Q. how does the fader work?

A. the core technology is based around an optical cell which senses the position of a coded shutter. This system directly digitises the position without the need for analogue to digital convertors because the sensor output is directly digital. Each cell can digitise around 22.5mm of movement, and cells can be stacked to create longer measurements. Other configurations are possible.

Q. does the fader operate in a digital environment?

A. yes; the fader is a pure digital sensor and as such requires no additional analogue to digital conversion. Outputs are digital SPI, UART, MIDI and can be used directly by a microprocessor.

Q. can the fader operate in an analogue environment?

A. yes; the output of the fader includes an analogue voltage output that can be used in a VCA or similar circuit.

Q. can the fader be supplied as a retro-fit solution?

A. yes; in partnership with our customers we can develop custom faders that can be retro-fitted into existing products.

Q. can the fader be designed-in?

A. yes; there are two options in this case:

1. the customer integrates the electronics into their PCB and infinium® supplies just the mechanical parts assembled or un-assembled, or

2. infinium® supplies a fully assembled product which connects to directly with the customers' electronics.

Q. in which lengths can the fader be delivered?

A. the fader is available in 45mm and 60mm, other lengths are possible.

Q. in which versions can the infinium® fader be supplied?

A. the fader can be supplied in an Absolute or Incremental version to suit the requirements of the customer; NB the latter requires initialisation at start-up.

Q. is it possible to adjust the feel of the fader?

A. yes; from the top through a hole in the top plate of the deck or mixer, the feel of the fader can be adjusted to suit the specific needs of the DJ or sound engineer.

Q. is it possible to adjust the cut-off points of the fader?

A. yes; each end cap contains a small screw to adjust the cut-off points of the fader.

Q. how quickly can products be delivered?

A. for a standard product, the delivery times are typically 6-8weeks.

Q. is infinium® interested in co-marketing its controls with their customers?

A. yes; in line with our desire to build a long term, mutually beneficially, relationship, we are keen to explore joint marketing initiatives.

Technical

Q. is the fader sensitive to heat and cold?

A. no; the fader has been designed to withstand -16C cold exposure, 70C hot exposure and thermal shock -16C > 30C. The sensor is not degraded by operation within these limits.

Q. is the fader sensitive to dust and humidity?

A. no; the infinium® fader is a digital product and uses infra-red light in its optical system which make the product very robust and able to operate in tough conditions. The analogue output option is high impedance and can be degraded in high humidity environments.

Q. Does the fader require calibration before use?

A. No. the digital sensing cell does not require any calibration before use.

Q. what is the life-time of a fader?

A. the life-time of an infinium® contact-free fader is very long. Tests have shown satisfactory operation beyond 5million operations!

Q. will the fader survive shocks and vibration?

A. yes; the fader has been designed to comply with BS EN60065: date 2002 clause 12.

Q. can the fader be supplied with a custom shaft?

A. yes; infinium® can supply their faders with a custom shaft within the following outer dimensions: 4mm x 1.2mm x 18mm.

Q. what is the fader sample rate?

A. Typically the sample rate of our faders is 1000Hz although other rates are possible and have been supplied.

Q. what is the resolution of the fader?

A. The spatial resolution of the standard cell is 0.39mm per step. For typical faders this gives

- 45mm: 7 bit, 128 steps

- 60mm: 8 bit, 192 steps

Q. which components are supplied when only the mechanics are ordered?

A. the following components are supplied if the customer has decided to integrate the electronics into their PCB and therefore only require infinium® to supply the mechanical parts, assembled or un-assembled: end-caps with cut-off point screws and mounting nuts and holders, two rails with nuts and washers, carriage with shaft, bushes and shutter, and reflectors and phototransistor covers.

Q. how difficult is it to assemble the fader?

A. this is not difficult at all since standard assembly tolerances are allowed for in the design of the component. Full assembly instructions are available to customers wishing to take this option.

Q. can infinium® supply the software to be embedded in the customers' microprocessor?

A. Yes. Our design may be manufactured by our customers and custom applications can be developed.

Q. what output signals are provided for on an infinium® fader?

A. Various options are available depending on the series. These include SPI slave, SPI master, UART (38,400 or MIDI) ASCII or raw binary, xy analogue, xx analogue and USB.

Q. what power supply is needed for the linear fader?

A. a 3V3 power supply at 10mA is all that is needed to operate an infinium® fader.

Q. will infinium® provide support with integrating their components into the customers' product?

A. yes; infinium®'s application support team is available to customers to assist with the smooth and efficient integration of the products. Dedicated support chips are available if required.

Q. is the core technology of the infinium® products patented?

A. yes; a patent has been granted.

Legal

Q. what are infinium® terms of business?

A. the infinium® website www.infiniumtechnologies.com has downloadable versions of the Supply Contract as well as the Terms and Conditions that apply to all transactions.