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Somewhat OT: Where to buy talking multimeters in Europe?

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Roland Zitzke

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Dec 24, 2009, 8:11:16 AM12/24/09
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Hi,
I am looking for a talking multimeter. There used to be various models
available - I remember Nexxtech but it looks like they are only sold in
the us now by
http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16562+TE

According to their website they only ship to Canada and the states.

TIA, Roland

Brian Gaff

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Dec 24, 2009, 12:11:27 PM12/24/09
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Yes, I know, Tandy used to do one as well. I don't think Cobolt do one,
maybe its the nanny state syndrome, I mean who would let a blind personloose
near any unknown voltages!
Brian

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Brian Gaff

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Dec 24, 2009, 12:13:16 PM12/24/09
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I've also been told that the reason a lot of things are no longer available
is because the EU will not let you import goods not made with lead free
solder now. This is why cassette machines are getting so rare, I understand
the Us and China don't care what solder you used.

Brian

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John Doe

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Dec 24, 2009, 2:11:00 PM12/24/09
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Roland Zitzke <nur_fu...@someone.de> wrote:

I live in the United States. Given the money in advance, I would
be willing to order it and ship it to you. Let me know and I
will e-mail you about it.

Roland Zitzke

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Dec 25, 2009, 2:15:59 AM12/25/09
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Am 24.12.2009 20:11, schrieb John Doe:
> be willing to order it and ship it to you. Let me know and I
> will e-mail you about it.


Thank you so much, this offer is a true christmas gift!
My Email address is:
zitzke (at) gmx.de


/Roland

burt henry

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Dec 25, 2009, 9:49:29 PM12/25/09
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Good thing as many ppl have been known to eat there cassette players.
Burt
)I know waste disposal, but if they cared so much they'd have done
better at COP15)

burt henry

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Dec 25, 2009, 9:50:49 PM12/25/09
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How much do they cost these days?
Burt

John Doe

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Dec 26, 2009, 2:49:09 AM12/26/09
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Roland Zitzke <nur_fu...@someone.de> wrote:

> schrieb John Doe:

>> be willing to order it and ship it to you. Let me know and I
>> will e-mail you about it.
>
>
> Thank you so much, this offer is a true christmas gift! My Email
> address is:

Done.

The following is about tonal voltmeters, not exactly the same as a
talking voltmeter.

I made a Tonal Voltmeter many years ago. Electronics Now magazine
published it in 1996. But it was a very simple device and maybe
only for experimentation and learning. A professor at Rochester
University used the simple concept for some electrostatic device
he uses in lectures. It just uses a voltage controlled oscillator
to convert a voltage level to a tone. So you have a tonal output,
not a speaking output. Conceivably, of course the two could be
combined.

There has been at least one more effort to do that somewhere else
in the world.

Here is a related website address.
http://www.ski.org/rerc/tfowle/

If you would like their contact information from me, just reply to
my e-mail. The rest of this post is the e-mail they sent to me
about audible voltmeters (not the same as a talking voltmeter).


Hi, Unfortunately I don't know of a commercial audible voltmeter.
We're a pure "research" group so don't sell anything.

You'll find some more interesting similar meters in our journal
for blind electronics technicians.

Here is the website.
http://www.ski.org/Rehab/sktf/

Our general favorite is one my colleague named after me although
it wasn't my original idea, look for "The Fowle Gimmique" in the
Smith-Kettlewell Technical File as above.

Blind hams have been using similar devices to tune transmitters,
check VSWR and listen to S meters etc. for many years, going back
at least to the 1940s.

The most elaborate meter we've ever develped was a combo speaking
and audio tones meter called the Talk_And-Tones also in that
magazine.

LDG electronics may still make a talking watt meter that has a
primative audible power output indication, along with spoken
output.

I and others have implemented similar concepts on PIC and like
microcontrollers but sadly I don't know of anything comercially
available as a generic meter.

We've also tried to talk instrument makers into doing something
but had no luck.

Interestingly an RCA DTV converter box has a fairly primative
audio field strength meter, as well as relatively simple numeric
menus making it the best choice for blind TV users.

Most folks seem to think that speech output meters are all you
need, but they have never tried using one for making adjustments.

The SKTF also has a series on an audible oscilloscope adapter
which uses a non-linear audio vco to give a better representation
of vertical deflection.

Roland Zitzke

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Dec 27, 2009, 9:09:27 AM12/27/09
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Am 26.12.2009 03:50, schrieb burt henry:
> How much do they cost these days?
>

The multimeter I am talking about is USD 39,50 plus shipping.

/Roland

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