Web Site Hits comparison

In 1999 this web site received 32,100 visitors. That number was exceeded in just 8 days this year.

In 2000 this web site received 80,000 visitors. That number was exceeded after just 18 days this year.

In 2001 this web site received 131,300 visitors. That number was exceeded after just 31 days this year.

The year 2002 received 221,900 visitors. That number was exceeded after just 49 days this year.

The year 2003 received 249,164 visitors. That number was exceeded after just 55 days this year.

The web site referred to is http://www.interfacebus.com and not this blog address.

http://www.interfacebus.com/

Brother MFC-5840CN does not Scan

So I tried to scan a document the other night on my new printer/scanner. Well I could not get it to work ~ printing seems to work. I dumped my working [scanning] HP printer because I wanted a flat-bed scanner. So I kind of wanted the Brother MFC-5840 to scan my documents. Well, that's just not working yet.

I looked at the manual, and the scanning function is not mentioned [see the CD] ~ not a good sign. The Doc's refers me to the Paper-port software ~ also not a good sign. I already have a flat-bed Paper Port scanner. The reason I don't use the Paper Port flat-bed scanner is because Paper Port does not support it's own scanner after Windows 2000 [or so]. The flat bed scanner from Paper Port is junk.

I went out to the Brother web site. My issue is listed in the FAQ. I need to re-boot, and / or, re-loaded the software. Which I did..... [no help found]

Would I recommend the 5840, NO
Would I recommend the MFC-5840, NO
Would I recommend a Brother Printer, NO.

Lap-Top Computer up-grade

SODIMM

I added another 256MB memory stick to my lap-top tonight. That brings my memory to 512 Mega-Bytes, via two 256 Mega-byte SO DIMMs.

It took a while to get the SO-DIMM installed ~ I had to go out to Notebook for dummies to figure it out. So install at 45 degrees and push works.

The lap-top appears to work much faster now with twice the memory. The memory type is PC2100.

Digital Media Card reader

The Brother MFC-5840 Printer comes with a Digital Card Reader. The card reader contains three card slots for the following flash media [links are to interface descriptions]:

Compact Flash
SmartMedia
Memory Stick
x-D Picture Card
Secure Digital

While the main page which contains links to a number of different Flash Media types is located here

The three card slots accept a number of different flash cards. One card slot accepts a CF [Compact Flash] card [type I only]. One slot accepts either a x-D Picture Card or a SmartMedia card [3.3v only], while the final card slot takes either Memory Stick or Secure Digital cards. Using adaptors [not supplied] I can also use a miniSD and a Memory Stick Duo card.

I really do not have an application that uses any of these flash cards, but the option was provided on my PC for only $10, so I got the reader there and the printer.

So far, I would recommend the Brother MFC-5840CN multi-function printer. The printer is not shipped with an Ethernet or USB cable. The printer does ship with all four ink colors.

New Printer / Fax / Scanner

5840 Brother Printer

I purchased a new multi-function printer today to replace the outdated HP printer I now have.

The new printer is manufactured by Brother International Corporation, the model number is 5840. This is an inkjet printer, plus it will Fax, Print, Copy, Scan, PC Fax, and PhotoCapture what ever that is.

I wanted a flat-bed scanner which the HP BJC-600 did not have. I had to hope for the best on the rolled-head scanner using the HP printer. That printer also had a IEEE-1284 interface.

Any way, the major features other the printer include either a USB Bus and/or an Ethernet Bus interface, a RJ45 33.6k fax connection, and a Digital Media Card reader.

This is a black and White [B/W] or color machine. It also has two paper trays which the HP did not.

More new pages

I added a few more pages today. The
ATCA Board Manufacturers page lists a dozen card manufacturers.

The ATCA Express Board Manufacturers page which does not yet have any manufactures, and the CompactPCI Express Board Manufacturers, also with no listed companies.

AdvancedTCA has been around for a few years, the other standards are newer.

There is another blog that I run that provides links to the new pages that are added to the web site: New Page Additions.

Two new page additions

I added two new pages tonight:

CompactTCA

MicroTCA

Both pages are just a copy of the cPCI page for tonight, but I should have time this week end to fix up the pages and add the correct information.

Serial SCSI

The Serial Attached SCSI [SAS] Bus defines Physical layer, PHY Layer, Link Layer, Port layer, and Application Layer. SAS may also just be called Serial SCSI. The Physical Layer consists of two sets of differential lines, one receive set and one transmit set [4-wire total]. The PHY Layer connects the differential Transmitter and Receiver circuits [ICs] to the Physical Layer, which defines the cable, connector, and transceiver [Transmitter / Receiver] characteristics. The external connector will accept 4 physical links, while the cable may hold between 1 and 4 physical links. Internal connectors are also defined. Two data rates are defined: 1.5Gbps and 3.0Gbps over a 100 ohm [+ 15 ohm] differential impedance cable. SAS uses the Serial ATA physical interface, including the connector receptacle and connector plugs.

SAS transmits data using 8B/10B at a maximum level of 1.2 volts [Tx voltage = 800-1600mV], [Rx voltage = 275-1600mV]. SAS uses big-endian, while SATA uses little-endian byte ordering. SAS uses a 32 bit CRC. Like SATA, SAS uses LVDS

SAS Roadmap

I had a look at the STA road map [SCSI Trade Association]. Here are the details;

Ultra 320 SCSI [2002 to 2009]
SAS 3 Gbps SCSI [2004 to 2011]
SAS 6 Gbps SCSI [2007 to 2012]
SAS 12 Gbps SCSI [2011 to 2014]

These dates are approximate. 'SAS' stands for Serial Attached SCSI

This page has a description of Serial SCSI;
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_Serial_SCSI_Bus.html

And this page has a description of Parallel SCSI;
http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_SCSI.html

Both pages resides on:
http://www.interfacebus.com/

[Updated 1/30/2010] The most recent road map I've seen dates to 2009 and shows almost no SCSI drives projected to be sold by 2009, while this one indicated SCSI 320 in demand. I guess things changed a bit.

Laptop Memory Up-grade

SODIMM
My Notebook computer [HP ze4805wm]contains one 256 MB SO-DIMM [200-pin]. The SO-DIMM style is PC2100. The clock speed of PC2100 is 266MHZ.

The part number for the memory module which was supplied with the laptop is; Hewlett Packard (HP) Laptop / Notebook Memory: 317435001 / 317435-001. I was never able to find the cas latency.

I discovered I have two SO-DIMM slots so the plan is to up-grade the system with another 256MB PC2100 SO-DIMM, giving me 512MB of system memory. This allows me to keep the orginal 256MB. Ranging around $30 to $70 per stick.

SO DIMM = Small Outline Dual In-Line Memory Module.

Wireless USB

I added a new page which will cover Wireless USB. The page is located at:
http://www.interfacebus.com/Wireless_USB.html

It's really still just a copy of the USB page, but that's what wireless USB is [with out a cable]. So I'll be fixing up that page over the coming days.

USB Flash Drive

Flash

I got a new 1G Byte USB flash drive today.

I tried to back-up some data to my laptop yesterday and filled my other Flash drive. This new one even has pre-installed programs ~ like I have time to use them.

So now I have a:
32MB Buslink USB Flash drive
256MB Impact USB Flash drive
1GB Geek Squad USB Flash drive

Serial Attached SCSI [SAS] Bus

The Serial Attached SCSI [SAS] Bus defines the Physical layer, PHY Layer, Link Layer, Port layer, and Application Layer. SAS may also just be called Serial SCSI. The Physical Layer consists of two sets of differential lines, one receive set and one transmit set [4-wire total]. The PHY Layer connects the differential Transmitter and Receiver circuits [ICs] to the Physical Layer, which defines the cable, connector, and transceiver [Transmitter / Receiver] characteristics.

The external connector will accept 4 physical links, while the cable may hold between 1 and 4 physical links. Internal connectors are also defined. Two data rates are defined: 1.5Gbps and 3.0Gbps over a 100 ohm [+ 15 ohm] differential impedance cable. SAS uses the Serial ATA physical interface, including the connector receptacle and connector plugs.

SAS transmits data using 8B/10B at a maximum level of 1.2 volts [Tx voltage = 800-1600mV], [Rx voltage = 275-1600mV]. SAS uses big-endian, while SATA uses little-endian byte ordering. SAS uses a 32 bit CRC. Like SATA, SAS uses LVDS