Electronics Forum / Basics / February 2005

When I am looking at voltage regulator I come across a term "low drop
out regulator". Can somebody tell me how it is different from a "linear
voltage regulator".

Do I need a signal diode (like IN4148) or a rectifier diode (like
IN4001) to add to the +ve line to protect against polarity reversal?
Would the available supply after the diode be 0.6V less? Is there any
way of avoiding this?

I have an audio power amp kit which requires me to connect an AC-AC 38 volt
5 Amp Transformer.
I am having trouble finding this (38 V) transformer. My question is if it is
OK to connect the outputs of Three 12V 5 Amp Transformer in Series? further:

I'd like some feed back on this one. When I built my house, I had a very
honest Father and Son contractor who were jack of all trades. They did the
wiring also. Sloppy but functional. A few years later, while making some
changes, I noticed they used 14-3 wiring to run 2 seperate ...

Not that there's been much mention of the old Poptronics
website since the magazine folded (was it two years ago now?),
but they've kept it up, Larry Steckler having bought or taken
over the remaining assets.  It hasn't been very lively (actually

I have a RS232 connector which only has 4 wires (ripped from an old
mouse)
The wires have been colour and text labeled:
RT - White

What is the difference between a Hall effect transducer and a proximity
sensor?  It looks like one is general term and the other is a specific type.
I have a recipe for an anchor chain counter that calls for imbedding a
magnet in the chain wheel and sensing it with a hall effect ...

I hope I have the correct group
I would like to know if anyone has had experience with any home-study
electronics courses
I am not near any community colleges and am housebound at the moment

I am attempting to characterise a phase shift in a channel so that I
can compensate it at the receiver end using a phase equalizer. I need a
method which produces a phase shift curve with more measurements than a
Lissajous method produces. I was thinking possibly a phase shift

I am attempting to characterise a phase shift in a channel so that I
can compensate it at the receiver end using a phase equalizer. I need
a method which produces a phase shift curve with more measurements
than a Lissajous method produces. I was thinking possibly a phase

I use a simple rule that if I use capacitor in main supply filter
circuit of say
24V DC i use it at atleast twice the rated voltage(48V).
I use the same rule for the bypass capacitors. Does this make sense ?

I wonder if anyone could help.I would like to know how the earth
ground loop problem enters an audio signal?
For instance if I plug my guitar into a mixer input(via DI) why does
the hum enter my signal.

To be able to get the equation for 3.56 on page
http://www.geocities.com/jason_class/circuit_Zs.jpg
(pls save and open in picture viewer),
I use the result for equation Z1= (1/(a+1)^2).Z2 (page 3, 4th equation

I'm looking to make a led sound organ to go with music, so I can arange
the led's in a pattern of words or a picture, if anyone knows of some
directions on how to do this, that would be wonderfull.....
Thanks

I have been a computer programmer for the past 16 years of my life.
Mostly, I have done database type of work. I am now working as an
automation engineer designing PLC ladder logic applications, firmware
for the PIC microcontrollers, and HMI/SCADA applications.