dsr@ccice2.UUCP (Dave Roland) (10/04/85)
OK. What is the product? Computer service? Convenience? Entertainment? Calculator? Information system? Gadget? The problem seems to be that we are seeing the typical interface between engineering and marketing. Marketing doesn't know what is possible, and engineering can't sell the ideas. It still seems, even after all of the Search for Excellence, people with the power "KNOW" what the customer wants and don't need to ask or listen. The market is full of add on boards, cartridges, and modules to extend the pc to the home. The only problem is that the Personal Computer isn't an appliance, it wasn't designed as a process control computer. OS's with print spooling (let alone multi-tasking) were radical things. The typical response is that you can't do that much with an 8-bit micro. In a recent project an employer pushed a 6809 @ 1mhz. to access a 2000 person database, through 3 9600 baud terminals, 8 1200 baud data ports, and alot of LPC voice chips (not any great miracle). Why not an appliance? Not a Super calculator with 30 independent modules and processors. I started on a design but haven't the analog to pull it all together. When we had the house built, I installed 4 shielded twisted pairs to each room and video cable to every room. Bathrooms get just the 4 pairs. Sometimes I don't want my kids to watch specific shows. We have Cable plus two phones. What am I going to use when I subscribe to a digital news service that broadcasts on fm subcarriers? How am I going to receive my e-mail? How will I interface my checkbook program and database, and the bank's database? What about Cable tv control? audio control? security? Let's talk about an appliance. Extendable peripheral bus. Piggy-back application boards, like stereo fm tuners to feed audio channels; 1-5 watt audio amps with digital controls for audio channel selection, volume, tone, etc.; digital tv tuners with un-rf-mod video. Throw in a phone/ speaker phone board to feed the audio channels; rs-232 channel selection board. Make them stackable so you add only what you need. Oh, yes, the pc. OK, turn on the other half of the ram, the disk, and put the video display driver onto one of the video channels. Gee, you could use a standard monitor for tv, and computer in any room. WOW!, the same sound system for music, phone, intercom, tv sound, computer output. Gee, you could maintain control over each room's video and audio output under database control. In the mean time, (before I get the circuits designed, put it on the market and become rich), when will someone produce a digital interface for a tv tuner to produce composite video? How about a digital interface for video switching (It is alot easier when you are not playing with rf-mod)? What about 1-5 watt audio amplifiers with a simple digital interface to control volume, tone, channel selection? How about a vcr with a digital control interface? Have I raised enough questions? As I am Leaving CCI 10-11-85, you are welcome to respond to the following address: David S. Roland Roland Projects PO Box 126 Walworth, New York 14568 bye! DISCLAIMER: As is usual, the preceeding dissertation has absolutely nothing to do with the opinions of my past, or present employers, and something to do with the near future.