[Boatanchors] Re: Speech synthesized meter economics

[Fred Neff]

Duane,
How's this?
Here's my suggestion:
I don't know how long ago your meter was built, but by law, there has to be 
a supply of spare parts kept aside for repairs, and it's probably for longer 
than you  think.  Check it out.
If the problem with the board you were sent was that it is too large, it may 
be easier to adapt what is  left of your meter and the new board to another 
case that will fit it.  If the spare part just plain doesn't work, see the 
above suggestion.  They have a legal responsibility.  If that is not 
profitable for them, they may want to just buy you the Omega and send it to 
you, rather than start a new production run...unless they saw a profit 
potential...and that may mean contacting the contractor who actually made 
the unit in the first place, since RS makes almost nothing outright.
I have a feeling that the Americans with Disabilities Act may give you some 
added leverage.  As far as I am concerned, if it gives you a leg up on what 
the average Joe has to put up with to deal with some multi-national company, 
I say go for it...the concensus seems to be that it's all about 
numbers...well, maybe in your case it's not.  Are there any lawyers in our 
group to lend a hand in this?
The other possibility would be to program a blank IC chip for your needs.  I 
read an article about this less than a year ago, and have never thrown away 
any electronics, four-wheel-drive, or guitar-related magazines in a long 
time, so it is here someplace, and I know it can be done.  Again RS/Micronta 
should have the specs on at least the program used for the talking meter.
I was bothered by the seeming inability of any of us to come up with an 
intellegent solution to your problem, so I am forwarding a few dumb ideas 
back to the group in the hope that it will trigger some brainsorming...and I 
will try to find that article, and contact the gent that wrote it.  I doubt 
that he's a real boatanchors kind of guy, but he would probably know what to 
do and might even write another "homebrew" article so we could all benefit 
form this, because I think you are right, that most of us would like to have 
a talking meter for all the reasons you mentioned.
Sincerely, & 73's
C. FRED NEFF
KB9RMT






C. Fred Neff
KB9RMT
From: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF " To: "Fred Neff" Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Re: 
Speech synthesized meter economics Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:32:20 -0500 
There is no message here. Just a blank screen. If you don't know how to use 
plain text, than ask the Hotmail people how. ---------- From: Fred Neff To: 
dfischer@usol.com Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Re: Speech synthesized meter 
economics Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 9:21 PM

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