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PRODUCT SHOWCASE R&S RTB2000 entry-level oscilloscope for education, R&D and manufacturing The Rohde & Schwarz RTB2000 is the first low-cost oscilloscope to offer touchscreen operation as well as 10-bit vertical resolution. The R&S RTB2000 includes a proprietary 10-bit ADC with 1024 vertical positions, four times the resolution of any other oscilloscope in this segment. The increased resolution enables users to make more precise measurements and can be particularly useful for detecting small signals in the presence of large-amplitude signals. After bandwidth and sample rate, memory depth is the most important attribute that determines an oscilloscope’s ability to handle a large range of troubleshooting tasks. The R&S RTB2000 oscilloscopes feature an industry-leading 10 Msample acquisition memory on each oscilloscope channel, and 20 Msample per channel in interleaved mode. This means ten times more memory than leading instruments in the segment. Users benefit from longer time captures for testing and troubleshooting, providing additional insight into electronic devices. Furthermore, this large standard memory can optionally be further extended to 160 Msample of segmented memory. The R&S RTB2000 series sports an impressive 10.1” capacitive touchscreen. It comes in two and four channel models and offer bandwidths of 70MHz, 100MHz, 200MHz and 300MHz. Base prices start at $1,899 for the 2-channel 70MHz model. Several upgrade Contact: options to extend Rohde & Schwarz (Aust) the instrument’s ca- Unit 2, 75 Epping Rd, North Ryde NSW 2113 pabilities is avail- Tel: (02)8874 5100 able. Website: www.rohde-schwarz.com/au BBC micro:bit compact microcontroller If you’re looking to learn about the world of coding, electronics and creating your own interactive devices – or wanting to give a youngster a head start in the fields of technology and engineering – then order the new BBC micro:bit from Tronixlabs Australia. The micro:bit is a compact microcontroller board with LED matrix, compass, Bluetooth, USB and an accelerometer that can be programmed for all sorts of interactive fun. Originally designed to be distributed to every Year 7 child in the UK, the micro:bit is now available to all – and offers an inexpensive introduction to writing software and electronics. Users create code in one of several web-based environments – or even a smartphone – and then upload the code to the micro:bit for fun and education. They can also create code to have two micro:bits interact with each other, and adding extra sensors or hardware is easy thanks to the contact points on the bottom of the micro:bit. Measuring only 50 x 40mm the micro:bit is the new standard in port46  Silicon Chip able, inexpensive and fun technology education devices. Getting started is easy thanks to numerous tutorials, lessons, videos and a growing global user group. A full range of BBC micro:bit boards and accessories is available in Australia from Tronixlabs, who also welcome education orders – and volume discounts apply. Jaycar’s Duinotech “Green Thumb” garden kit A do-it-yourself Duinotech project especially for garden enthusiasts: it reads soil moisture, temperature and humidity in your garden and sends the data wirelessly to a display, so you can see when your garden needs watering. A range of other sensors is also available. See step-by-step instructions at jaycar.com.au/wireless-garden-monitor Contact: Contact: PO Box 313, Mooroolbark Vic 3138 Fax: (03) 8456 6477 Website: www.tronixlabs.com.au Head Office: 320 Victoria Rd, Rydalmere 2116 Tel: (02) 8832 3100 Web: www.jaycar.com.au Tronixlabs Australia Jaycar Electronics (all stores) siliconchip.com.au How simulation tools and virtual prototypes are helping design engineers lower costs by reducing the need for physical prototypes Many design engineers already know that PSpice® from Cadence is a powerful mixed signal SPICE simulator that lets them create simulation-ready designs faster; with the 35,000+ parts library it ships with including a vast collection of vendor-verified sensors and precision electronics devices. PSpice offers several tools for accurately modelling and simulating these parts using various levels of abstraction; whether architectural, functional, behavioural, gate level, circuit level or physical. One major benefit is that you can explore more ‘what if’ scenarios more quickly and accurately, before committing to a PCB layout or making a prototype board. Recently Cadence has partnered with MathWorks to create an integrated modelling environment in which both a product’s mechanical AND electrical blocks can be simulated simultaneously? This ‘co-simulation’ functionality is of special interest to designers of complex devices (eg medical, IoT, wearable, automotive or aerospace) who need to explore more design options and who would otherwise need to make multiple prototypes of not only every PCB variant, but every product variant containing those PCBs. At the heart of these co-simulation capabilities are two options for PSpice that create the integrate MathWorks/PSpice environment. ‘PSpice SLPS Option’: Lets a PSpice circuit behavioural block run in a Simulink system-level model; and ‘PSpice Systems Option’: Allows full bi-directional data exchange between MATLAB and PSpice, with outcomes including leveraging MATLAB™ Visualization capabilities (such as polar plots) from PSpice, perform PSpice ON SALE NOW! PSpice Designer (PO1520) 80% OFF until June 30 Now only AUD$1,650 (GST incl) PSpice SLPS Option (PO1336) 20% OFF until June 30 Redback Audio gets a new (online) home With the ongoing success and loyal industry support of its “Redback” professional audio/public address equipment, Altronics Distributors, the Perth-based manufacturers of Redback, have decided to give the brand its own web presence, launching the website www.redbackaudio.com.au While many of Altronics’ competitors have shifted production offshore, they take pride in supplying the pro audio industry with innovative, Australian-made product. Initially, the brand was called “Redford”. The brand was relaunched as “Redback” in 1974 as a new, third-generation of amplifier was manufactured. Since the very beginning, the Redback brand has offered innovative solutions for PA contractors, with a strong focus on solving common installation problems that cost considerable time. For instance, the Redback One-Shot speaker, first devised in the late 1990s, has changed the way speakers are installed into ceiling tiles and saved countless hours of installers’ time and money. Redback Audio Contact: products will con- Altronics Distributors/Redback tinue to be available (Head Office): 174 Roe St, Perth WA 6000 through, and backed Tel: 1300 797 007 by, Altronics stores. Web: www.redbackaudio.com.au siliconchip.com.au DC sweeps at multiple temperatures, or doing ‘Hardware in the Loop’ testing for critical new functions in completely reliable simulation environments. Prior to this integrated approach, customers had to simulate their design blocks independently, with no ability to input feedback from one system into the other. However, this partnership now means engineers can simulate complete products within an integrated debug environment. Is this trend playing out locally? In Australia, there’s growing uptake of PSpice and the ‘co-simulation’ options by commercial, research and defence industry groups; with a growing number of universities now offering advanced simulation courses using the Cadence and MathWorks software suites and the PSpice ‘co-simulation’ options. Learn more: www.ecadtools.com.au/specials.html Freeview FV app now available on Android Tablet Watching your favourite TV programs on-the-go has never been easier with Freeview FV and the world-first free-toair TV live streaming app is now available for download on Android tablets. The Android tablet app is available through the Google Play store and adds to the existing iOS iPhone, iPad, and Android phone versions which launched in November last year. Freeview FV delivers live streaming of 20 free-to-air TV channels and the catch-up content from all networks with just one click. Available channels include: ABC, SBS, Seven, Channel 9, TEN, ONE, Eleven, ABC2/ABC KIDS, ABC ME, ABC News 24, SBS VICELAND, Food Network, NITV, 7TWO, 7Mate, 7Flix, Racing.com, 9Gem, 9Go! and 9Life. More live channels will be added as they become available. Meanwhile, Freeview reported 1.2 Billion minutes of TV was streamed last month (March), with free video on demand eclipsing subscription video on demand. More than five million Australians Contact: are now streaming Freeview Australia Ltd free video on de- 44 Avenue Rd, Mosman NSW 2088 mand (FVOD) con- Tel: (02) 8968 7100 tent. Web: www.freeview.com.au SC May 2017  47