Sydney PC User Group Incorporated Members helping Members for over 25 Years Visitors are always welcome
WEEKLY SIG MEETING UPDATE 8 - 13 OCTOBER 2012
1st Floor Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts 280 Pitt Street, Sydney http://www.sydneypc.com UPCOMING SIGs 15 - 20 October 2012 Tuesdays Seniors SIG Genealogy SIG Web Design SIG LibreOffice Productivity Suite 3.6.2 - a major upgrade Download... ASCCA Newsletter The Association's Annual Conference is being held on 13 and 14 November. Some details of the speakers and topics at the conference are available here.	Hello and Welcome, Next week's meeting details are below: *Tuesday 9 October - Programming - N. Hoffman - 5:30pm - 8:30pm* At the September meeting Andrew discussed using a PIC as a proximity sensor. He referred to the Microchip application note AN1202 "Capacitive Sensing with PIC10F". It explains how to use the PIC's internal analogue comparator and an external diode as a relaxation oscillator so that an external capacitance changes the oscillator frequency, which can then be sensed by using timer 0 in the PIC. Almost any PIC device can be used for proximity sensing, he said. Lino recommended Aztronics of Adelaide as a source of small quantities of surface mount parts. Talking Electronics was also recommended as a source. Its website also offers a starter kit of common surface mount parts and a matching PC board. Paul spoke of his interest in dsPIC Digital Signal Controllers. A DSC combines the control attributes of a microcontroller with the computational and throughput capabilities of a Digital Signal Processor to produce a very powerful microcontroller. Members of the group will demonstrate some new microprocessor applications and programming examples at Tuesday's meeting. Visitors are always welcome. Neville Hoffman *Friday 12 October - Seniors - 9:30am - 12:30pm* The club's computer has stopped working and it is to be rebuilt. Members who attend this meeting will be able to watch the first steps of the rebuilding process in an atmosphere that encourages discussion and learning. I f you would like to know more about the components in a computer and how they are assembled, this meeting is a good opportunity for you to acquire some additional knowledge and learn some new skills. *Friday 12 October - Communications - J. Lucke - 12:30pm - 3:30pm* John Lucke will discuss and show some photographs of the Wi-Fi "hot spot" setup he used while holidaying on the Gold Cost recently. He will also review some of the "cloud" backup options currently available and discuss the pros and cons of using these services. A question and answer session will be held at the beginning of the meeting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cheers, John Mathews Please remember if your e-mail address is changed for any reason at all, unless you tell me your new address you will not receive these weekly updates! Any change of address should be notified to changedetails@sydneypc.com
Information for Members and Visitors: Sydney PC User Group's FREE newsletter: Subscribe Send to Friend Un-subscribe Go to Sydney PC User Group's: Website Events Calendar Please note that all Meetings, except where specifically stated, are held on the 1st Floor, Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney. DISCLAIMER: This Newsletter is provided “As Is” without warranty of any kind. Each user or reader of this Newsletter assumes complete risk as to the accuracy and subsequent use of its contents.

At the September meeting Andrew discussed using a PIC as a proximity sensor. He referred to the Microchip application note AN1202 "Capacitive Sensing with PIC10F". It explains how to use the PIC's internal analogue comparator and an external diode as a relaxation oscillator so that an external capacitance changes the oscillator frequency, which can then be sensed by using timer 0 in the PIC. Almost any PIC device can be used for proximity sensing, he said.

Lino recommended Aztronics of Adelaide as a source of small quantities of surface mount parts. Talking Electronics was also recommended as a source. Its website also offers a starter kit of common surface mount parts and a matching PC board.

Paul spoke of his interest in dsPIC Digital Signal Controllers. A DSC combines the control attributes of a microcontroller with the computational and throughput capabilities of a Digital Signal Processor to produce a very powerful microcontroller.

Members of the group will demonstrate some new microprocessor applications and programming examples at Tuesday's meeting. Visitors are always welcome. Neville Hoffman

Friday 12 October - Seniors - 9:30am - 12:30pm

The club's computer has stopped working and it is to be rebuilt. Members who attend this meeting will be able to watch the first steps of the rebuilding process in an atmosphere that encourages discussion and learning.

I f you would like to know more about the components in a computer and how they are assembled, this meeting is a good opportunity for you to acquire some additional knowledge and learn some new skills.

Friday 12 October - Communications - J. Lucke - 12:30pm - 3:30pm

John Lucke will discuss and show some photographs of the Wi-Fi "hot spot" setup he used while holidaying on the Gold Cost recently.

He will also review some of the "cloud" backup options currently available and discuss the pros and cons of using these services.

A question and answer session will be held at the beginning of the meeting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cheers,

John Mathews

Please remember if your e-mail address is changed for any reason at all, unless you tell me your new address you will not receive these weekly updates! Any change of address should be notified to changedetails@sydneypc.com