One of our magnet is missing

Well, not really. After more than 10 years, the
double-sided tape has failed and it came off when
I pulled my Nokia 5800 away from it. So, just
for curiosity's sake, I pried open the cover and
saw this. there were three magnets and one of
them has actually corroded so badly that it just
literally disintegrated and its remains were
pulled by the surviving magnets. Nice pattern.
Just beware that all magnets will disintegrate
as I think, there is no such thing as rust-proof
magnets.

Trip to Pasar Road

I was at Pasar road today, and I did not tell someone about it because it was supposed to be a quickie. Anyway, there was a reason why I went there and this has something to do with fact that I bought the remote control system last week. After finally connecting the whole system together, I got the expected result; as usual, it did not work.

I've spent hours after hours poring over the datasheet and checking the connections but to no avail. I know the receiver is receiving the data since it registered some voltage changes when compared to a ready-built 4-channel version. what it did not do, the IC, I mean, was to confirm the data is correct and activate the output.

And so, because I know that today I would pass through that area, I decided to bring the whole circuit to the shop. I showed it to the guys and they too was stumped. And so, I went through the steps one by one with them, until I reached the frequency part and that's when we all went, "Aha!".

The problem is that I have paralleled the oscillating resistor instead of putting them serially. This means, I have created a frequency which was ¼ of the original value. And so, after that, it was smiles all round. But the guys at the shop told me not to feel bad since I work on this late into the night and so, my train of thought was stuck in a loop. They, being not familiar with my design, could look at it from a fresh point of view.

So, my circuit is very simple and I think, it can be done without using any circuit board as I can just solder everything onto an IC socket and let it run from there. But the voltage regulator and the pair of relays would require some imaginative soldering. Oh, heck. I forgot to look for a 12volt switchover relay! I just hope I have one spare.........

Hee hee hee hee! It works and I tested it to be
working to a range of about 70 metres or so as
I called into the office while pressing the remote
from across the road. I told my coordinator to
watch for the lights and tell me when it lights up

While I was there, I went back to the same shop I bough the 3-digit countdown kit only to find a new kit that costs RM4.00 more, at Rm72.00. Its a complete solution, suitable to what nexus was asking for; 4-digits which can not only count down but up as well. The only problem is that I would need to get a clock pulse generator to simulate the button presses ion a very fast pace. However, there is a catch. It is using a microprocessor. Although there was a sticker blocking it, the tell-tale clue was a clock crystal which a certain range of microprocessors needed and this Ic was THE IC for a lot of Pasar Road kits. Its obsolete and so, someone got them from a clearance sale, I would think. Since I bought the other kits and also soldered them, there is no way I can get them exchanged. But the main thing that stopped me was that what I am paying for, is the copyright of the programmed code inside the chip and I doubt it comes free with the kit. So, if the IC is burnt for some unforseen circumstances, you're out of luck. Still I cannot confirm abut the code unless they allow me to open the pack, which I know, they would not. Nor would they accept credit cards either.

The cost of this kit, at one glance, is obscenely cheap but I am not going to tell you how much.

Damn it. I think I can make one but then,
it would take time to design the PCB and
with the deadline, its not possible.