-assisted setting of recording levels, andnon-volatile memory. (Full article...)
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TheiPhone 6 andiPhone 6 Plus aresmartphones that were developed and marketed byApple. They are theeighth generation of theiPhone, succeeding theiPhone 5,iPhone 5c andiPhone 5s, and were released on September 19, 2014. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus respectively include larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays, a faster processor, upgraded cameras, improvedLTE andWi-Fi connectivity and support for anear-field communications-basedmobile payments offering. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were replaced as the flagship devices of the iPhone series by theiPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on September 9, 2015.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus received positive reviews, with critics regarding their redesign, specifications, camera, price point, and battery life as improvements over previous iPhone models. However, aspects of their design were criticized, including plastic strips on the rear of the device for its antenna that disrupted the otherwise metal exterior, and the screen resolution of the standard-sized iPhone 6 being lower than other devices in its class. The iPhone 6sold extremely well, making it the best-sellingiPhone model and themost successful smartphone to date. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus supportediOS 8,9,10,11 and12 before being dropped byiOS 13. (Full article...)
Introduced in 2003, HDMI largely replaced olderanalog video standards such ascomposite video,S-Video, andVGA inconsumer electronics. It was developed based on theCEA-861 standard, which was also used with the earlierDigital Visual Interface (DVI). HDMI is electrically compatible with DVI video signals, andadapters allow interoperability between the two without signal conversion or loss of quality. Adapters and active converters are also available for connecting HDMI to other video interfaces, including the older analog formats, as well as digital formats such asDisplayPort. (Full article...)
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A 10dB 1.7–2.2GHz directional coupler. From left to right: input, coupled, isolated (terminated with a load), and transmitted port. Power dividers (alsopower splitters and, when used in reverse,power combiners) anddirectional couplers arepassive devices used mostly in the field of radio technology. They couple a defined amount of the electromagnetic power in atransmission line to aport enabling the signal to be used in another circuit. An essential feature of directional couplers is that they only couple power flowing in one direction. Power entering the output port is coupled to the isolated port but not to the coupled port. A directional coupler designed to split power equally between two ports is called ahybrid coupler.
Directional couplers are most frequently constructed from two coupled transmission lines set close enough together such that energy passing through one is coupled to the other. This technique is favoured at themicrowave frequencies where transmission line designs are commonly used to implement many circuit elements. However,lumped component devices are also possible at lower frequencies, such as the audio frequencies encountered intelephony. Also at microwave frequencies, particularly the higher bands,waveguide designs can be used. Many of these waveguide couplers correspond to one of the conducting transmission line designs, but there are also types that are unique to waveguide. (Full article...)
It is distinguished from its predecessor by its larger and higher-resolution screen, higher storage options, a larger battery, and a video camera with stereo audio recording for a spatial effect on headphones and external speakers. While the picture and video resolutions of the camera stayed the same, its launching speed and shutter lag improved. (Full article...)
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The Yamaha NS-10M studio monitor, identifiable by its horizontal lettering and white-coloured mid–bass drive unit TheYamaha NS-10 is aloudspeaker that became a standard nearfieldstudio monitor in the music industry among rock and pop recording engineers. Launched byYamaha in 1978, the NS-10 was intended as ahi-fibookshelf speaker for domestic environments. It was received poorly by its intended audience, but became a staple for recording studios and freelance audio engineers due to its perceived ability to reveal poor quality in recordings.
The speaker is known for its exaggerated treble response, which some engineers, such asBob Clearmountain, sought to dull by hanging tissue paper in front of itstweeter. The NS-10 has been used to monitor a large number of successful recordings by numerous artists, leadingGizmodo to refer to it as "the most important speaker you've never heard of". (Full article...)
The iPhone 5s has almost the same external design as well as the same 4-inch screen as its predecessor, the iPhone 5. The 5s received a new white/gold color scheme in addition to white/silver and space gray/black. The 5s features upgrades mostly in the form of internal hardware; it introduced theApple A764-bit dual-core system-on-chip, the first 64-bit processor to be used on a smartphone, accompanied by theM7 "motion co-processor". A redesigned home button withTouch ID – afingerprint recognition system which can be used to unlock the phone and authenticateApp Store andiTunes Store purchases – was also introduced. The camera was updated with a largeraperture and a dual-LED flash optimized for differentcolor temperatures.EarPods, which were introduced the year prior and had been shipping with the iPhone 5, were included in the box. (Full article...)
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m-derived filters orm-type filters are a type ofelectronic filter designed using theimage method. They were invented byOtto Zobel in the early 1920s. This filter type was originally intended for use with telephonemultiplexing and was an improvement on the existingconstant k type filter. The main problem being addressed was the need to achieve a better match of the filter into the terminating impedances. In general, all filters designed by the image method fail to give an exact match, but the m-type filter is a big improvement with suitable choice of the parameter m. The m-type filter section has a further advantage in that there is a rapid transition from thecut-off frequency of thepassband to apole ofattenuation just inside thestopband. Despite these advantages, there is a drawback with m-type filters; at frequencies past the pole of attenuation, the response starts to rise again, and m-types have poor stopband rejection. For this reason, filters designed using m-type sections are often designed ascomposite filters with a mixture of k-type and m-type sections and different values of m at different points to get the optimum performance from both types. (Full article...)
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Figure 1. Waveguide slotted line Slotted lines are used formicrowave measurements and consist of a movable probe inserted into a slot in atransmission line. They are used in conjunction with a microwave power source and usually, in keeping with their low-cost application, a low costSchottky diode detector andVSWR meter rather than an expensivemicrowave power meter.
Slotted lines can measurestanding waves,wavelength, and, with some calculation or plotting onSmith charts, a number of other parameters includingreflection coefficient andelectrical impedance. A precision variableattenuator is often incorporated in the test setup to improve accuracy. This is used to make level measurements, while the detector and VSWR meter are retained only to mark a reference point for the attenuator to be set to, thus eliminating entirely the detector and meter measurement errors. The parameter most commonly measured by a slotted line is SWR. This serves as a measure of the accuracy of the impedance match to the item under test. This is especially important for transmitting antennas and their feed lines; highstanding wave ratio on a radio or TV antenna can distort the signal, increase transmission line loss and potentially damage components in the transmission path, possibly even the transmitter. (Full article...)
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TheElectro-Dynamic Light Company of New York was a lighting and electrical distribution company organized in 1878. The company held the patents for the first practical incandescent electric lamp and electrical distribution system of incandescent electric lighting. They also held a patent for an electric meter to measure the amount of electricity used. The inventions were those ofAlbon Man andWilliam E. Sawyer. They gave the patent rights to the company, which they had formed with a group of businessmen. It was the first company in the world formally established to provided electric lighting and was the first company organized specifically to manufacture and sellincandescent electric light bulbs.
Man, an attorney from New York City, supplied money for experimentation to Sawyer, an electrical engineer. This partnership developed into the Electro-Dynamic Light Company that brought in other investors that became partners. Sawyer devised a unique electrical distribution system where electrical power could be obtained anywhere in the city from an electrical generator with the turn of a switch to light up electric lamps to produce glowing light like a gas lamp. It was unique in that it produced this power without consumers having to maintain local galvanic batteries and at a fraction of the cost of producing the same lighting as from gas lamps. Other features of the system were that safety devices were built in to prevent the early destroying of the other electric lamps in the circuit should there be a power surge due to a lamp burning up early and leaving the distribution circuit. The patents for the Man and Sawyer system were in place before any other electrical companies had similar systems. (Full article...)
Adistributed-element filter is anelectronic filter in whichcapacitance,inductance, andresistance (theelements of the circuit) are not localised in discretecapacitors,inductors, andresistors as they are in conventional filters. Its purpose is to allow a range ofsignal frequencies to pass, but to block others. Conventional filters are constructed from inductors and capacitors, and the circuits so built are described by thelumped element model, which considers each element to be "lumped together" at one place. That model is conceptually simple, but it becomes increasingly unreliable as thefrequency of the signal increases, or equivalently as thewavelength decreases. Thedistributed-element model applies at all frequencies, and is used intransmission-line theory; many distributed-element components are made of short lengths of transmission line. In the distributed view of circuits, the elements are distributed along the length ofconductors and are inextricably mixed together. The filter design is usually concerned only with inductance and capacitance, but because of this mixing of elements they cannot be treated as separate "lumped" capacitors and inductors. There is no precise frequency above which distributed element filters must be used but they are especially associated with themicrowave band (wavelength less than one metre).
Distributed-element filters are used in many of the same applications as lumped element filters, such asselectivity of radio channel,bandlimiting of noise andmultiplexing of many signals into one channel. Distributed-element filters may be constructed to have any of the bandforms possible with lumped elements (low-pass,band-pass, etc.) with the exception ofhigh-pass, which is usually only approximated. All filter classes used in lumped element designs (Butterworth,Chebyshev, etc.) can be implemented using a distributed-element approach. (Full article...)
... that in Yugoslavia,Rudi Čajavec, the electronics company that produced various components of theM-84 tank, also made guitar amplifiers?
... that in 2019, Chinese electronics companyXiaomi posted a video of their third-quarterly financial report featuring a parody of theanime song "Renai Circulation"?
... that Japanese electronic musicianCamellia began producing music at the age of ten using his mother's computer?
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