22 Apr
1999
22 Apr
'99
12:30 a.m.
Mike wrote:
> Perhaps a
> smaller array, but with LARGE cores where the magnetic state could have
> some visual indicators.
How would that work? Would you have an LED for each
bit or something?
Get a little bit away from magnetic storage, and you can use neon
lamps as storage elements which are self-illuminating :-).
Neon lamps - when powered by DC - have a nice memory property: They
take about 90VDC to light up, but after they light up they'll stay on
until the voltage drops below 60VDC or so. Only problems are:
1. The thresholds can vary greatly from unit to unit.
2. The thresholds will vary depending on ambient light, as well.
Property 2 above can be used to build oscillators out of pairs
of neons, as a matter of fact...
Tim.