CTC Blog

I would like to welcome our new distributor for the Lightwatchman product in the South East; Dave Ferraro Sales. Dave is based out of northern Florida and will be servicing the south eastern region of the US. For sales inquiries, Dave can be contacted as follows:

904-583-7950

{ 0 comments }

These are what some would term interesting times, from many standpoints. From an economic standpoint, it’s clear that consumer confidence is low. People are tightening their belts, and this has a ripple effect through the entire economy. In order to survive, many companies are having to change their sales models. Older, more traditional sales models, like manufacturers representatives and direct sales forces, can be costly — too costly, in the face of foreign competition.

I was recently discussing reps and rep strategy and heard a term I had not heard before  for the sales model I was using: ‘Micro Rep.’ I think this is a model (and a term) we will see more of in the future. In many cases, a micro rep sales model can offer a very effective and cost competitive sales model to enhance an already stretched direct sales force, or to act as a lower cost option than traditional rep sales companies.
[click to continue…]

{ 1 comment }

Atlanta
March 29th 2009

Cotehele Technology Connection is pleased to announce the recent signing of a partnership agreement with with Active-8 to represent MStar Semiconductor in North America. MStar Semiconductor is the leading supplier of ICs for consumer devices, with the number one position by volume in TV and monitor applications, and leading positions in solutions for portable and mobile consumer devices.

MStar prides itself on fastest time to market and superior level of customer service, providing clients with a complete system solution that does the job better, faster, and at a lower BoM cost.

Cotehele Technology Connection is an independent manufacturer’s representative company based in the southeastern United States, covering all of North America. Cotehele Technology Connection specialists work on a consultative basis with clients and principals to identify and fulfill each customer’s unique needs.

Active-8 is a leading manufacturers representative in the United Kingdom, and represents MStar in the UK and Europe.

{ 0 comments }

This is something many of the people I meet struggle with, and rightly so. Cotehele is a very odd word. So how does one pronounce it, what does it mean, and where does it come from?

Cotehele is a name combining two words, cote and hele, both old English or Anglo Saxon English, which date back about 1500 years or so. The English language has changed a lot over the years. After the Norman invasion of England in 1066, many French words were introduced into the language. When that happened, many of the older Saxon words dropped out of everyday language and only remained in use as place names and in isolated parts of England, Scotland and Wales.

A cote (pronounced like coat) is a pen or small dwelling for animals or birds. Sheep were kept in cotes, as were doves or pigeons. Often the pronunciation is shortened to cot, as in dovecote (pronounced dove-cot). The word hele (pronounced like heal) means to hide or obscure, so literally it means ‘hidden shelter for animals or birds’. Put the two words together and you have Cotehele, pronounced “co-teel.”

An Internet search for the word Cotehele returns a link to a Tudor manor house in the southwest of England, built in 1485. Cotehele has a fully protected courtyard, formal gardens, a stone dovecote, and an 18th century folly tower with fine views. It is owned by the National Trust and open to the public. If you ever get the chance to visit, be sure have one of their marvelous cream teas!

{ 0 comments }

If you were wondering how easy the easySafe security device from Fast and Safe Technology is to use, check out this short video.

{ 0 comments }

Cnet Asia has recently published an interesting review of the Fast and Safe Technology easySafe product.

Failure to secure your personal or critical information on your computer can result in serious fallout not only for yourself, but involved parties, as we’ve witnessed in a very public way. While companies know it’s plain good business to safeguard their sensitive data, the Average Joe is less primed against data theft or loss. So easySafe has been, as its name implies, attempting to make it easy and safe for the home user. Its computer data security USB key has been upgraded with drivers to allow the user the option to duplicate file security onto a second key, since this sells in a dual set, or pass the other key to a trusted party.

Read the full review here.

{ 0 comments }

Keeping your confidential computer data secure is not always easy. Computers can be secured with a password or biometric input like a fingerprint scan. However, if you share your computer or need to grant access to IT technicians, your confidential data is unsecured and other users can see it.

Instead of securing your entire PC, a better approach is to encrypt your confidential data. That way, if someone else has access to your computer, they still can’t see your confidential files. Data encryption programs can be tricky to use, but the easySafe Lite provides a simple alternative. As its name implies, easySafe Lite is easy to use and designed for the non-technical PC user, with no experience with data security products. easySafe Lite is easy to install, and easy to use because all security operations are automatic and transparent to users.

Unlike password login or fingerprint PC locks, easySafe Lite does not lock your entire PC but secures only the files you select. This keeps your confidential data safe even when others use your PC — for example, when someone is sharing, servicing or repairing your PC. This is a perfect solution for the business traveler who carries sensitive information on a laptop, or a family who shares one PC. Simply keep the easyKey on your keyring, and in the event your laptop is stolen, or your kids are using your PC, your data is safe and secure.

easySafe Lite can also protect external hard disks, USB flash drives and other data storage devices like memory sticks and CDs. With just one product and one password, all of your confidential data is protected.

How it Works
easyKey is the key to the entire process. It looks just like a flash drive and plugs into the USB socket on your PC. When you insert the easyKey into your USB port, it creates an EasyDrive, an encrypted area on your hard disk. Then you secure the easyDrive area with a password you choose. It’s that simple! The easyKey contains an advanced hardware encryption/decryption engine that provides your data security. Once unplugged from your PC, the data secured on the easyDrive is no longer accessible.

easySafe by the numbers:

• Maximum number of easyDrives per PC: 1
• Maximum easyDrive Storage Space in GB: 8
• easyKeys per package: 1
• Number of PCs you can encrypt with one easyKey: unlimited
• Number of easyKeys you can use per PC: unlimited
• Number of hard drives protected per easyKey: unlimited
• USB Flash Drives you can protect with one easyKey: unlimited
• Number of Memory Cards, CDs and DVDs protected with each easyKey: unlimited

Cotehele Technology Connection is the only easySafe representative in North America, and we’re very excited about this easy-to-use data security product. For inquiries about the easySafe, including pricing and sales outlets, please contact CTC. We’ll be happy to help you.

{ 0 comments }

History
Lateral MOSFETs were first described in 1977, when Hitachi announced their single-die N & P lateral MOSFET for audio amplifier use. In 1978, HH Electronics in the UK was the first manufacturer to actually use these devices in professional audio equipment. Ashley Audio in the USA was next to use lateral MOSFETs in their professional power amplifiers, and Ashley still uses them today.

Around January 1981, one of the first DIY lateral MOSFET audio amplifier modules became available in a magazine called Electronics Today International. ETI described a 100 watt RMS into 8 Ohms amplifier ETI 477, which used the now-discontinued 2SK134 N-channel and 2SJ49 P-channel devices. This module went on to be used in their Power Amplifier Project ETI Series 5000 in March of 1981. Some years later, a 200-watt amplifier was described in Australian Electronics Monthly, using two pairs of 2SK176 and 2SJ56 Hitachi lateral MOSFETs.

The Problem
Since 1981, hundreds of amplifier manufactures around the world have used lateral MOSFETs in their audio power amplifiers, with varying degrees of success.

One of the most frustrating issues involving the use of lateral MOSFETs is intermittent parasitic oscillation, which has been attributed to poor amplifier design or PCB layout. Other parasitic oscillation issues have been observed when more than two pairs of complementary N and P devices have been paralleled and driven into 8 or 4 Ohm dummy loads at very low power levels. However, the primary cause of this type of oscillation is lead inductance in and around the power output devices, and with some brands of lateral power MOSFETs this is a very serious problem.

As this oscillogram shows, intermittent parasitic oscillation oscillation using a leading brand of dual-die lateral MOSFETs is substantial. This test was performed with the MOSFETs fitted to a Pro Audio NX150 amplifier module (below).

The Solution
Pro Audio’s next-generation lateral power MOSFETs ACD100 and ACD102 single- and dual-die variants provide an elegant solution to the intermittent parasitic oscillation problem.

The second oscillogram shows the same NX150 amplifier module fitted with two pairs of Pro Audio next-generation dual-die lateral MOSFETs. No other modification was done to the amplifier module before the installation of the ACD100NDD and the ACD102PDD devices. The same devices were installed on three other amplifier modules with the same result.

This clearly illustrates that the new Pro Audio ALFET MOSFETs are far superior in their stability and overall performance when placed into an existing amplifier circuit. Key features of the new ALFET Power Lateral MOSFET include:

• Greatly improved stability and ease of use
• Higher current capability through improved drain design
• Higher overall bandwidth
• Lower intrinsic noise via improved die layout
• Lower cost than other leading brands of lateral MOSFETs

For data sheets, price and lead time information on these high quality lateral FETs, contact Cotehele Technology Connection.

{ 0 comments }

Fluorescent strip lights are common in home, office and and industry. Recent advances in lighting technology allow you to reduce fluorescent lighting power consumption by about 70%, while maintaining the same light output.

Traditionally, strip lights have been fitted with T12 tubes which are 38mm in diameter, or T8 tubes which are 26mm in diameter. The latest and most efficient tubes are T5 tubes, which are just 16mm in diameter. T5 tubes are ideal for those concerned with saving energy costs, because a 35W T5 tube and 1W ballast produce the same amount of light as conventional 58W T12 lamp and 19W ballast - reducing energy consumption by up to 70%. A T8 tube typically lasts only 9,000 hours, and its light output reduces by 20% in that time. In comparison, a T5 tube typically lasts 24,000 hours, and loses just 5% of its light output. Longer T5 lifespan means less frequent replacement, resulting in lower maintenance costs.

However, replacing all of your existing light fixtures to fit T5 tubes can be expensive. Now there is a low-cost solution: Lightwatchman T5 conversion kits allow you to convert all of your existing fittings, quickly and professionally, at a fraction of the cost. Lightwatchman conversion kits can be used with 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 foot tube lengths, offer simple drill-and-click fitting for increased reliability, and can be installed by non-specialist staff in minutes.

Lightwatchman T5 conversion kits can also include a new ballast, complete with over-current, over-temperature, over-voltage protection, lamp life and lamp fault protection, if required.

When you retrofit your fluorescent light fixtures with Lightwatchman T5 conversion kits,

• Your energy bill will reduce by up to 70%
• Your carbon footprint will be reduced
• You will only have to replace your new T5 tubes a third of the number of times you would have to replace your old T8 and T12 tubes
• The installation cost is up to 75% less than replacing the entire light fitting

As a Lightwatchman representative, Cotehele Technology Connection can supply any quantity of T5 conversion kits to meet your needs. Contact us today for more information.

{ 0 comments }