[germanium]

Somebody e-mail EDM Design to see if that transmitter kit is made in Africa or California. Who, me? I don't need one, I still have the FM transmitter I made more than 40 years ago with germanium transistors!  

Lucky guy...my germainum plant died a few years back.  Can't do nuttin' with it.

I tried uploading the zip archive (only 2MB) but the board is fussin' at me about it.  Anyway, if'n you want the article in its entirety (downloads and all), let me know.  

Of all things, I had trouble locating the page for the article...I finally tried "stereo FM micromitter" as the search key.  It comes up as the only hit.
I'll hoover the article, graphics and associated downloads and stuff 'em in a zip archive for those who are interested in it.

Hi Guys,
I found what I think is the "South African" stereo FM transmitter kit on Google. Their description and spec's of this product is detailed (many pages) and good. I'm curious that I can't find their address anywhere on their website, but they mention shipping by US-postal service. Their website ends with ".ZA" which is the country of Zambia, isn't it?  http://home.global.co.za/~edm1/

Zaire is sticking in my mind as the country for the tld "ZA" but I certainly could be wrong on that count.

Anyway...The order processing is routed through edmdesign.com, so you can:

Code:

example.user@example.host[example.user]# whois edmdesign.com

Whois Server Version 1.3
   Domain Name: EDMDESIGN.COM
   Registrar: DOMAINDISCOVER
   Whois Server: whois.domaindiscover.com
   Referral URL: http://www.domaindiscover.com
   Name Server: NS1.DOMAINDISCOVER.COM
   Name Server: NS2.DOMAINDISCOVER.COM
   Status: ACTIVE
   Updated Date: 02-sep-2004
   Creation Date: 02-sep-2004
   Expiration Date: 02-sep-2005

>>> Last update of whois database: Tue, 1 Feb 2005 07:49:08 EST <<<

The Registry database contains ONLY .COM, .NET, .EDU domains and
Registrars.

Registrant:
   D.Maree
   27834 Canyon Hills Way
   Murrieta, CA 92563
   US

   Domain Name: EDMDESIGN.COM

   Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
      D.Maree
      27834 Canyon Hills Way
      Murrieta, CA 92563
      US
      951-600-9922
      http://www.emailaddressprotection.com [email]

   Domain created on 01-Sep-2004
   Domain expires on 01-Sep-2006
   Last updated on 01-Sep-2004

   Domain servers in listed order:

      URL1.BUYDOMAINS.COM
      URL2.BUYDOMAINS.COM

and that should give you the contact information you crave.

Use a priority encoder:
(Reference: http://www.standardproducts.philips.com/products/fast/pdf/74f148.pdf )

Glad whatever I was able to contribute was of some assistance to you.

Now, as I'm looking at your photos, I'm just letting my mind coast along a bit as to what kind of overall plan you want to craft on this.

If it was something that belonged to me, I would definitely put a ball-glide on each side of that panel, to reduce your lifting load, and to stabilize the side-to-side position of the panel as it travels.
I'd add a clevis bracket on the top center of that sliding panel (behind the brass lift hardware) and mount your linear actuator in the center of that stationary vertical surface below the TV screen.  Some sort of mechanical linkage (which I haven't puit too much thought into) which would allow for a panic situation disconnect from the top linear actuator clevis would be a feature to include out of prudence.

I'm thinking that you should be able to spring mount the "south end" clevis attachment point so that it's fixed, in the "side-to-side" and "front-to-back" directions (x-axis and z-axis); but free, within limits, to move in the vertical direction (y-axis).  If the travel of the panel is blocked by an obstacle (child, cat, somebody's tush) the spring will be vertically compressed, but won't compress under normal lifting condtitions.  That vertical displacement can be used to operate a safety switch that will reverse the motor direction to lower the panel if something is in the way.

Alternatively, one could monitor the motor current and, if it exceeds a certain level, the same safety protocol would be implemented.

Things like this are more involved to describe that they are to "just do it."  Sorry you don't live on the Left Coast, or I'd send you a guy I know, who could do what I'm thinking about in a few hours time.

[added]
Don't get offended, but my mind distills volumes of verbage like this to a couple of iconic phrases, at the oddest times.  In scanning through this thread one last time, I had to supress a giggle when I saw:

"Desperate Housewife"
...and...
provide some pictures.
This, on the heels of having just cleaned out my nephew's Internet cache, and ridding it of spyware--again.

::: slapping-self and getting more coffee :::

Last time I upped my inventory of solid state lamps, I bought from BlackFeather Electronics.  Cost was good, and they generously adjusted their pricing in accordance with the quantities ordered.  All-in-all, they were very good and fast on the turn-around.

They've since moved their brick-n-mortar and I haven't had a chance to do any ordering from them in the interim.  They may be worth a look on your part.

A guy here was arrested for temporarily blinding airline pilots with a laser pointer.

Was he like the one in New York, who was supposedly painting the eyes of a commercial jet pilot (flying at something like 5000 feet or more at 2 or 3 hundred miles per hour) with a handheld green laser pointer?

Hi enigma one,
So this again means u require 1 million locations to store

Yup....but 1 or 2 Mb of storage is trivial now.

I see what you mean.  That thing needs the slot routed-out a bit larger, and the sliding panel should be mounted on good quality ball glides.  
Your carpenter should be able to understand that much about the situation.

With 15mm/s thrust rate, be aware that the time to open up the panel will be on the order of 41 seconds.  Not bad, but don't be in a hurry.  I see that they say that they'll be introducing some higher speed models early this year.  At 20lbs of force, it might be worth it to see what they offer the public on that count.

Definitely install ball glides on both sides of the sliding panel (possibly 'L' bracketing the panel to ball glides mounted on the rear sides of that slot, though hidden would be much better), and it really depends on where you have to stuff the motor/gearbox.  Possibly right behind the panel and attach the clevis at an appropriate point in the center of the panels width.

Nothing new.  This is something that's been bugging on lists since the 80's.

I agree with you in that it's major, "GRRRRRRRR!" territory.

How about requiring that everyone read ESR's "How to Ask Questions..." document before allowing them to post?  

Like Ldanielrosa says, you're probably looking for a "jack-of-all-trades" type of person; and getting a look at the situation certainly would go a long way towards getting a solution in the shortest possible time.

[added]
Electronics is the easy part.  Custom carpentry is really where I get into trouble.

Looking at the link you provided, I'm reminded that we'd need to know the distance that the frame slides (up, down, over, whatever) and a look at the kind of space available to mount the mechanism.  (Most of this kind of thing is usually done when the cabinetry is being constructed.)

Given that information, it looks as though structural CAD files are available from the supplier that would be of use to you.

There are several ready-made sub-assemblies that can be made to work in your situation...

Linear actuators can be made to do the lifting for you:
http://www.linearmotion.skf.com/main/skfkey/url/details_sl_skfkey_sl_Kind_sl_ProductRange_sl_Id_sl_122

...and there a wide range of consumer-oriented remote control modules that can be used to control the linear actuator.

It's best if you have (possibly a more innovative and tech-savvy) carpenter come over and look over the information and your situation to give you a cost estimate on the additions to your existing entertainment center.

It really shouldn't be that difficult to do.

Give it one bit per D-FF that you were going to use.  
Of course, if you happen to have 299 E+06 metera of serial cable lying around, your problem is already solved.  

http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~gary/614/week1/delayline.html

...or a FIFO buffer.

If you are searching for Service documentation for what would be considered to be a low, medium, high or production volume office/repro-center photocopier; you will have to get that kind of information directly from the manufacturer/distributor or field service firm.  If you can.

Be forewarned:  
Manuals are not inexpensive, are generally considered to be proprietary (or trade secret) information, and are (in most cases) clearly identified as such.  All of the 'big players' in that I'm aware of firms will refuse to sell a manual--even at several tens of times their actual cost--lest they lose their service franchise.