Re: The Mark IV Camera Head - TN-40

[Chris Albertson <chris@topdog.pas1.logicon.com>]

Tom Droege wrote:
> 
> The subject says it all.  There is a new TN with lots of pictures of the
> camera head.

Looks good.  I am impressed by the size.  The MkIV head appears
smaller then the Mk III head.

I noticed the comment that the TV remote was not the control computer.
Minutes after reading that I was send a pointer to a new device built
by DEC (a.k.a. Digital)  Sorry but I just could not help commenting.

This device _could_ be the control computer.
It runs Linux and they have ported the Apache web server to it.  It
could run a Database server or even IRAF.  It is also only _half_ the
size of a TV remote and runs on AAA bateries.  No, you can't buy one
but you can see a picture at 
http://www.research.digital.com/wrl/itsy/talk/sld002.htm
I think in 3 to 5 years you will see a lot of these.  What is nice
about it is that anyone can program it and they have kept the
electrical interface clean and published the specs and all the OS
source code.  Makes for a nifty toy for a hacker and I'll bet
a great "hand controller" for a telescope.

-- 
--Chris Albertson

  chris@topdog.logicon.com                Voice:  626-351-0089  X127
  Logicon RDA, Pasadena California          Fax:  626-351-0699