Amplicon News

09.05.2013 Winner of the NEX608 mini-ITX board announced!

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Amplicon Nexcom shop prize draw. The winner of the Nexcom NEX608 mini-ITX main board worth +pound;300 is Stuart Shepperson from Multitone Electronic. Stuart Shepperson Systems Engineer at Multitone Electronic commented: After receiving notification of winning this prize I genuinely thought that it was a junk email (which I+ m sure you agree we all get from time to time!) but luckily I did stop and check that I had entered a draw for such a prize. I+ m very exited and shocked to win this prize and look forward to giving it a purpose+rdquo;. Thank you for being part of our free prize draw and we look forward to being of service to you in the near future.

25.04.2013 The fastest benchtop digital multimeter in its class

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon Measurement and Control division introduces the Agilent 34450A benchtop 5+frac12; digits Digital Multimeter reputed to be the fastest DMM in its class. The Agilent 34450A is capable of measuring up to 190 readings per second with 0.015% DC Voltage (DCV) accuracy. This unit is equipped with multiple connectivity options including USB 2.0 serial interface (RS-232) and general-purpose interface bus (GPIB) giving users greater flexibility when transferring analysis data to a PC The 34450A can deliver up to 50 000 readings of on-board memory allowing users to log up to 14 hours of data at one sample per second. Furthermore to simplify day-to-day tasks the 34450A comes with a built-in histogram performs basic statistical functions and provides simple data analysis. This multipurpose dual-display device can perform 11 measurement functions including capacitance 2 or 4-wire resistance and temperature measurements. Its high-contrast OLED display enables users to easily set up measurement functions using the one-page menu. The Agilent 34450A comes with the IVI-COM driver that enables easy integration with different programming environments such as Visual C# Visual Basic .NET Agilent VEE NI LabVIEW NI TestStand and MATLAB.

18.04.2013 New 3G routers for rolling stock applications

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0100

The Digi Transport WR44 RR is designed for a multitude of telemetry applications used in rolling stock environments where shock vibration and EMC resilience is paramount. The WR44 RR supports GSM GPRS and 3G communication including the latest HSPA+ wireless standard this provides greatly improved mobile internet speeds compared to that of previous 3G technologies. Other stand-out features include an integrated Wi-Fi access point serial and 4-port Ethernet switch GPS and digital I/O for applications such as train control systems wayside device communication and on-board passenger Internet access. The WR44 RR has been ruggedized for installation in demanding locations and is designed to meet the EN50155 standard for railway applications for electronic equipment. This rugged router is also designed to operate at a wide range of temperatures anywhere between -40+deg;C to 75+deg;C.

12.04.2013 Amplicon release flexible powerful high quality Panel PC series

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have announced the redesigned of the ever-popular Senses Panel PC series incorporating the power of Intels Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors. The new design of the Senses series offers a sleek and polished appearance whilst retaining the industrial functionality you would expect from Amplicon. This series is available in both 15+rdquo; and 17+rdquo; LCD displays with 5-wire resistive touch screen and can be mounted using optional kits for panel wall or VESA mount depending on your preference and application requirement. Housing up to a massive 16GB DDR3 memory with transfer rates of 1333MHz or 1600MHz the dual-channel SO-DIMM memory architecture boosts the bandwidth of the Amplicon Senses series giving greater performance to meet the requirements of the latest 3D graphics multimedia and Internet applications. The new Senses Panel PC series come fitted with front mounted USB ports whilst still maintaining the IP65 front rated panel: ensuring rich I/O without jeopardising the systems protection. The Amplicon Senses series offers support for Microsoft Windows and Linux based operating systems; these units can be tailored to meet your growing needs.

25.03.2013 The InfiniiVision 4000 X-series redefines the oscilloscope experience

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon has announced the launch of the Agilent InfiniiVision 4000 X-series of digital-storage and mixed-signal oscilloscopes. This new series offers unprecedented levels of flexibility and ease of use The 4000 X-series series are fully upgradable oscilloscopes that feature a 12.1 inch capacitive touch screen display with touch-triggering capability 200 MHz to 1.5 GHz bandwidth range 4 Mpts standard memory and industry-leading update rate of 1 million waveforms per second. This new range has the same capabilities as five separate instruments in one unit including oscilloscope protocol analyser digital voltmeter logic analyser and dual-channel WaveGen function/arbitrary waveform generator. This key feature gives an uncompromised ability to test and debug electronic circuit designs faster and reduces the total cost of ownership. This series has built-in segmented memory which enables you to capture more selective signal details with less memory usage. The InfiniiVision series are the only oscilloscopes on the market that provide segmented memory acquisitions simultaneously on all analogue channels (up to four analogue channels) and logic channels (up to 16 digital channels) of acquisition. The 4000 X-series also supports a wide range powerful triggering and intuitive decoding capabilities such as MIL-STD 1553 and ARINC 429 I2S CAN/LIN FlexRay RS232/422/485/UART I2C/ SPI and USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Full-Speed and Low-Speed.

19.03.2013 Extending the benefits of USB 3.0

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have recently launched the USB 3.0 Spectra 3022 an innovative new USB extender system that is capable of increasing the distance of USB 3.0 up to 100 metres over fibre optics. This extender system allows you to locate your remote USB 3.0 devices up to 100m from their local host. Installation is easy there is no need to install software drivers; simply connect the local and remote extender units together with multimode fibre optic cable. The remote device can operate at the USB 3.0 high-speed data rate of 5Gbps meaning high-performance end devices such as machine vision cameras security cameras and storage drives are supported. The USB 3.0 Spectra 3022 system has been designed to reliably operate in both office and industrial environments; each unit has a rugged aluminium enclosure lockable ports and various mounting options and is also backed by an industry leading two year warranty. One industry that has quickly embraced USB 3.0s benefits is machine vision. With the advent of the USB3 Vision camera specification which is based on USB 3.0 machine vision cameras can produce high resolution vibrant colours and high frame rates cost effectively. The Spectra 3022 is USB3 Vision compliant making it well placed to complement machine vision applications that need to deploy cameras at long distances.

13.03.2013 New compact universal sink/source transmitters from Amplicon

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon Measurement and Control division has announced the launch of new TT230 series. The TT230 series of compact two-wire transmitters provide isolation and convert thermocouple RTD voltage or current sensor inputs into a proportional 4-20mA output signal. This series are loop-powered and support both source or sink output wiring connections with a 12-32V DC supply. The TT230 series comprises of different models designed to accommodate a variety of signal types. The thermocouple model accepts eight different sensor types (J K T R S E B N) as well as +plusmn;100mV inputs the RTD model can accommodate 2 3 and 4-wire 100 ohm platinum sensors or 0-900 ohm linear resistance inputs the voltage model converts bipolar signals from +plusmn;10mV to +plusmn;150V DC with multiple selectable ranges and the current model can be adjusted to support +plusmn;20mA 0-20mA and 4-20mA DC input signals. The TT230 series features a wide operating temperature range of -40 to 85+deg;C fast response time electrical noise immunity and surge protection; essential for consistent performance in harsh environments. These transmitters are DIN-rail mountable and can be easily setup and calibrated using the free Windows configuration software. These transmitters are also built to AS9100 aerospace and ISO 9001 certified quality control standards and backed by a 7-year warranty which guarantees a long-lasting superior performance.

06.03.2013 New ultra slim Amplicon Senses Industrial monitors introduced

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon has upgraded and re-designed the popular Senses panel PC displays to give a sleek and slim-line finish. The new series offers mounting options in rack panel VESA and open frame all available with up to 19 displays. The newly designed rack mount displays have the added optional function of USB touchscreen putting the control of any application at your fingertips. This series now features a grade A Samsung LCD providing users with a crisp and clear image with options for either VGA or DVI interfaces. The new design features reductions in weight and power consumption The Senses display now weighs in as little as 3.6kg with a maximum power draw of 48W; this upgraded range is well suited for many varied industrial applications including industrial control and CCTV security.

27.02.2013 Extend PoE+ up to 1.2 kilometres with Power over Link technology

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have introduced the ED3538T and the ED3538R an innovative new Ethernet extender system that can extend an Ethernet network and PoE+ power across pre-existing copper cabling providing data rates of up to 100Mbps and power levels as high as 30 Watts. One of the common issues encountered when installing Ethernet extenders is power availability at the remote location the innovative ED3538T/R extender system completely removes this problem with the use of Power over Link (PoL) technology. When these extenders are installed in a point-to-point topology only the local end of the network requires a power supply power is sent along the copper cabling which powers the remote extender unit and any connected PoE+ end device that is compliant with the IEEE 802.3af/at standard. This Ethernet extender system consists of two units: the ED3538T Transmitter and the ED3538R Receiver. The ED3538T features one 10/100BaseT RJ-45 port for Ethernet connectivity one RJ-11/terminal block connector for connection to a copper-pair cable as well as dual power inputs for redundancy. The ED3538R has a receiving RJ-11/terminal block connector as well as a 10/100BaseT RJ-45 port that supports PoE+ device connectivity.

21.02.2013 40th birthday competition winner announced!

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winner of the first of our 40th birthday competitions. The winner of our brand new Impact-E 100 is David Walker from BAE Systems who managed to correctly guess that Roger Wood is the member of the Amplicon team who is also 40 years old! David Walker Senior Electronic Design Engineer at BAE Systems commented: Thank you for the surprising and wonderful news that I have won your 40th anniversary competition. I thought the competition itself was very novel and innovative. It was nice to see a few of the faces behind the phone/email/scenes and I love Gina+ s new hair style. I look forward to receiving the Impact-E 100 and exploring its myriad of possible uses.+rdquo; Our CEO would like to extend her very special thanks to all of you that thought she was 40; your votes were taken as a great compliment! Thank you for taking part in the Amplicon 40th birthday competition and we hope you will join in some of other celebratory events in the coming year!

19.02.2013 Winner of the WaveAce� Oscilloscope announced!

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon Measurement and Control division are very delighted to announce the winner of the Amplicon and Teledyne LeCroy partnership competition. The lucky winner of the fabulous WaveAce+trade; Oscilloscope worth over +pound;600 is Mr Geoff Collins from General Dynamics. Geoff Collins Senior Hardware Engineer at General Dynamics commented: I am really pleased to have won the Teledyne LeCroy oscilloscope especially as they are so easy to set-up and use! Thank you very much. Thank you all for participating in this competition and we look forward to being of service to you in the near future.

13.02.2013 Amplicon launch new Test Systems division

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon announce the launch of a brand new division dedicated to highlighting their capabilities in the test system market. This information packed section highlights the variety of innovative technologies and systems available from Amplicon for a wide range of test applications. The Amplicon engineering team has an excellent track record in the development of turnkey test systems utilised in a variety of industrial applications including complex data logging systems high speed data acquisition passive component testing strain gauge measurements and vibration testing. The newly launched test systems section provides detailed information on how Amplicon can help test engineers in the design and build of a bespoke test system solution. The Amplicon engineering team is experienced in using and specifying a variety of technologies including PC based PXI GPIB cPCI LXI and VXI all typically used in ATE; and to complement this Amplicon also provide a comprehensive range of data acquisition and test and measurement instruments. Amplicon aim to alleviate the design considerations and challenges encountered in the development process of a test system including test requirements development time decreased budgets and test system longevity.

23.01.2013 New powerful embedded PC from Amplicon - Impact-E 150

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0100

The small form factor industrial computer is one of the most popular choices in the marketplace today; to meet the growing need for this type of product Amplicon have introduced an exciting new addition to the industrial embedded Impact-E series the Impact-E 150. The new Impact-E 150 utilises the Cedarview ATOM+trade; D2550 processor which supports Intel+reg; GMA3600 graphics it is capable of delivering a rich multimedia and Internet experience including support for dual display and full HD 1080p video playback. Designed for applications where space is at a premium the Impact-E 150 has a compact footprint making it ideally suited to multiple markets such as transportation security point of sales and industrial automation. The Impact-E 150 has the space for an additional 2.5+rdquo; hard drive or solid-state drive as well as optional Wi-Fi and cellular modules. Encased in a fanless aluminium chassis the Impact-E 150 dissipates heat effectively ensuring smooth operation in the most demanding environments.

14.01.2013 New 2nd Generation iCore Impact systems launched

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have further improved the very successful range of Impact computer systems. The units are powered by Intel+reg; iCore technology; and are the latest units to utilise the processing power of the Sandy Bridge processor and provide PCIe 2.0 expansion in; x16 x4 and x1 bus speeds. The new Impact series uses the Intel+reg; H61 chipset to incorporate SATA III bus speeds of up to 6 Gigabits per second to optimise the overall performance of the system. The Impact range is designed to bridge the gap between consumer and industrial systems whilst incorporating rugged chassis with high-end power supplies and peripherals combined with the latest in desktop computing technology. Although not suitable for long roadmap applications the Impact series still boasts a 3-year warranty and has the same high build standards and testing of the Impact-R and the flagship Ventrix series.

08.01.2013 Amplicon Christmas competition winner announced!

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Amplicon Christmas competition! The winner of the fabulous Amplicon Senses 6172 Panel PC valued at +pound;1 352 is Alex Hale from Pivotware who managed to match the Amplicon team members in the quickest time! Alex Hale Systems Engineer at Pivotware commented: Im very surprised to have won the Amplicon Christmas competition I guess all those hours werent wasted as a kid. Hopefully my prize should give me a few more hours of tinkering. Thank you Amplicon for such a fabulous prize!. We would also like to make a special mention to Kevin Mitchell from Selex Galileo who was the competition runner up! Thank you to all of you that took part in the Amplicon Christmas competition!

11.12.2012 Amplicon Transport Seminar Success!

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon annual transport seminar +lsquo;Network and Monitoring Solutions for Smarter Transport hosted on the 28th November 2012 met with resounding success and underlined the Amplicon strategy of increasing awareness of the latest technologies being adopted in the transport market. The event which was hosted at the Bluebell Steam Railway had an agenda packed with interesting talks and product demonstrations specifically tailored for engineers within the transport sector. The day also included a fascinating ride in a unique observation carriage built in 1913 powered by one of the Bluebell Railway steam engines. The day followed a theme where each speech covered different stages of a smart transport solution starting with monitoring control and data acquisition followed by resilient wired and wireless communication systems and back-end rugged computing platforms. The day was neatly concluded by guest speakers IEI Technology speaking on intelligent solutions based on Intel architecture. Please click here for an overview of the day and to access the seminar presentations.

05.12.2012 New compact industrial embedded computer from Amplicon

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon Impact-E 100 is a compact industrial embedded PC designed and manufactured in the UK by Amplicon. Weighing less than 2kg and using typically under 10W this system is ideal for installations where space and power are at a premium. The unit is powered by the Intel+reg; N2800 ATOM+trade; processor; and benefits from extremely low power consumption whilst maintaining sufficient processing power to support dual display and full HD 1080p video playback. The Impact-E 100 can be powered by either battery or solar panel making it ideal for remote installations where mains power is not an option. The standard system allows for the expansion of solid state mSATA or hard drive storage with optional Wi-Fi and cellular modules. This embedded PC system is ideally suited to applications in markets such as transportation security factory automation and building management. The new Impact-E 100 with the Amplicon standard 3 year warranty gives you the peace of mind of + fit and forget+ in all your embedded applications.

29.11.2012 Industry first 12-bit High Definition Oscilloscopes

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Leading test and measurement distributor Amplicon announce the launch of the first ever 12-bit High Definition Oscilloscopes from market leaders Teledyne LeCroy. The HDO4000 series of oscilloscopes has a waveform display that is cleaner and crisper with 16 times more vertical resolution than the conventional 8-bit instruments; making waveform details that were previously difficult to see easily distinguishable and measureable. The Amplicon Measurement and Control division are delighted to launch the HDO 4000 series of high definition oscilloscopes with HD4096 technology. This technology enables oscilloscopes to acquire waveforms with high resolution high sample rate and low noise. The HDO4000 oscilloscope features a sample rate of 2.5 GS/s with up to 25 Mpts/channel of memory in two and four-channel models from 200 MHz to 1 GHz Bandwidth. All HDO models are equipped with a 12.1+rdquo; touch-screen display and intuitive interface that gives users an easy means of controlling channels trigger settings math and advanced measurement functions. Also available in the HDO oscilloscopes are spectrum analysis and power measurement software packages that serve to sharpen the instruments focus on two key analysis areas that affect a broad range of design and debug tasks. The spectrum Analyser software converts the controls of an HDO into those of a spectrum analyzer and the power analysis software quickly measures and analyses the operating characteristics of power conversion devices and circuits with automatic loss measurements and a dedicated user interface.

26.11.2012 Winner of the �900 IEI Panel PC announced!

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0100

We are pleased to announce the winner of the IEI Shop 3rd anniversary prize draw. The winner of the IEI 2nd generation AFL2 Panel PC is Bill Barker from Multitone. Bill Barker Chief Engineer RF at Multitone commented: I didnt believe it was real I dont usually win things. What a fabulous prize! Thank you Amplicon. Thank you to all of you that took part in the Amplicon and IEI free prize draw.

21.11.2012 Amplicon announce an exciting new Partnership with Teledyne LeCroy

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon are delighted to announce an exciting new partnership venture with Teledyne LeCroy a global leader in the design development and manufacture of high quality Oscilloscopes Protocol Analyzers and complementary Test and Measurement solutions. Amplicons excellent track record in providing high quality Test and Measurement and Data Acquisition products coupled with their extensive technical knowledge has positioned Amplicon as the exclusive UK technical provider of Teledyne LeCroy range of products. This new partnership with Teledyne LeCroy will broaden the existing Amplicon Test and Measurement portfolio and provide customers with a wider spectrum of innovative Test and Measurement and Data Acquisition solutions. Amplicon have the engineering expertise and capability to design bespoke test systems that can increase test throughput engineering productivity product reliability and reduce the total cost of ownership.

30.10.2012 Amplicon launch Breast Cancer fundraising campaign

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0100

On Friday 2nd November Amplicon will once again hold its annual fundraising day in support of the Breast Cancer Campaign. Every year we try to come up with an exciting way of wearing it pink; this year Team Amplicon will be dressing up in their glad rags and will be wearing it POSH to show their support of this very worthwhile cause The day will involve a number of fundraising activities including a homemade cakes stall a raffle to win a 2-course meal for 2 at a local restaurant an auction with items donated by the Amplicon team and generous local businesses. We have also managed to secure a very special item for this years auction a copy of +lsquo;The Cancer Survivor Club written by Chris Geiger. The book is a collection of uplifting survival stories submitted by readers of a regular newspaper column written by Chris; the lucky person who bids the highest will have the book signed in person by Chris who is the brother-in-law of the Amplicon Sales Manager Richard Munson and is himself a cancer survivor and a true inspiration to all of us! The annual +lsquo;Wear it Pink day is a real fun event at Amplicon and in addition to all of our activities the members of Team Amplicon can also chose to make a very generous contribution and donate a days holiday! Last year we managed to raise an outstanding +pound;3K and this year we are aiming to do even better!

23.10.2012 Amplicon Host Transport Seminar at Bluebell Steam Railway

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon are delighted to announce that its annual +lsquo;Network and Monitoring Solutions for Smarter Transport technology seminar will be held at the Bluebell Steam Railway on November 28th 2012.The highlight of the day will be a ride through the beautiful Sussex countryside in the observation car driven by a small vintage steam engine. All attendees will be treated to a day packed with interesting talks and demonstrations specifically tailored for engineers within the transport sector. The day will also include a very special trip back in time with a fascinating tour of the locomotive engine sheds plus a ride in a unique observation carriage built in 1913 powered by one of the Bluebell Railway steam engines The seminar will offer real insights into the technologies systems and solutions applied in transportation; ranging from the acquisition of data using the latest technologies for remote monitoring and control the transmission of data through resilient wired and wireless communication systems and the processing of data using approved rugged computing solutions. The seminar will be hosted by Amplicon the automation industrial networking and computing specialists in conjunction with a guest speaker from IEI Technology one of the worlds leading Industrial computing providers.

11.10.2012 Amplicon expand eShop portfolio with NexcomShop.com

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Amplicon have launched an exciting new eShop website NexcomShop.com. This underlines the continuing and growing partnership with Taiwans leading embedded IPC manufacturer Nexcom. Nexcom were established in 1992 and have seen remarkable growth over the following years. They have a reputation for market leading innovative product design combined with outstanding attention to quality and this has underpinned the partnership with Amplicon which has been in existence for some 15 years. This new venture will give clients access to an unrivalled hardware portfolio; with options ranging from small form factor motherboards rail approved PCs compact embedded PCs closed or open frame panel PCs and medically approved panel PCs. Amplicon customers will be able to receive a quick quotation via the new NexcomShop.com website; our dedicated sales engineers are on hand for technical advice by phone or through our live chat facility. This can also be used for the outstanding post sales technical support that you would expect from a market leader like Amplicon.

02.10.2012 Amplicon PCs enhanced by Sandy Bridge Performance

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The Amplicon Ventrix and Impact-R industrial PCs have been further improved by Sandy Bridge Intel+reg; iCore processing technology. This brings increased processor performance and the power of SATA III USB3.0 and iAMT v7 to the industrial market giving increased data speeds optimal performance and remote maintenance capability. Using the Q67 chipset with Sandy Bridge technology gives access to advanced display technology allowing the Ventrix and Impact-R to deliver high performance graphics without the need and expense of adding additional graphics cards. Constructed from industrial components and available in form factors 2U 3U and 4U the new Amplicon iCore systems give you the reliability and longevity you demand for industrial applications.

12.09.2012 Amplicon introduce new range of Touch Screen HMI Controllers

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The new ICP DAS TPD-430 and VPD-130 series of compact Touch Screen HMI Controllers specifically designed for factory and building automation applications are the latest additions to the Amplicon Industrial HMI range. The TPD and VPD series are equipped with TFT full colour displays and have versatile communication methods with built-in communication ports such as Ethernet RS-232/RS-485 and USB; engineers can seamlessly monitor and control I/O modules and other serial devices remotely with a simple touch of a button. These series come with HMIWorks - a free programming development environment that allows users to program in either C language or Ladder Logic there are also many demo programs available to help with development and cut down on time to market.