Comments for philpem's blog http://blog.philpem.me.uk Life, the universe and nothing in particular. Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:10:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on Repair Tip: Viewsonic VX922 by roy http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=235&cpage=1#comment-53054 roy Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:10:39 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=235#comment-53054 Very hekpful...I replaced 6 caps on my malfunctioning VX922 psb and now the power light stays on but no image...maybe the inverter? Very hekpful…I replaced 6 caps on my malfunctioning VX922 psb and now the power light stays on but no image…maybe the inverter?

]]> Comment on Repair Tip: Viewsonic VX922 by Drew http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=235&cpage=1#comment-52856 Drew Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:12:08 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=235#comment-52856 Hey there, I appreciate the info for the capacitor height and kind, but can I ask where I can find specs on what capacitors to buy? How do I locate this information? -Drew Hey there, I appreciate the info for the capacitor height and kind, but can I ask where I can find specs on what capacitors to buy? How do I locate this information?
-Drew

]]> Comment on Repair Tip: Viewsonic VX922 by Gerrybou http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=235&cpage=1#comment-51783 Gerrybou Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:25:12 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=235#comment-51783 Thanks a lot,you saved my life and my monitor's one too. By changing the capacitors,easy to find out,they are all swollen on top like they are ready tu burst. This made my monitor work like new again. One has to open the monitor carefully,desolder and replace the defectived capacitors. Again,thank you very much,my monitor is like a brand new one:top shape. Thanks a lot,you saved my life and my monitor’s one too.
By changing the capacitors,easy to find out,they are all swollen on top like they are ready tu burst. This made my monitor work like new again. One has to open the monitor carefully,desolder and replace the defectived capacitors.
Again,thank you very much,my monitor is like a brand new one:top shape.

]]> Comment on First impressions: Canon EOS 7D by JamWheel http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=274&cpage=1#comment-51764 JamWheel Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:12:06 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=274#comment-51764 Hey Phil, Just came across your blog while looking up what an HS-E1 was after seeing it in your equipment list on CFF. The M-fn button is used for switching between your AF modes (spot, af point, zone etc), but I am sure you know that by now :) I find it a little tricky to reach but I am sure I will get used to changing it in a hurry. Strange you have such issues with the weight. I don't have any issue hand holding it really and I don't have robot hands! :) Hey Phil,

Just came across your blog while looking up what an HS-E1 was after seeing it in your equipment list on CFF.

The M-fn button is used for switching between your AF modes (spot, af point, zone etc), but I am sure you know that by now :)

I find it a little tricky to reach but I am sure I will get used to changing it in a hurry.

Strange you have such issues with the weight. I don’t have any issue hand holding it really and I don’t have robot hands! :)

]]> Comment on Homebrew SMD/SMT soldering oven by David Cary http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=260&cpage=1#comment-51593 David Cary Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:20:43 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=260#comment-51593 <p>I've seen some people claim that "hotplate reflow" ("skillet reflow") works better than "toaster oven reflow". The Open Circuits wiki has a few tips for both kinds of homebrew SMD reflow processes. Some failsafe ideas: * run the power through one (or more in series) normally-closed "thermal switch", so if it (or any one of them) overheats for any reason, all power is cut off. * Use a circuit breaker or self-resetting polyfuse, set to blow before the IEC fuse, with a crowbar. * Plug the whole thing into a "Christmas light timer" so that, no matter what happens, power will definitely be shut off in 30 minutes.</p> I’ve seen some people claim that “hotplate reflow” (“skillet reflow”) works better than “toaster oven reflow”.
The Open Circuits wiki has a few tips for both kinds of homebrew SMD reflow processes.
Some failsafe ideas:
* run the power through one (or more in series) normally-closed “thermal switch”, so if it (or any one of them) overheats for any reason, all power is cut off.
* Use a circuit breaker or self-resetting polyfuse, set to blow before the IEC fuse, with a crowbar.
* Plug the whole thing into a “Christmas light timer” so that, no matter what happens, power will definitely be shut off in 30 minutes.

]]> Comment on Divergent hobbies and new projects by Simon http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=256&cpage=1#comment-51471 Simon Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:31:35 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=256#comment-51471 <p>Take a look at the SAA7114 chip from NXP. You can get the teletext stuff out of it. You can also still buy it in 1 offs. This is the video decoder chip that was used in the original series 1 TiVo.</p> Take a look at the SAA7114 chip from NXP. You can get the teletext stuff out of it. You can also still buy it in 1 offs. This is the video decoder chip that was used in the original series 1 TiVo.

]]> Comment on Homebrew SMD/SMT soldering oven by Simon http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=260&cpage=1#comment-51470 Simon Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:12:02 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=260#comment-51470 <p>I'm building an SMT reflow plate -- using similar parts, Type-K + MAX6675, but using cartridge heater + aluminium plate v.s oven.</p> <p>For power control I'm planning on using Sharp S216S02 modules (rated 16A, 240V). Am in the process of doing the power control experiments.</p> <p>Farnell has the the Sharp parts, but they are pricy. Being in the USA I got mine from Digikey.</p> <p>Use my email address if you want me to write back and let you know how they work out.</p> I’m building an SMT reflow plate — using similar parts, Type-K + MAX6675, but using cartridge heater + aluminium plate v.s oven.

For power control I’m planning on using Sharp S216S02 modules (rated 16A, 240V). Am in the process of doing the power control experiments.

Farnell has the the Sharp parts, but they are pricy. Being in the USA I got mine from Digikey.

Use my email address if you want me to write back and let you know how they work out.

]]> Comment on Homebrew SMD/SMT soldering oven by Dave http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=260&cpage=1#comment-51367 Dave Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:17:49 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=260#comment-51367 <p>Hi Phil, Interesting thread. I do not know if you can help. I am looking for an oven to repair PS3 and Xbox 360, I have had a search around google but doing very well. If you have any information it would be gladly apprieciated. Thanks Dave.</p> Hi Phil,
Interesting thread. I do not know if you can help. I am looking for an oven to repair PS3 and Xbox 360, I have had a search around google but doing very well. If you have any information it would be gladly apprieciated.
Thanks Dave.

]]> Comment on First impressions: Canon EOS 7D by karakafa http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=274&cpage=1#comment-51293 karakafa Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:42:10 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=274#comment-51293 <p>Thanks so much for telling us your valuable first hand impressions.</p> <p>Re: "I still can’t really see the point of video recording on a dSLR, but I suppose it’s nice to have. "</p> <p>I am actually more of a "videographer" and I've been salivating on 7D just because it's (manual aperture controlled) 30 frps 1080p HD video capacity. 7D seems to record with h264 codec in mp4/mov wrapper, which makes the footage much easier to bring into pro editing softwares. The thing is that, combined with the advantage of interchangeable lens (read; "the option to use a decent wide angle lens"), with such frame rate, resolution and codec, I would assume the apsc size sensor will give much better pictures than high end pro hd video cameras, which cost 2-3 times higher. It doesn't offer professional controls over sound recording, but that's the only reason I'm not gonna get rid of my HD video camera entirely :) The handling of the camera is a problem/disadvantage, since this one seems to be heavy, and holding a video camera stable requires a different kind of handling, but I think one can easily resolve that issue practically by using one of those small handheld camera stabilizers, or with a monopod --which I often use for video anyways. And, actually I am not the only person interested in 7D for video; if you check the video scene you'll see a lot of people getting into shooting video with DSRL's: http://www.dvinfo.net/article/acquisition/canon-eos#</p> <p>My concern though, is the rolling shutter distortion. Regarding 500D, DPreview notes that: "Like the Nikon D90 and the EOS 5D Mark II the EOS 500D can suffer from distortion caused by its rolling shutter. The readout of the sensor means movies are created with a rolling shutter (horizontal lines of the image are scanned, one after another, rather than the whole scene being grabbed in one go). The upshot is that verticals can be skewed if the camera (or the subject) moves too fast - the top of the image has been recorded earlier than the bottom, so moving vertical lines can be rendered as diagonals."</p> <p>I assume the same rolling shutter distortion would apply to 7D as well (DPreview does not mention about this in their review of 7D). Would you be curious to test it, and let us know? One curious thing about this "rolling shutter distortion" is, how it effects the picture in different shutter settings --does it happen in 1/500 as visible as it is in 1/30?</p> Thanks so much for telling us your valuable first hand impressions.

Re: “I still can’t really see the point of video recording on a dSLR, but I suppose it’s nice to have. “

I am actually more of a “videographer” and I’ve been salivating on 7D just because it’s (manual aperture controlled) 30 frps 1080p HD video capacity. 7D seems to record with h264 codec in mp4/mov wrapper, which makes the footage much easier to bring into pro editing softwares. The thing is that, combined with the advantage of interchangeable lens (read; “the option to use a decent wide angle lens”), with such frame rate, resolution and codec, I would assume the apsc size sensor will give much better pictures than high end pro hd video cameras, which cost 2-3 times higher. It doesn’t offer professional controls over sound recording, but that’s the only reason I’m not gonna get rid of my HD video camera entirely :) The handling of the camera is a problem/disadvantage, since this one seems to be heavy, and holding a video camera stable requires a different kind of handling, but I think one can easily resolve that issue practically by using one of those small handheld camera stabilizers, or with a monopod –which I often use for video anyways.
And, actually I am not the only person interested in 7D for video; if you check the video scene you’ll see a lot of people getting into shooting video with DSRL’s:
http://www.dvinfo.net/article/acquisition/canon-eos#

My concern though, is the rolling shutter distortion. Regarding 500D, DPreview notes that: “Like the Nikon D90 and the EOS 5D Mark II the EOS 500D can suffer from distortion caused by its rolling shutter. The readout of the sensor means movies are created with a rolling shutter (horizontal lines of the image are scanned, one after another, rather than the whole scene being grabbed in one go). The upshot is that verticals can be skewed if the camera (or the subject) moves too fast – the top of the image has been recorded earlier than the bottom, so moving vertical lines can be rendered as diagonals.”

I assume the same rolling shutter distortion would apply to 7D as well (DPreview does not mention about this in their review of 7D). Would you be curious to test it, and let us know? One curious thing about this “rolling shutter distortion” is, how it effects the picture in different shutter settings –does it happen in 1/500 as visible as it is in 1/30?

]]> Comment on First impressions: Canon EOS 7D by Phil Pemberton http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=274&cpage=1#comment-51284 Phil Pemberton Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:18:51 +0000 http://blog.philpem.me.uk/?p=274#comment-51284 <p>Yep, you're exactly right -- I thought the 50D had the HD video feature, but Wiki says that the 5D-II, 7D and 500D are the only HD-video capable Canon dSLRs. In any case, I've fixed the cock-up -- thanks for letting me know.</p> Yep, you’re exactly right — I thought the 50D had the HD video feature, but Wiki says that the 5D-II, 7D and 500D are the only HD-video capable Canon dSLRs.
In any case, I’ve fixed the cock-up — thanks for letting me know.

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