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Re: Does anybody have experience with the following equipment?



On Dec 21, 8:30=A0pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Dec 21, 7:11=A0pm, Robert Macy <robert.a.m...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
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> > Years ago my father said to me, "Son, I'm going to give you some
> > advice. Never, ever, buy retail." Thus, I always ask.
>
> > Thank you for the thoughtful response. "No," *IS* an ok response.
>
> > Some background: Back in the days when analog TV was the only method,
> > I designed security systems, which included surveillance systems as
> > back up. We're talking about military/aerospace, foreign government
> > type grade technology that would knock your socks off. =A0For example,
> > if you cut a cable, the system kept working and told you where the
> > cable was cut.
>
> > Specific sensors for intrusion detection and perimeter security
> > systems for use around airports, military bases, prisons, etc etc
> > Some of these systems are very visible and so imposing that nearby to
> > the company's test site [where mock up sections of fencing were used
> > for in situ testing in the real world] neighboring industries'
> > personnel would stop by from time to time and ask if they were safe
> > from whatever we were doing there. =A0LOL! =A0Yes, those 'visible' fenc=
es
> > looked scarey. =A0Also, designed those 'invisible' fences and boundarie=
s
> > that detected an intruder, but you could not see them, for they were
> > buried, out of sight, some even used 'beam microwave'.. =A0The most
> > imaginative intrusion detection sensor was actually suggested by a
> > technicain working for me. =A0He came up with using fibre optics to
> > detect an intruder, again out of sight from the intruder *and*
> > absolutely undetectable using a cable detector! =A0The fibre optic cabl=
e
> > detected an intruder walking over the cable, detected someone
> > hammering through a wall, any attempt to breach the perimeter this
> > cable was protecting and the sensor caught it. =A0Very undetectable, tr=
y
> > and find a fibre optic cable buried in a wall.
>
> > I used to go to the International trade shows usually held in England,
> > where the East and the West could mingle [during the Cold War days] I
> > could tell you the story of how the section chief of the East German
> > intelligence honed in on us. Such operatives can do many things, but
> > they cannot hide their intelligence.It's as obvious as white socks on
> > a cop.
>
> > Even designed those personnel identifiers that use biometric
> > parameters. Had a General from south american country legitimately ask
> > what if someone cuts off the hand of the person and tries to use that
> > to gain access? Serendipitously, the technique for measuring the
> > biometric parameters was not optical, rather more IR and so was
> > sensitive to some unknown characteristics in flesh including the
> > moisture content of the person. For this customer our bane was his
> > saving grace, because almost immediately upon being severed the flesh
> > changes enough that the technique used to measure the parameters
> > shifted so that the person's hand no longer 'looked' like the person's
> > hand - to this sensor. Thus, no access. =A0Gruesome details of those in
> > the serious security industry.
>
> > If during your installations your customer wants something a little
> > different [like 'invisible' detection boundaries], ask away.-
>
> I am born of the vacuum tube era.
>
> Many of the technolgies you speak of are still available today and
> ( though I don't follow that =A0part of the industry) I can imagine
> there's much more sophisticated stuff available now too. I used to de-
> bug telephones back in the 70's and it was pretty sophisticated back
> then when there were only copper lines. Now, it's got to be pretty
> damn complicated what with all the various kinds of telular
> communications that are available. =A0I don't do any commercial anymore
> and in the last ten to fifteen years have gravitated towards medium to
> the semi high end residential realm by diversifing. I do some alarm
> systems but also do small business and residential network wiring and
> basic set up. ( the relatively simple stuff) CCTV, Home theater,
> small, medium and maybe a little bit large. Nothing elaborate but with
> some minor theme's. Whole house audio systems. Automated lighting and
> setting up remote controls for just about anything that a homeowner or
> small business owner can think up. Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets. The bulk
> of my knowledge in in the installation of fine residential alarm
> systems but I just LOVE home theater installs. I've always said that
> I'm one of the few lucky people who can make a living with my hobby.
>
> I don't know if what =A0you do now is related to the subject of this
> group or not, but some of us have been here for about 15 years or so.
> If you're in a related vocation and feel as if you can add to the
> information pool .... stick around .... we could use some new blood.
> Much of the once abundant blood in this group has been shed, through
> the years.

Thank you for the invitation.

My background is design, towards theoretical. etc.

I'm always in awe of the ones who have EXPERIENCE.  I keep reminding
myself, and instilling in team members that Science DESCRIBES what we
observe, it does NOT DEFINE what we observe.

I arrived slightly 'after' the tube era, but I have designed vacuum
tube amplifiers.  Mine were of necessity since only tubes could handle
the high voltage. I designed extremely linear High Voltage ramp
drivers operating in the audio range for positioning ion beams for
implanting wafers.  Very intelligently the original Electronic
Engineer had selected using a cheap $3-$5 tube which was used in TV's
as a high voltage regulator. For field service, the tube was readily
available anywhere across the US [alternative design required
difficult to obtain $100 microwave tube]

In setting up your home theatres, do you take advantage of the PC's
sound card to perform resonant and spectral flatness checks?

You probably already know this, but you can use those sound cards as
very cheap, yet very effective, spectrum analyzers with tracking
generators option. That $100 card is better for this task than the
$10,000 SA's I've used.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Regards,


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