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In recent years, following CD's introduction, vinyl recordings are almost disappeared. Nevertheless, a phono preamplifier is still useful for listening old vinyl discs from a well preserved collection.... [read more]

Capacitive touch sensors are based on the electrical capacitance of the human body. When, for example, a finger comes close to the sensor, it creates a capacitance to Earth with a value of 30 to 100 pF. This effect can be used for proximity detection and touch-controlled switching. Capacitive switches have clear advantages compared to other types of touch switches (for example 50 Hz or 60 Hz detection or resistance detection), but are often more complex to implement.... [read more]

Here's a top-class headphone amplifier that can drive high or low impedance 'phones to full power levels, with very low noise and distortion. For best performance, it can be teamed with the Stereo Preamplifier described last month. Alternatively, it can be used as a standalone unit, requiring only a power supply and a volume control pot for use with any line-level signal source (CD/MP3 player etc). It even includes dual outputs, so you can listen with a friend!... [read more]

This transistor based alarm features automatic Exit and Entry delays - together with a timed Bell Cut-off and system Reset. Along with the Exit/Entry zone - the basic alarm board has one Instant Zone. This will be adequate in many situations. However - the modular design means that it's easy to add as many zones as you like to the system. Details of a Four-Zone expansion module are provided.... [read more]

While smoke alarms are quite cheap devices, the cost of 9V batteries quickly exceeds their purchase price. Added to that is the irritation of random beeps from the alarm as the battery reaches the end of its useful life. This circuit allows typical smoke alarms to be powered from the 12V supply in a burglar alarm while still keeping the standard 9V batteries in place. It extends the 9V battery life to that of its "shelf life" as the battery is only required to drive the smoke alarm in the event the 12V supply is removed or shorted out.... [read more]

This circuit is usable as a Night Lamp when a wall mains socket is not available to plug-in an ever running small neon lamp device. In order to ensure minimum battery consumption, one 1.5V cell is used and simple voltage doublers drives a pulsating ultra-bright LED: current drawing is less than 500µA. An optional Photo resistor will switch-off the circuit in daylight or when room lamps illuminate, allowing further current economy. This device will run for about 3 months continuously on an ordinary AA sized cell or for around 6 months on an alkaline type cell but, adding the Photo resistor circuitry, running time will be doubled or, very likely, triplicates. IC1 generates a square wave at about 4 Hz frequencies. C2 & D2 form voltage doublers, necessary to raise the battery voltage to a peak value able to drive the LED.... [read more]