Roku bills its new Ultra device as its fastest and most powerful player ever. Its features include 50% more range for its wireless capabilities, support for Dolby Vision (an HDR standard), Dolby Atmos (a surround-sound format), and Bluetooth, a fast channel launch, a lost remote finder capability, voice-remote controls and personal shortcut buttons, and the […]
Teardowns
Teardown: Cisco Explorer 8642HDC high-definition DVR with multi-stream cableCARD interface
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many people to spend more time in front of a TV set. Here’s a look at what’s inside the cable box responsible for a large portion of home entertainment. Examine the hook-up for many cable TV customers and you’ll likely find something like the Cisco Explorer 8642HDC DVR. This set-top […]
Teardown — An oldie but still useful: The iPhone 6
Approaching the launch of the iPhone 12, we look at the internals of an old iPhone widely repurposed today as webcams, security cameras, and iPods. As we write this, the new lineup of iPhone releases expected this fall is said to include models able to work at 5G speeds as well as a new case […]
Teardown: A simple pulse oximeter for home healthcare
If you’re recovering from a respiratory problem, chances are you may have had your oxygen levels checked with a pulse oximeter. Pulse oximetry is the non-invasive measurement of the oxygen saturation (SpO2). Oxygen saturation is defined as the amount of oxygen dissolved in blood, based on the detection of Hemoglobin, Hb, and Deoxyhemoglobin, HbO2. The […]
Teardown: Induction crystal ball gyrocopter toy
A little toy made in China called the Induction crystal ball uses a pair of coaxial rotors to rise in the air, helicopter-like. It powers the rotors enough to rise for a few seconds, then cuts the power back to gently float down until a proximity sensor in the base of the plastic body comes […]
Teardown: Dr. Pocket TENS therapy pain relief kit
The electronic TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) therapy pain relief kit called Dr. Pocket uses electronic pulse stimulation via TENS to deliver electric impulses through electrodes in a pad that sits on the user’s skin. This device has multiple modes of different pulse frequencies covering transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and powered muscle stimulation which are […]
Teardown: Inside a cable modem
The device which brings cable TV and high-speed internet into homes has a simple design but sports a couple of tricky secrets. Lee Teschler Executive Editor If you’ve got broadband internet from a cable company, it comes into your house through a cable modem. Estimates are that some $8.6 billion-worth of cable modems will be […]
