Silicon ChipThe Fox Report - January 2021 SILICON CHIP
  1. Outer Front Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Subscriptions: PE Subscription
  4. Subscriptions: PicoLog Cloud
  5. Back Issues: PICOLOG
  6. Publisher's Letter
  7. Feature: The Fox Report by Barry Fox
  8. Feature: Techno Talk by Mark Nelson
  9. Feature: Net Work by Alan Winstanley
  10. Project: Nutube by John Clarke miniature valve stereo preamplifier by John Clarke
  11. Project: Complete Arduino DCC Controller by Tim Blythman
  12. Project: Using Cheap Asian Electronic Modules by Jim Rowe
  13. Feature: KickStart by Mike Tooley
  14. Feature: PICn’Mix by Mike Hibbett
  15. Feature: AUDIO OUT by Jake Rothman
  16. Feature: Make it with Micromite by Phil Boyce
  17. Feature: Interference and noise by Ian Bell
  18. Feature: Max’s Cool Beans by Max the Magnificent
  19. Feature: Visual programming with XOD by Julian Edgar
  20. Advertising Index: Max’s Cool Beans by Max the Magnificent
  21. PCB Order Form

This is only a preview of the January 2021 issue of Practical Electronics.

You can view 0 of the 72 pages in the full issue.

Articles in this series:
  • (November 2020)
  • (November 2020)
  • Techno Talk (December 2020)
  • Techno Talk (December 2020)
  • Techno Talk (January 2021)
  • Techno Talk (January 2021)
  • Techno Talk (February 2021)
  • Techno Talk (February 2021)
  • Techno Talk (March 2021)
  • Techno Talk (March 2021)
  • Techno Talk (April 2021)
  • Techno Talk (April 2021)
  • Techno Talk (May 2021)
  • Techno Talk (May 2021)
  • Techno Talk (June 2021)
  • Techno Talk (June 2021)
  • Techno Talk (July 2021)
  • Techno Talk (July 2021)
  • Techno Talk (August 2021)
  • Techno Talk (August 2021)
  • Techno Talk (September 2021)
  • Techno Talk (September 2021)
  • Techno Talk (October 2021)
  • Techno Talk (October 2021)
  • Techno Talk (November 2021)
  • Techno Talk (November 2021)
  • Techno Talk (December 2021)
  • Techno Talk (December 2021)
  • Communing with nature (January 2022)
  • Communing with nature (January 2022)
  • Should we be worried? (February 2022)
  • Should we be worried? (February 2022)
  • How resilient is your lifeline? (March 2022)
  • How resilient is your lifeline? (March 2022)
  • Go eco, get ethical! (April 2022)
  • Go eco, get ethical! (April 2022)
  • From nano to bio (May 2022)
  • From nano to bio (May 2022)
  • Positivity follows the gloom (June 2022)
  • Positivity follows the gloom (June 2022)
  • Mixed menu (July 2022)
  • Mixed menu (July 2022)
  • Time for a total rethink? (August 2022)
  • Time for a total rethink? (August 2022)
  • What’s in a name? (September 2022)
  • What’s in a name? (September 2022)
  • Forget leaves on the line! (October 2022)
  • Forget leaves on the line! (October 2022)
  • Giant Boost for Batteries (December 2022)
  • Giant Boost for Batteries (December 2022)
  • Raudive Voices Revisited (January 2023)
  • Raudive Voices Revisited (January 2023)
  • A thousand words (February 2023)
  • A thousand words (February 2023)
  • It’s handover time (March 2023)
  • It’s handover time (March 2023)
  • AI, Robots, Horticulture and Agriculture (April 2023)
  • AI, Robots, Horticulture and Agriculture (April 2023)
  • Prophecy can be perplexing (May 2023)
  • Prophecy can be perplexing (May 2023)
  • Technology comes in different shapes and sizes (June 2023)
  • Technology comes in different shapes and sizes (June 2023)
  • AI and robots – what could possibly go wrong? (July 2023)
  • AI and robots – what could possibly go wrong? (July 2023)
  • How long until we’re all out of work? (August 2023)
  • How long until we’re all out of work? (August 2023)
  • We both have truths, are mine the same as yours? (September 2023)
  • We both have truths, are mine the same as yours? (September 2023)
  • Holy Spheres, Batman! (October 2023)
  • Holy Spheres, Batman! (October 2023)
  • Where’s my pneumatic car? (November 2023)
  • Where’s my pneumatic car? (November 2023)
  • Good grief! (December 2023)
  • Good grief! (December 2023)
  • Cheeky chiplets (January 2024)
  • Cheeky chiplets (January 2024)
  • Cheeky chiplets (February 2024)
  • Cheeky chiplets (February 2024)
  • The Wibbly-Wobbly World of Quantum (March 2024)
  • The Wibbly-Wobbly World of Quantum (March 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Wait! What? Really? (April 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Wait! What? Really? (April 2024)
  • Techno Talk - One step closer to a dystopian abyss? (May 2024)
  • Techno Talk - One step closer to a dystopian abyss? (May 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Program that! (June 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Program that! (June 2024)
  • Techno Talk (July 2024)
  • Techno Talk (July 2024)
  • Techno Talk - That makes so much sense! (August 2024)
  • Techno Talk - That makes so much sense! (August 2024)
  • Techno Talk - I don’t want to be a Norbert... (September 2024)
  • Techno Talk - I don’t want to be a Norbert... (September 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Sticking the landing (October 2024)
  • Techno Talk - Sticking the landing (October 2024)
  • Techno Talk (November 2024)
  • Techno Talk (November 2024)
  • Techno Talk (December 2024)
  • Techno Talk (December 2024)
  • Techno Talk (January 2025)
  • Techno Talk (January 2025)
  • Techno Talk (February 2025)
  • Techno Talk (February 2025)
  • Techno Talk (March 2025)
  • Techno Talk (March 2025)
  • Techno Talk (April 2025)
  • Techno Talk (April 2025)
  • Techno Talk (May 2025)
  • Techno Talk (May 2025)
  • Techno Talk (June 2025)
  • Techno Talk (June 2025)
The Fox Report Barry Fox’s technology column HDMI capture dongle update I promised an update report on the absurdly low- priced (under a tenner) HDMI capture dongle which I test-purchased (see The Fox Report, PE, October 2020.) These little devices are now widely available online, direct from Chinese suppliers and via more local importers – at a wide range of prices starting at around £7 (US$10). The generic name is ‘HDMI to USB Video Capture Card 1080P 2.0 For Game / Live Streaming’. Some middlemen are labelling these dongles with their own model names, but the basic specification, and very likely the chipset, remains the same: ‘Input (HDMI) resolution 3840×2160<at>30Hz, output (USB) resolution 1920×1080<at>30Hz. Support 8/10/12-bit deep colour. Support most acquisition software, such as VLC, OBS, Amcap, etc. Support Windows, Android and macOS. No external power supply is required. Video Output Mode: YUV / JPEG. Support Audio Format: L-PCM’. Easy to use No instructions are needed. Just plug one end of the dongle (which is around the same size as a USB memory device) into the HDMI output of pretty much any media player, set-top box, game console or online entertainment system; connect the other end of the dongle by USB lead to a USB socket on a computer which is running capture software, such as free Open Source OBS (Open Broadcaster Software). The capture software ‘sees’ the dongle as a simple USB media device and captures whatever it delivers. It’s that simple. The only complication is the way OBS offers a myriad of setup options and likes to default to settings which mute the sound. Time spent on the OBS help pages and googling user experience is time well spent. It’s a small price to pay for a wonderfully flexible free program. Higher-priced alternatives Super-cheap HDMI capture dongle – it does exactly what it says on the case... ...but unlike its (much) more expensive rivals it does require a reasonably powerful PC. 1552 hand-held plastic enclosures One cautionary note; most of the capture devices sold by big name companies such as Hauppauge and Elgato, and costing ten or twenty times the dongle price, have onboard processing power which takes processing load off the computer running the capture software (such as OBS). This enables glitch-free capture on low-spec computers. Some of these ‘name’ devices also cater for component video and analogue and SP/DIF audio inputs; the new dongles do not. If you use the budget dongle with a budget computer, the captured video and audio will stutter and judder. But use it with a reasonably powerful computer and the dongle delivers smooth and glitch-free results. I tried it with a low-end Acer Windows 10 laptop and ageing HP desktop and the results were unacceptable; but with a Mac laptop it worked like a dream. ! w ne Learn more: hammfg.com/1552 Contact us to request a free evaluation sample. uksales<at>hammfg.com • 01256 812812 8 Practical Electronics | January | 2021 Copyright / copy wrong Tests suggest that the dongle simply ignores the HDCP copy protection which is tied to the HDMI standards; so, it enables copyright infringement. Perhaps sales can and will be banned; perhaps not. We are simply reporting the facts on devices which are now widely on sale, with China apparently the prime source. What you use these dongles for is your responsibility. I have found an HDMI-to-USB dongle a very good way of digitising my own old home videos, by first converting analogue AV from a VCR to HDMI (see The Fox Report, PE, September 2020) with one of the equally cheap converter devices that are now also widely available. The analogue-to-HDMI conversion will often stabilise ageing video. AVAILABLE NOW! PE VOL 49 January to December 2020 P files ready for immediate download All 2 2020 issues for ust £25.95 See page 6 for further details and other great back-issue offers. VCR rescue! Combine an HDMI capture dongle with one of the many cheap and simple SCART-to-HDMI converters to get your tape-based analogue video into the digital domain. Purchase and download at: www.electronpublishing.com STEWART OF READING 17A King Street, Mortimer, near Reading, RG7 3RS Telephone: 0118 933 1111 Fax: 0118 933 2375 USED ELECTRONIC TEST EQUIPMENT Check website www.stewart-of-reading.co.uk Fluke/Philips PM3092 Oscilloscope 2+2 Channel 200MHz Delay TB, Autoset etc – £250 LAMBDA GENESYS LAMBDA GENESYS IFR 2025 IFR 2948B IFR 6843 R&S APN62 Agilent 8712ET HP8903A/B HP8757D HP3325A HP3561A HP6032A HP6622A HP6624A HP6632B HP6644A HP6654A HP8341A HP83630A HP83624A HP8484A HP8560E HP8563A HP8566B HP8662A Marconi 2022E Marconi 2024 Marconi 2030 Marconi 2023A PSU GEN100-15 100V 15A Boxed As New £400 PSU GEN50-30 50V 30A £400 Signal Generator 9kHz – 2.51GHz Opt 04/11 £900 Communication Service Monitor Opts 03/25 Avionics POA Microwave Systems Analyser 10MHz – 20GHz POA Syn Function Generator 1Hz – 260kHz £295 RF Network Analyser 300kHz – 1300MHz POA Audio Analyser £750 – £950 Scaler Network Analyser POA Synthesised Function Generator £195 Dynamic Signal Analyser £650 PSU 0-60V 0-50A 1000W £750 PSU 0-20V 4A Twice or 0-50V 2A Twice £350 PSU 4 Outputs £400 PSU 0-20V 0-5A £195 PSU 0-60V 3.5A £400 PSU 0-60V 0-9A £500 Synthesised Sweep Generator 10MHz – 20GHz £2,000 Synthesised Sweeper 10MHz – 26.5 GHz POA Synthesised Sweeper 2 – 20GHz POA Power Sensor 0.01-18GHz 3nW-10µW £75 Spectrum Analyser Synthesised 30Hz – 2.9GHz £1,750 Spectrum Analyser Synthesised 9kHz – 22GHz £2,250 Spectrum Analsyer 100Hz – 22GHz £1,200 RF Generator 10kHz – 1280MHz £750 Synthesised AM/FM Signal Generator 10kHz – 1.01GHz £325 Synthesised Signal Generator 9kHz – 2.4GHz £800 Synthesised Signal Generator 10kHz – 1.35GHz £750 Signal Generator 9kHz – 1.2GHz £700 HP/Agilent HP 34401A Digital Multimeter 6½ Digit £325 – £375 HP 54600B Oscilloscope Analogue/Digital Dual Trace 100MHz Only £75, with accessories £125 (ALL PRICES PLUS CARRIAGE & VAT) Please check availability before ordering or calling in HP33120A HP53131A HP53131A Audio Precision Datron 4708 Druck DPI 515 Datron 1081 ENI 325LA Keithley 228 Time 9818 Practical Electronics | January | 2021 Marconi 2305 Modulation Meter £250 Marconi 2440 Counter 20GHz £295 Marconi 2945/A/B Communications Test Set Various Options POA Marconi 2955 Radio Communications Test Set £595 Marconi 2955A Radio Communications Test Set £725 Marconi 2955B Radio Communications Test Set £800 Marconi 6200 Microwave Test Set £1,500 Marconi 6200A Microwave Test Set 10MHz – 20GHz £1,950 Marconi 6200B Microwave Test Set £2,300 Marconi 6960B Power Meter with 6910 sensor £295 Tektronix TDS3052B Oscilloscope 500MHz 2.5GS/s £1,250 Tektronix TDS3032 Oscilloscope 300MHz 2.5GS/s £995 Tektronix TDS3012 Oscilloscope 2 Channel 100MHz 1.25GS/s £450 Tektronix 2430A Oscilloscope Dual Trace 150MHz 100MS/s £350 Tektronix 2465B Oscilloscope 4 Channel 400MHz £600 Farnell AP60/50 PSU 0-60V 0-50A 1kW Switch Mode £300 Farnell XA35/2T PSU 0-35V 0-2A Twice Digital £75 Farnell AP100-90 Power Supply 100V 90A £900 Farnell LF1 Sine/Sq Oscillator 10Hz – 1MHz £45 Racal 1991 Counter/Timer 160MHz 9 Digit £150 Racal 2101 Counter 20GHz LED £295 Racal 9300 True RMS Millivoltmeter 5Hz – 20MHz etc £45 Racal 9300B As 9300 £75 Solartron 7150/PLUS 6½ Digit DMM True RMS IEEE £65/£75 Solatron 1253 Gain Phase Analyser 1mHz – 20kHz £600 Solartron SI 1255 HF Frequency Response Analyser POA Tasakago TM035-2 PSU 0-35V 0-2A 2 Meters £30 Thurlby PL320QMD PSU 0-30V 0-2A Twice £160 – £200 Thurlby TG210 Function Generator 0.002-2MHz TTL etc Kenwood Badged £ 6 5 Function Generator 100 microHz – 15MHz Universal Counter 3GHz Boxed unused Universal Counter 225MHz SYS2712 Audio Analyser – in original box Autocal Multifunction Standard Pressure Calibrator/Controller Autocal Standards Multimeter RF Power Amplifier 250kHz – 150MHz 25W 50dB Voltage/Current Source DC Current & Voltage Calibrator £350 £600 £350 POA POA £400 POA POA POA POA Marconi 2955B Radio Communications Test Set – £800 9