Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks

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Part III: Appendixes

Wireless

If your project cannot accommodate a wired connection, then wireless is the

way to go. Bear in mind that it is often more complicated to make a wireless

link work well and that the cost is often higher than a wired connection.

Radio control

A company called Pericom (http://www.pti-ic.com) offers radio-control chip

sets used in toy- and hobby-level remote-controlled vehicles. The company’s

web site offers detailed data sheets and application notes that include a

design for a standalone radio-control link (both transmitter and receiver).

Radio data communications

A number of other companies offer prebuilt radio data interface circuit

boards. These boards will set up a one- or two-way data link, depending

on which model you choose. Additional circuitry and sometimes software

is required for some of these products to reliably transmit and receive data.

Outside radio noise typically introduces errors and distortion into signals,

which manifests itself in errors in data transmitted and received. These

errors must be detected and corrected if the radio link is to be reliably used.

The following is a list of vendors of ready-to-use radio interface boards.

http://www.linxtechnologies.com/

http://www.radiotronix.com/

http://www.abacom-tech.com/

http://www.lemosint.com

http://www.laipac.com

http://www.maxstream.net

If you are interested ...