#multiplexer circuit

[jnthn2rris]

https://www.futureelectronics.com/p/semiconductors--analog--multiplexer-demultiplexer/dg406dn-t1-e3-vishay-3148293

What is an encoder and a decoder, digital data converter, communication network

Single 16 Channel 5 to 20 V 50 Ω CMOS Analog Multiplexer - PLCC-28

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 12, 2025

Distinct patterns of connectivity with the motor cortex reflect different components of sensorimotor learning. Areshenkoff, C. N., de Brouwer, A. J., Gale, D. J., Nashed, J. Y., Smallwood, J., Flanagan, J. R., & Gallivan, J. P. (2024). PLOS Biology, 22(12), e3002934.

Persistent activity during working memory maintenance predicts long-term memory formation in the human hippocampus. Daume, J., Kamiński, J., Salimpour, Y., Gómez Palacio Schjetnan, A., Anderson, W. S., Valiante, T. A., Mamelak, A. N., & Rutishauser, U. (2024). Neuron, 112(23), 3957-3968.e3.

Ants integrate proprioception as well as visual context and efference copies to make robust predictions. Dauzere-Peres, O., & Wystrach, A. (2024). Nature Communications, 15, 10205.

A top-down slow breathing circuit that alleviates negative affect in mice. Jhang, J., Park, S., Liu, S., O’Keefe, D. D., & Han, S. (2024). Nature Neuroscience, 27(12), 2455–2465.

Compartmentalized pooling generates orientation selectivity in wide-field amacrine cells. Lei, W., Clark, D. A., & Demb, J. B. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(49), e2411130121.

Trans-saccadic integration for object recognition peters out with pre-saccadic object eccentricity as target-directed saccades become more saliency-driven. Liang, J., & Zhaoping, L. (2025). Vision Research, 226, 108500.

When visual metacognition fails: widespread anosognosia for visual deficits. Michel, M., Gao, Y., Mazor, M., Kletenik, I., & Rahnev, D. (2024). Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 28(12), 1066–1077.

A dynamic subset of network interactions underlies tuning to natural movements in marmoset sensorimotor cortex. Moore, D. D., MacLean, J. N., Walker, J. D., & Hatsopoulos, N. G. (2024). Nature Communications, 15, 10517.

Local changes in potassium ions regulate input integration in active dendrites. Nordentoft, M. S., Takahashi, N., Heltberg, M. S., Jensen, M. H., Rasmussen, R. N., & Papoutsi, A. (2024). PLOS Biology, 22(12), e3002935.

Neural Correlates of Category Learning in Monkey Inferior Temporal Cortex. Pearl, J. E., Matsumoto, N., Hayashi, K., Matsuda, K., Miura, K., Nagai, Y., Miyakawa, N., Minamimoto, T., Saunders, R. C., Sugase-Miyamoto, Y., Richmond, B. J., & Eldridge, M. A. G. (2024). Journal of Neuroscience, 44(49), e0312242024.

Partially dissociable roles of the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus in context-dependent hierarchical associations. Peterson, S., Chavira, J., Garcia Arango, J. A., Seamans, D., Cimino, E. D., & Keiflin, R. (2024). Current Biology, 34(23), 5532-5545.e3.

A computational account of self-control. Suri, G., & Paap, K. R. (2024). Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 123, 102886.

Category boundaries modulate memory in a place-cell-like manner. Theves, S., Schäfer, T. A. J., Reisner, V., de Cothi, W., & Barry, C. (2024). Current Biology, 34(23), 5546-5553.e3.

Action similarity warps visual feature space in working memory. Trentin, C., Falanga, L., Jeske, J., Olivers, C. N. L., & Slagter, H. A. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(49), e2413433121.

Organizing space through saccades and fixations between primate posterior parietal cortex and hippocampus. Vericel, M. E., Baraduc, P., Duhamel, J.-R., & Wirth, S. (2024). Nature Communications, 15, 10448.

Predicting modular functions and neural coding of behavior from a synaptic wiring diagram. Vishwanathan, A., Sood, A., Wu, J., Ramirez, A. D., Yang, R., Kemnitz, N., Ih, D., Turner, N., Lee, K., Tartavull, I., Silversmith, W. M., Jordan, C. S., David, C., Bland, D., Sterling, A., Seung, H. S., Goldman, M. S., Aksay, E. R. F., Wille, K., … Williams, S. (2024). Nature Neuroscience, 27(12), 2443–2454.

Multiplexing of temporal and spatial information in the lateral entorhinal cortex. Wang, C., Lee, H., Rao, G., & Knierim, J. J. (2024). Nature Communications, 15, 10533.

Autism spectrum disorder variation as a computational trade-off via dynamic range of neuronal population responses. Wertheimer, O., & Hart, Y. (2024). Nature Neuroscience, 27(12), 2476–2486.

Dynamic tuning of neural stability for cognitive control. Xu, M., Hosokawa, T., Tsutsui, K.-I., & Aihara, K. (2024). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(49), e2409487121.

Applying the efficient coding principle to understand encoding of multisensory and multimodality sensory signals. Zhaoping, L. (2025). Vision Research, 226, 108489.

[wordpress-blaze-241425893]

Midjourney Video

With the release of video (silent) on Midjourney, I just can't stop trying to generate images to animate! It's exceptionally easy, but some formats work better than others. Tutorial.

https://videopress.com/v/lSu3UXal?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/ATrZHeC9?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/HM4jFd1H?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/44IogZpY?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Source: Midjourney Video

[follow-up-news]

In a groundbreaking moment, Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in a deal that puts a major Hollywood studio back in the business of owning a movie theater for the first time in more than 75 years with certain exceptions. From 1948 until 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice prohibited film distributors from owning an exhibition company under what was known as the Paramount Consent Decrees, which arose from a 1948 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The decrees essentially dismantled the old Hollywood studio system by forcing the majors to divest of their theater holdings. At that time, the majors essentially controlled all aspects of filmmaking, from the talent to the productions to the theaters. The decrees forced exhibitors to stop practices like “block booking” (bundling multiple films into one theater license) and “circuit dealing” (entering into one license that covered all theaters in a theater circuit). The landscape was radically different then, however. There were no multiplexes, but rather one-screen theaters that could play one movie for months; a scenario that played into favoritism. Sony is the first major Hollywood studio to step forward and test the waters since the Paramount Decrees were officially rescinded in 2020.

[farhatali]

Buy Retail Shops on Yamuna Expressway — ACE YXP,Modern Lifestyle Center, Greater Noida

Thinking of running your business more smoothly? Book your retail shops at Yamuna Expressway, Greater Noida. You might come across many retail outlets for your business, but choosing the right commercial property in Greater Noida is tedious. ACE Group has recently launched its very new commercial project to give business owners, showroom managers, and food court departments a sigh of relief by giving them huge space to run their businesses. If you are an owner or manager, planning to buy retail shops at Yamuna Expressway, choose ACE YXP.

ACE YXP is a RERA approved project with its development ID UPRERAPRJ397607, is highly developed with ultra-modern ambiguous design and qualitative specifications and great amenities like auditoriums, Games Zone, High-Speed Elevators, CCTV, Car Parking, Reserved Parking, Food Court, Multiplex, Indoor sports room, Banquet, Restaurants.

Get to know ACE YXP location map, the project is developed in a prime location with great connectivity, located right on Yamuna Expressway, India’s Only Racing Track, and Buddha International Circuit, which is just 2 minutes away, and very much near the proposed Jewar airport.

ACE YXP payment plan is creating a buzz among shop owners, buyers, and business managers/owners-get 40:30:30 payment plans, and availability of Bank a reputed bank is collaborating with this renowned commercial property in Greater Noida. ACE YXP at Yamuna Expressway is offering High Street Shops in Greater Noida starting at @89Lakh*. Call now to align a visit and be the first one in the race to grab an exclusive unit for your business.

Visit Now:- https://aceyxpmall.com/

Ref:-https://aceyxpcommercialshop.blogspot.com/2024/09/buy-retail-shops-on-yamuna-expressway.html

Location: Yamuna Expy, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

[pritishsblog]

BEST DIRECTORS IN CINEMA-5

Hi everyone! This blog is going to be the 5th part of my 8 part series of who I think is the Best Director Cinema has ever seen

And today I will be talking about

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Christopher Nolan (born July 30, 1970, London, England) is a British film director and writer acclaimed for his noirish visual aesthetic and unconventional, often highly conceptual narratives. His notable films include Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017), and several Batman movies. In 2024 Nolan won an Academy Award for best director for Oppenheimer (2023), which was also named best picture.

(Early Life)

Nolan was raised by an American mother and a British father, and his family spent time in both Chicago and London. As a child, he attended Haileybury, a boarding school just outside London. From a young age Nolan was interested in moviemaking and would use his father’s Super-8 camera to make shorts. He was influenced by George Lucas’s Star Wars trilogy and by the immersive dystopian films of Ridley Scott.After attending University College London, where he studied English literature, Nolan began directing corporate and industrial training videos. At the same time he was working on his first full-length release, Following (1998). The film centers on a writer going to dangerous lengths to find inspiration; it took Nolan 14 months to complete. On the strength of its success on the festival circuit, he and his producer wife, Emma Thomas, moved to Hollywood.

(His Famous Works)

Nolan gained international recognition with his second film, Memento (2000), and transitioned into studio filmmaking with Insomnia (2002). He became a high-profile director with The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), and found further success with The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), and Dunkirk (2017). After the release of Tenet (2020), Nolan parted ways with longtime distributor Warner Bros. Pictures, and signed with Universal Pictures for the biographical thriller Oppenheimer (2023), which won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture.

(Filmmaking Style)

His Filmmaking Style

Nolan's films are largely centred in metaphysical themes, exploring the concepts of time, memory and personal identity. His work is characterised by mathematically inspired ideas and images, unconventional narrative structures, materialistic perspectives, and evocative use of music and sound.Joseph Bevan wrote, "His films allow arthouse regulars to enjoy superhero flicks and multiplex crowds to engage with labyrinthine plot conceits. Nolan views himself as "an indie filmmaker working inside the studio system"

(His Filmography)

Nolan made his directorial debut in 1998 with a movie named Following (1998). He made many other films such as Memento in 2000,Insomnia in 2002. He also made the Batman Trilogy which included Bataman Begins (2005),The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). In between the Batman Trilogy he directed movies like Prestige (2006) and Inception (2010). After this Nolan directed movies such as Interstellar (2014),Dunkirk (2017),Tenet (2020) and Oppenheimer (2023).

Nolan's hand and shoe prints in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre

(Awards & Honors)

Nolan has won 2 Academy Awards out of the 8 nominations, 2 BAFTA's out of the 8 nominations and he has 1 Golden Globe Award out of 6 nominations.

(Sources)

And that's it for this part folks, I'll meet you with another blog about some of the Greatest Directors Cinema has ever seen. Until then

CIAO

[teardownit]

Matrix Connection: Few Pins, Many Options

4+4=8, 4×4=16. It often happens that a microcontroller or other chip has too few pins. You can use a more complex and expensive microcontroller, or you can multiplex the pins. Today I will describe one of the ways to do this.

In previous posts, we have already talked about decoders and demultiplexers, as well as shift registers.

In the first case, an n-bit binary number can point to one of the decoder outputs, the number of which is equal to two to the power of n.

For example, the 74HC138 3:8 demultiplexer chip allows you to light up eight LEDs or turn on eight relays using only three microcontroller pins or three communication wires between devices.

However, this scheme does not allow activating several outputs simultaneously. In the case of LEDs, we can take advantage of the persistence of human vision and constantly send different numbers to the inputs of the 74HC138. If the frequency of numbers changing exceeds 24 hertz, then it will seem to us that from 0 to 8 LEDs are lit simultaneously and continuously.

It should be noted that the more LEDs are used, the dimmer each of them will be. Although in some cases this is a good thing, the consistency of the overall brightness means that when more LEDs are turned on, they will not be blinding.

It is also possible to turn on several relays simultaneously through a decoder, although it is more difficult. Timing circuits similar to those used in running lights with slowly dimming LEDs will be required.

Thanks to diodes with RC circuits at the bases of transistors, relay coils connected instead of LEDs will switch off not at the same moment as the signal disappears from the decoder output but after a certain period of time.

If you keep the capacitor charged by periodically applying the corresponding number to the decoder input, the relay remains on. If you stop transmitting this number, the relay will turn off.

This is very similar to the operation of the Williams-Kilburn tube, one of the first types of computer memory in history. The electron beam scanned the cathode-ray tube screen, just like a television.

To turn the indicator into a storage device, engineers simply added a matrix of electrodes onto the screen and synchronized the modulation of the beam with the scanning of this matrix. Those areas of the glass where the electrons hit acquired a charge that would fade if not renewed.

Of course, this was not a fast memory by any stretch. And controlling a relay via an RC chain is also not fast. However, it fits a number of applications.

Each additional wire or microcontroller pin doubles the capacity of the demultiplexer. For example, 4 bits give 16 outputs. But the required number of decoder chips also doubles. For 4:16 you need two 3:8 chips, for 5:32 you need four, and for 6:64 as many as eight, and so on.

But the shift register allows you to transmit or read practically an unlimited number of binary bits using only three wires: one for data, one for clocking, and one for register latching.

Therefore, when paired with microcontrollers, to expand the number of pins, shift registers are most often used rather than demultiplexers.

Two CD4017 decimal counter-decoders have 2×10=20 outputs. But if you make a matrix where one chip scans the rows and the second the columns, you get 10×10=100. Or 9×9=81, as done in this matrix LED effect.

The same design is used in an electronic timer, where 6×10=60 LEDs are placed around the circumference of the dial and serve as the second hand.

As you can see, the matrix is not necessarily square or rectangular. It can be stretched into a line or closed into a circle, and in general, its elements can be arranged in the shape you need.

The decade counter U2 receives timing signals with a frequency of 1 hertz from the generator on the 555 timer. Using switch SW1, you can switch the chip to 'disable counting' mode, which means a pause in the stopwatch operation.

U2 counts to ten (from Q0 to Q9) and transmits the CARRY-OUT signal to the clock input of U1. Note that CARRY-OUT goes to logical zero when the counter has counted to Q5, and to logical one at the moment of overflow, when Q0 is activated again after Q9.

The CD4017 chip reacts just to the transition from low to high, so U1 will turn on the next row of LEDs exactly when U2 has turned off column Q9 and turned on Q0.

The active voltage level at the outputs Q0..Q9 of the CD4017 counter is high, and the current in the LED should flow from plus to minus, from anode to cathode, in the direction of the arrow. Therefore, the signals from the U2 outputs are inverted by the U3 CD4069 chip.

This chip contains six logic inverters. To count 60=10×6 seconds, we just need 6 lines of 10 LEDs. On the diagram, they look like rows and columns, but on the board, they are placed around the circumference of the dial.

After a minute has passed and Q2 has counted to Q6, transistor Q1 opens through resistor R2, performing two actions in our circuit.

First, it charges the capacitor C1, the voltage across which turns on transistor Q2 through resistor R3. This is exactly the same scheme that we've discussed above.

While C1 is discharging, the BZ1 buzzer will beep, not continuously but in 1 hertz pulses, since the positive terminal of BZ1 is connected not to the positive power supply terminal but to the output of the second pulse generator.

An asymmetrical flip-flop is constructed on transistors Q3 and Q4. A logical one from capacitor C1 through diode D1 and resistor R4, or from the power supply positive through R5 and button SW3, sets the flip-flop to one, which goes to the reset input of both counters, stopping the counting and resetting them to zero.

The diode is needed so that the buzzer is triggered only at the end of the count, not when the STOP button is pressed or a logical one appears at the output of the trigger through resistor R6, which latches the trigger into a high- or low-level state.

Button SW2 resets the trigger and starts the second count. If you made a multi-position switch that allowed you to choose which of the Q1..Q6 pins to connect R2 to, the timer could count not only up to 60 but also up to 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 seconds.

And the last circuit for today is an RGB running light. Here IC1 is the familiar CD4060 binary counter, and 74HC138 is a 3:8 decoder that lights up one of the eight LEDs, LED1..LED8.

These are RGB LEDs, and the light color will depend on the state of the outputs Q8–Q10 of the IC1 chip.

000: white; all channels are on

001: blue-green

010: magenta; blue plus red

011: blue

100: yellow; red plus green

101: green

110: red

111: LEDs do not light up

As you can see, even to control RGB LEDs, it is not at all necessary to use a microcontroller. With two simple chips and three transistors, you can create the beautiful effect of a running, color-changing light.

[wordpress-blaze-241425893]

Midjourney Video

With the release of video (silent) on Midjourney, I just can't stop trying to generate images to animate! It's exceptionally easy, but some formats work better than others. Tutorial.

https://videopress.com/v/lSu3UXal?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/ATrZHeC9?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/HM4jFd1H?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

https://videopress.com/v/44IogZpY?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&loop=true&playsinline=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Source: Midjourney Video

[baymr11]

Understanding Modern Optical Transport Solutions: A Technical Comparison

The telecommunications landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. Network operators and enterprises now face unprecedented demands for bandwidth, speed, and reliability. This evolution has driven the development of sophisticated optical transport solutions that form the backbone of our modern digital infrastructure.

When evaluating different transport network technologies, understanding their capabilities, limitations, and optimal use cases becomes crucial for making informed decisions. Let's explore the current state of optical transport solutions and examine how various technologies stack up against each other.

The Foundation of Modern Optical Networks

Modern optical transport systems represent a significant leap from traditional copper-based networks. These systems leverage light wavelengths to carry vast amounts of data across fiber optic cables with minimal signal degradation. The fundamental advantage lies in their ability to transmit multiple channels simultaneously while maintaining signal integrity over long distances.

Traditional transport methods relied heavily on time-division multiplexing (TDM), which allocated specific time slots for different data streams. However, this approach has limitations when dealing with the explosive growth in data traffic. Modern optical solutions address these constraints through wavelength-division multiplexing techniques, allowing multiple data streams to coexist on the same fiber infrastructure.

The shift toward packet-based transport has also revolutionized how networks handle diverse traffic types. Unlike circuit-switched networks that required dedicated paths, packet-based systems offer greater flexibility and efficiency in bandwidth utilization.

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing: The Powerhouse Solution

DWDM technology stands as one of the most significant advances in fiber optic transport. This technology enables network operators to transmit multiple optical signals simultaneously over a single fiber strand, with each signal operating on a different wavelength.

The technical specifications of DWDM systems are impressive. Modern implementations can support 80 to 160 channels, with each channel capable of carrying 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, or even 100 Gbps of data. This translates to total capacity exceeding 10 terabits per second on a single fiber pair.

What makes DWDM particularly valuable is its ability to upgrade existing fiber infrastructure without requiring new cable installations. Network operators can increase capacity by simply adding more wavelengths to their existing fiber plant. This approach significantly reduces capital expenditure while maximizing the return on previous fiber investments.

The technology excels in long-haul applications where distance and capacity requirements are substantial. Metropolitan area networks and submarine cable systems heavily rely on DWDM to meet their demanding performance requirements.

Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing: The Cost-Effective Alternative

CWDM offers a more budget-friendly approach to wavelength division multiplexing. While it provides fewer channels compared to DWDM systems, typically supporting 8 to 18 wavelengths, it delivers substantial cost savings for applications that don't require maximum capacity.

The key advantage of CWDM lies in its simplified architecture. The technology uses wider channel spacing, which reduces the precision requirements for optical components. This translates to lower equipment costs and simplified network management.

CWDM systems typically serve shorter distances, making them ideal for metropolitan area networks, enterprise campus environments, and regional connectivity applications. The technology provides an excellent balance between performance and cost-effectiveness for organizations with moderate bandwidth requirements.

Connectivity Infrastructure: The Unsung Heroes

Behind every successful optical transport deployment lies a robust connectivity infrastructure. Fiber optic patch cords serve as the critical links connecting various network elements, from transceivers to patch panels and cross-connects.

The quality of these connections directly impacts overall network performance. High-quality patch cords ensure minimal insertion loss and maintain signal integrity throughout the optical path. Poor connections can introduce unwanted reflections and signal degradation that compromise the entire system's performance.

Modern data centers and telecommunications facilities increasingly rely on MPO/MTP patch cords for high-density applications. These multi-fiber connectors can accommodate 12, 24, or even 48 fibers in a single connector, dramatically reducing the space required for fiber management while maintaining excellent optical performance.

Comparing Transport Technologies: Performance Metrics

When evaluating different optical transport solutions, several key performance indicators warrant consideration:

Capacity and Scalability: DWDM systems offer the highest capacity potential, supporting terabit-scale transmission on a single fiber. CWDM provides moderate capacity suitable for many applications, while traditional transport methods offer limited scalability.

Distance Capabilities: Long-haul applications favor DWDM due to its superior optical performance and amplification capabilities. CWDM works well for shorter distances, typically up to 80 kilometers without amplification.

Cost Considerations: CWDM systems generally require lower initial investment, making them attractive for cost-sensitive deployments. DWDM systems, while more expensive initially, offer better long-term scalability and lower cost per bit for high-capacity applications.

Complexity and Management: CWDM systems typically require less complex management due to their simpler architecture. DWDM systems offer more sophisticated monitoring and management capabilities but require more specialized expertise.

Future-Proofing Your Network Investment

The rapid evolution of optical transport technology demands careful consideration of future requirements. Coherent detection technology has emerged as a game-changer, enabling higher data rates and improved performance over existing fiber infrastructure.

Software-defined networking (SDN) concepts are also making their way into optical transport, providing greater flexibility in network management and resource allocation. These developments suggest that future optical transport solutions will offer even greater efficiency and programmability.

Network operators should consider their growth projections and application requirements when selecting transport technologies. A phased approach often works best, starting with cost-effective solutions and upgrading to higher-capacity technologies as demands increase.

Making the Right Choice for Your Network

Selecting the appropriate optical transport solution requires careful analysis of current requirements and future growth projections. Organizations with immediate high-capacity needs and sufficient budget may benefit from DWDM implementations. Those with moderate requirements and cost constraints might find CWDM solutions more suitable.

The supporting infrastructure, including fiber optic patch cords and connectivity hardware, plays an equally important role in overall system performance. Investing in high-quality components ensures reliable operation and maximizes the return on your optical transport investment.

Understanding these technologies and their trade-offs enables network professionals to make informed decisions that align with their organization's technical requirements and financial constraints. The key lies in matching the right technology to the specific application while maintaining flexibility for future expansion.

Conclusion

Modern optical transport solutions offer unprecedented capabilities for handling today's demanding network requirements. Whether implementing DWDM for maximum capacity, CWDM for cost-effective solutions, or hybrid approaches that combine multiple technologies, success depends on understanding each technology's strengths and limitations.

The continued evolution of transport network technology promises even greater capabilities in the coming years. By staying informed about these developments and making thoughtful technology choices today, organizations can build robust, scalable networks that serve their needs well into the future.

The foundation of any successful optical transport deployment rests on quality components and proper planning. From the selection of appropriate multiplexing technology to the choice of connectivity infrastructure, every decision impacts the overall network performance and reliability.

[govindhtech]

Xanadu Achieves Scalable Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill States

States Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill

Xanadu leads photonic quantum computing with their development of a scalable building block for  fault-tolerant quantum computers. The achievement involves on-chip Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill state production and was initially reported in January 2025 by Nature and summarised in June 2025. “First-of-its-kind achievement” and “key step towards scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing” describe this work.

Understanding GKP States' Importance

GKP states are error-tolerant photonic qubits. These complex quantum states consist of photons stacked in specific ways. Due to its unique structure, quantum error correcting methods may identify and fix phase shifts and photon loss. Zachary Vernon, CTO of Xanadu, calls GKP states “the optimal photonic qubit” because they enable quantum logic operations and error correction “at room temperature and using relatively straightforward, deterministic operations.” It has always been challenging to construct high-quality Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill States on an integrated platform. This discovery advances continuous-variable quantum computing architectures by overcoming that obstacle.

GKP states provide fault-tolerant computing by using linear optics and measurement algorithms, unlike probabilistic entanglement methods that require repeated trials and complex feed-forward control. They fit well with hybrid systems because they generate quantum networks that link chips or modules or create larger cluster states for measurement-based computation.

Quantum systems' interoperability with optical fibre makes scaling easy, allowing them to be distributed among system components or data centres. This demonstration changed photonic quantum computing by taking a different approach from superconducting and trapped-ion platforms and bringing these systems closer to utility-scale quantum machine error thresholds.

Aurora: Photonic Quantum Computing Architectur

The “sub-performant scale model of a quantum computer” “Aurora” represents Xanadu's work. This system uses scalable, rack-deployed modules connected by fibre optics to incorporate all basic components. With 35 photonic devices, 84 squeezers, and 36 photon-number-resolving (PNR) detectors, Aurora provides 12 physical qubit modes each clock cycle. All system components except the cryogenic PNR detection array are operated by a single server computer and fit into four server racks.

Aurora's key technologies and their functions:

Silicon nitride waveguides feature minimal optical losses. This waveguide uses 300 mm wafers, which are common in semiconductor production. Newer chips based on Ligentec SA's 200-mm silicon-nitride waveguide architecture show potential for better squeezing and lower chip-fiber coupling losses.

The efficiency of photon-number-resolving (PNR) detectors is above 99%. In 12-mK dilution coolers, 36 transition edge sensor (TES) arrays form its base. These TES detectors cycle at 1 MHz and detect up to seven photon counts with little miscategorization error. Despite being highly effective, PNR detection efficiencies of over 99% are needed to meet the architecture's strict P1 path loss constraints.

Loss-optimized optical packaging—including accurate alignment, chip mounting, and fibre connections—was emphasised. This protects critical quantum information during routing and measurement.

The refinery array has six photonic integrated circuits (PICs) on a thin-film lithium-niobate substrate. Each refinery's two binary trees of electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulator switches dynamically select the best output state based on PNR detection system feedforward instructions. Even though current Aurora refinery chips use probability-boosting multiplexing and Bell pair synthesis, future generations will use homodyne detectors to complete the adaptive breeding method.

Interconnects: Phase- and polarization-stabilized fiber-optical delay lines connect the refinery to QPU and refinery modules. These delays allow temporal entanglement and buffer information heralding in the cluster state.

Experiments and Results

Two large trials benchmarked Aurora's main features.

To generate a 12 × N-mode Gaussian cluster state, the system was set to send squeezed states to the QPU array. Data was collected at 1 MHz for two hours to synthesise and measure a macronode cluster state with 86.4 billion modes. Despite substantial optical losses (approximately 14 dB), the nullifier variances remained below the vacuum noise threshold, proving squeezing and cluster state entanglement.

Detecting Repetition Code Errors: This experiment showed the system's feedforward and non-Gaussian-state synthesis using low-quality GKP states. In real time, the QPU decoder assessed the system's two (foliated) repetition code checks. The decoder calculated bit values and phase error probabilities to change the measurement basis for the next time step.

Limitations and Prospects

Despite these notable examples, the “component performance gap” between existing capabilities and fault tolerance needs remains large. The main limiter of quantum state purity and coherence is optical loss. Ideal designs for fault-tolerant operation require loss budgets of about 1%, whereas the Aurora system lost 56% for heralding pathways (P1) and nearly 95% for heralded optical paths (P1 and P2).

Xanadu's future projects include:

Hardware improvements: Chip fabrication, waveguide geometry, and packaging are optimised to improve fidelity and reduce optical loss. The photonic components' insertion loss must be improved by 20-30 times (on a decibel scale).

Architectural Refinements: Testing cutting-edge hardware-level photon generation and detection rates and error mitigation measures to reduce loss and imperfection.

Integration and Scaling: combining the new GKP generation methods with Aurora's networking, error correcting protocols, and logic gates. The company believes scalable, semiconductor-compatible platforms can mass-produce, modify, and monitor error-correcting components for modular quantum computing.

Even though quantum hardware across all platforms is currently in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) period, Xanadu's work shows how to scale photonic quantum computers to address real applications. Fiber-optical networking, classical control electronics, and photonic-chip fabrication can scale and modularise a realistic photonic architecture. We must continuously improve optical GKP-based architectures to find the most hardware-efficient and imperfection-tolerant systems.

[news24-amit]

Booming Demand for Ultra-High-Speed Communication Drives Photonic IC Market to USD 98.7 Billion

The global Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) market is set to experience unprecedented expansion over the next decade. Valued at USD 10.2 billion in 2022, the industry is projected to grow at a 29.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2023 through 2031, reaching USD 98.7 billion by the end of 2031. Analysts observe that rising demand for ultra-high-speed communication, coupled with increased adoption of photonic technologies in space applications and high-reliability computing, will accelerate market growth. Vendors are capitalizing on high-bandwidth use cases data centers, enterprise networking, and computing devices to expand their PIC portfolios and secure market share.

Market Overview

Photonic Integrated Circuits merge lasers, modulators, detectors, waveguides, and other optical elements onto a single substrate, leveraging photons instead of electrons to transmit and process data. This paradigm shift enables remarkably compact, energy-efficient optical systems with bandwidth and latency advantages over traditional electronic circuits. Advances in silicon photonics, allowing high-density integration using mature CMOS fabrication techniques, have paved the way for increasingly complex PIC architectures. As miniaturization and system-on-chip approaches gain traction, vendors are intensifying R&D to develop next-generation PICs that address surging data traffic, emerging sensing applications, and the stringent reliability requirements of space missions.

Market Drivers & Trends

High-Speed Communication Needs: The explosion of data consumption driven by cloud computing, streaming, and AI workloads fuels demand for faster, lower-latency interconnects. PICs deliver multi-terabit throughput in compact form factors, making them indispensable for modern network infrastructures.

Space Sector Adoption: Increasing investment in satellite communications, earth observation, and interplanetary exploration highlights the need for radiation-tolerant, lightweight photonic components. PICs’ immunity to ionizing radiation and low power consumption make them ideal for spaceborne optical links.

Computing Device Integration: As photonics merges with high-performance computing (HPC) and data center processors, on-chip optical interconnects promise to overcome electrical bottlenecks, reducing latency and power usage while boosting throughput.

Latest Market Trends

Hybrid Integration Dominance: In 2022, hybrid integration accounted for 53.6% of total PIC shipments, enabling the combination of disparate materials silicon, indium phosphide, lithium niobate on a single platform to unlock novel functionalities.

Silicon Photonics as a Growth Engine: The silicon segment is forecast to grow at a 34.1% CAGR through 2031, driven by low-cost, scalable manufacturing and compatibility with existing semiconductor fabs.

Modular Photonic Platforms: Vendors increasingly offer scalable PIC building blocks modulators, wavelength multiplexers, on-chip lasers allowing system designers to tailor optical engines to specific bandwidth and wavelength requirements.

Key Players:

Broadcom Inc., Broadex Technologies Co., Ltd., Ciena Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Coherent Corp., Enablence, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Infinera Corporation, Intel Corporation, Lightwave Logic, Inc., LioniX International, Lumentum Holdings, Inc., MACOM, Nokia Technologies, Q.ANT GmbH, TE Connectivity, Teem Photonics, VLC Photonics S.L., Other Key Players

Access key findings and insights from our Report in this sample - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=997

Recent Developments

December 2022: Intel Labs demonstrated seamless integration of photonics with CMOS silicon, validating the feasibility of embedding optical links within standard logic processes—an important milestone toward on-chip optical networks.

May 2022: Cisco introduced advanced predictive analytics into its observability suite, harnessing photonic sensors to improve network reliability and performance under dynamic traffic loads.

These milestones underscore the rapid maturation of PIC technologies and their growing role in mainstream electronics and telecommunications.

Market Opportunities

Data Center Upgrades: Hyperscale operators are adopting PIC-based transceivers to support 400 Gb/s and terabit-class links, creating a multibillion-dollar replacement market for legacy optics.

Enterprise and Edge Computing: As 5G networks and edge AI proliferate, compact PIC modules will be in high demand for fronthaul, backhaul, and localized data processing nodes.

Sensing & Quantum Applications: Industrial monitoring, biomedical diagnostics, and quantum information systems represent rapidly expanding frontiers for photonic chips, leveraging their precision, stability, and integration potential.

Future Outlook

By 2031, PICs are expected to permeate virtually every segment of the telecommunications and computing landscape. Continued R&D in heterogeneous integration, novel materials (e.g., silicon nitride, chalcogenides), and advanced packaging will enable even denser, more capable chips. The convergence of photonics with electronics—spanning from server racks to satellites—signals a transformative era in information technologies, where light replaces electrons as the primary data carrier in high-performance systems.

Market Segmentation

The report offers in-depth analysis across multiple dimensions:

Integration Type: Monolithic | Hybrid | Module Integration

Raw Material: Indium Phosphide | Gallium Arsenide | Lithium Niobate | Silicon | Silicon-on-Insulator | Other (Silica-on-Silicon, SiO₂)

Component: Lasers | Waveguides | Modulators | Detectors | Attenuators | Multiplexers/Demultiplexers | Optical Amplifiers

Application: Optical Communication (FTTx, long-haul, datacom) | Microwave/RF Photonics | Sensing (structural, chemical, aerospace) | Optical Signal Processing & Metrology | Quantum Optics | Biophotonics & Medical | Photonic Lab-on-a-Chip | Analytics & Diagnostics

Regional Insights

North America: Holds the largest share through 2031, buoyed by U.S. hyperscale data centers (≈ 2,700 facilities, nearly one-third of the global total) and strong government funding for space photonics.

Europe: Steady demand driven by telecommunications upgrades across fiber-rich networks in Germany, France, and the U.K., and growing quantum photonics initiatives.

Asia Pacific: Rapid expansion, led by China’s US$ 156 billion computer exports in 2020, coupled with surging 5G rollouts in India, Japan, and South Korea, underpins robust PIC adoption for datacom and telecom applications.

Middle East & Africa and South America: Emerging opportunities in satellite ground stations, oil & gas sensing, and greenfield network deployments.

Why Buy This Report?

Comprehensive Market Sizing: Detailed valuation of 2017–2022 historical data and 2023–2031 forecasts by value and volume.

Strategic Insights: In-depth analysis of drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porter’s Five Forces, and value chain dynamics.

Competitive Landscape: Profiles of 20+ leading companies, including financials, product pipelines, strategies, and recent developments.

Actionable Segmentation: Granular breakdown by integration, material, component, and application facilitating targeted go-to-market plans.

Regional Analysis: Tailored insights for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America, with country-level granularity.

About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and consulting services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques to gather and analyses information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact: Transparency Market Research Inc. CORPORATE HEADQUARTER DOWNTOWN, 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 USA Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 18, 2024

Neural circuit mechanisms for transforming learned olfactory valences into wind-oriented movement. Aso, Y., Yamada, D., Bushey, D., Hibbard, K. L., Sammons, M., Otsuna, H., … Hige, T. (2023). eLife, 12, e85756.

Stimulus-Specific Prediction Error Neurons in Mouse Auditory Cortex. Audette, N. J., & Schneider, D. M. (2023). Journal of Neuroscience, 43(43), 7119–7129.

Guinea baboons are strategic cooperators. Formaux, A., Sperber, D., Fagot, J., & Claidière, N. (2023). Science Advances, 9(43).

Perceptual learning across saccades: Feature but not location specific. Grzeczkowski, L., Shi, Z., Rolfs, M., & Deubel, H. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(43), e2303763120.

Continuous multiplexed population representations of task context in the mouse primary visual cortex. Hajnal, M. A., Tran, D., Einstein, M., Martelo, M. V., Safaryan, K., Polack, P.-O., … Orbán, G. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 6687.

Mood fluctuations shift cost–benefit tradeoffs in economic decisions. Heerema, R., Carrillo, P., Daunizeau, J., Vinckier, F., & Pessiglione, M. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 18173.

Reliable retrieval is intrinsically rewarding: Recency, item difficulty, study session memory, and subjective confidence predict satisfaction in word-pair recall. Holm, L., & Wells, M. (2023). PLOS ONE, 18(10), e0292866.

Curiosity evolves as information unfolds. Hsiung, A., Poh, J.-H., Huettel, S. A., & Adcock, R. A. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(43), e2301974120.

Human perception of spatial frequency varies with stimulus orientation and location in the visual field. Kirsch, W., & Kunde, W. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 17656.

Dynamic neural representations of memory and space during human ambulatory navigation. Maoz, S. L. L., Stangl, M., Topalovic, U., Batista, D., Hiller, S., Aghajan, Z. M., … Suthana, N. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 6643.

Visual event boundaries restrict anchoring effects in decision-making. Ongchoco, J. D. K., Walter-Terrill, R., & Scholl, B. J. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(44), e2303883120.

A thalamic-hippocampal CA1 signal for contextual fear memory suppression, extinction, and discrimination. Ratigan, H. C., Krishnan, S., Smith, S., & Sheffield, M. E. J. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 6758.

A quantitative model of ensemble perception as summed activation in feature space. Robinson, M. M., & Brady, T. F. (2023). Nature Human Behaviour, 7(10), 1638–1651.

Quantifying decision-making in dynamic, continuously evolving environments. Ruesseler, M., Weber, L. A., Marshall, T. R., O’Reilly, J., & Hunt, L. T. (2023). eLife, 12, e82823.

Predictions and rewards affect decision-making but not subjective experience. Sánchez-Fuenzalida, N., van Gaal, S., Fleming, S. M., Haaf, J. M., & Fahrenfort, J. J. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(44), e2220749120.

Lateral orbitofrontal cortex integrates predictive information across multiple cues to guide behavior. Tegelbeckers, J., Porter, D. B., Voss, J. L., Schoenbaum, G., & Kahnt, T. (2023). Current Biology, 33(20), 4496-4504.e5.

Cross-modal representation of identity in the primate hippocampus. Tyree, T. J., Metke, M., & Miller, C. T. (2023). Science, 382(6669), 417–423.

Optogenetic activation of visual thalamus generates artificial visual percepts. Wang, J., Azimi, H., Zhao, Y., Kaeser, M., Vaca Sánchez, P., Vazquez-Guardado, A., … Rainer, G. (2023). eLife, 12, e90431.

Parietal-driven visual working memory representation in occipito-temporal cortex. Xu, Y. (2023). Current Biology, 33(20), 4516-4523.e5.

Neuronal Population Activity in Macaque Visual Cortices Dynamically Changes through Repeated Fixations in Active Free Viewing. Yamane, Y., Ito, J., Joana, C., Fujita, I., Tamura, H., Maldonado, P. E., … Grün, S. (2023). ENeuro, 10(10).

[melssblog]

Have your PIC-based devices been tested reliably and quickly?

Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) solutions are being adopted by manufacturers to address the reduced size and complexity challenges while also addressing heat management issues experienced in today’s data centres. Frantic development of smaller, faster, cheaper and greener transceivers/active components and passive components is driving the development of high-speed networks and 5G, Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs).

Passive optical components used in optical systems operate without external power or active control. They use processes such as transmission, reflection, polarisation, coupling, splitting, filtering, and attenuation to alter light signals.

Need for Testing

A PIC is composed of many optical components such as optical couplers, fibre-optic switches, splitters, attenuators, wavelength-division multiplexers, and transceivers.

Testing of any PIC-based device is needed in all life cycle stages — from design and development, and qualification to validation of production.

Testing – The Requirements

Automation, repeatability, scalability and parallelisation of the testing processes are needed for the huge volume of circuits and ports, to be able to meet the profitability of economies of scale. Photonics labs must evolve with the optical test requirements of passive (guiding light) optical components.

The fast maturing PIC die manufacturing has given rise to photonic wafers containing thousands of components made available by foundries through Process Design Kits (PDKs). Reliable testing is needed to optimise the different parameters of a given optical component.

Testing – The Challenges

Accuracy/repeatability: Obtaining traceable results for tight acceptance thresholds and greater yield of known good dies.

Dynamic range: Seeing full optical spectral contrast in a single measurement.

Speed: Keeping alignment and measurement time to a minimum, but also accelerating the ease of the test and analysis iterative flow.

From data to insight: Generating and managing structured data that is ready for artificial intelligence and business intelligence.

Flexible/scalable: Leveraging test station modularity and third-party compatibility of software to improve test throughput and complexity over time or swap equipment as needed.

Automation: Automating chip and wafer advanced navigation to control any instrument and execute data analysis in user-defined test routines to test massive circuits with minimal cost of ownership.

Testing PIC-based passive components is challenging due to the high port count of some components like Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) and the huge number of components to test on a single die. A component test platform operates in conjunction with a continuously tunable laser to measure optical insertion loss, return loss and polarisation-dependent loss across the laser’s spectral range. Optical spectrum must be realised quickly and with a high wavelength resolution, typically to the order of a picometer.

Testing – The Process

The PIC devices are usually tested at the wafer level prior to dicing to detect defects as early as possible and to avoid packaging defective dies.

Using a PIC wafer probe station, light is coupled into the wafer to enable measurement of the optical characteristics of the DUT.

Testing Solutions for Photonics from MELSS

MELSS brings you Test and Measurement (T&M) hardware and software solutions from market leaders EXFO, which are automated, scalable, fast, accurate and cost-optimised. These T&M solutions range from those for Passive and Active components as well as automated probe stations for wafer and single-die testing.

The OPAL series of probe stations deliver industry-leading performance for testing wafers, multiple as well as single dies, enabling accurate, repeatable and fast measurement. The PILOT software suite offers automation capabilities that support the full test flow (preparation through measurement to results analysis), using EXFO’s or third-party T&M instruments.

EXFO’s comprehensive range of optical testing solutions includes component test platforms, optical testing solutions, light sources, benchtop tunable lasers, passive component testers, optical spectrum analysers, tunable filters with adjustable bandwidth, variable attenuators, switches and power meters.

EXFO has developed automated, scalable, fast, accurate and cost-effective Test and Measurement (T&M) hardware and software solutions. Ranging from simple optical testing to spectral optical characterisation or traffic analysis, EXFO offers an extensive selection of probe stations for wafer, bar, multi-die or single die configurations, and a powerful automation software suite.

The CTP10 from EXFO specifically addresses key PIC measurement challenges. measuring optical components quickly, reliably and accurately.

The CTP10 is a modular component test platform that operates together with the T200S or T500S continuously tunable lasers. The CTP10 characterises the spectral properties of high port count devices in one single scan with

High spectral resolution

70-dB dynamic range, even at a sweep speed of 200 nm/s

Operation from 1240 to 1680 nm

Coverage of a wide range of applications, including telecom, sensing and LIDAR.

Both optical and photocurrent measurements with analog output for PIC first-light search and coupling optimisation

Fast data transfer

Remote control using SCPI commands is possible

Increased PIC testing throughput

Reduced test time

High sampling resolution of 20 fm

Accurate measurement of narrow spectral features

The CT440 is a compact variant of the CTP10, with the same performance – ideal for the characterisation of PIC components with limited outputs.

In addition to the above range of products, EXFO produces other advanced products such as the T200S, T500S, CTP10, CT440, OSICS T100, FTBx-2850 and OSA20.

Author: MELSS

[codingprolab]

CSC258 - Lab 2 Multiplexers, Design Hierarchy, and HEX Displays

1 Learning Objectives The purpose of this lab exercise is to use gates to build simple circuits, and to learn the importance of simulations and hierarchies. This exercise is also meant to illustrate the importance of Karnaugh maps in designing circuits, and introduce important devices such as the multiplexer and seven-segment decoder. This lab also introduces components of the DE1-SoC board and…

[theelysium01]

Discover a New Standard of Luxury Living at The Elysium

The Elysium is an upcoming luxury residential project located in Sector 22D, Yamuna Expressway, Greater Noida. This development offers a range of meticulously designed apartments, including 1BHK, 3BHK, 4BHK, and 5BHK units, catering to diverse lifestyle needs.​

Project Highlights:

Luxurious Living Spaces: The Elysium provides ultra-luxury apartments with sizes ranging from approximately 1,000 sq.ft. for 1BHK units to about 5,500 sq.ft. for 5BHK units. Each residence is crafted with imported flooring and fittings, ensuring a sophisticated living experience.

World-Class Amenities: Residents can enjoy a plethora of amenities, including a fully equipped clubhouse, swimming pool, auditoriums, games zone, high-speed elevators, CCTV surveillance, car parking, food court, multiplex, indoor sports room, banquet facilities, and restaurants. ​

Strategic Location: Situated directly on the Yamuna Expressway, The Elysium offers seamless connectivity to major hubs. It's just a 10-minute drive from Noida and 35 minutes from Gurgaon. Notably, the project is in close proximity to the Buddh International Circuit and the proposed Jewar International Airport, enhancing its appeal for both residents and investors. ​

Green and Spacious Environment: Sprawled across 26 acres, the development boasts over 80% green spaces, providing a serene and eco-friendly environment for its residents. 

Price and Availability:

While specific pricing details are available upon request, the project offers competitive rates for its luxurious offerings. Prospective buyers are encouraged to contact the sales team for the most current information on pricing and availability. ​

Conclusion:

The Elysium stands as a testament to luxury and modern living in Greater Noida. With its strategic location, opulent residences, and a host of premium amenities, it promises an unparalleled lifestyle for its residents.​ For more information or to schedule a site visit, please contact: Price Start – 2.92 CR* Call - 8744000006 website -http://www.thelysium.in

[eobdtooluk-blog]

How to Fix SUPER MB PRO M6+ PRO "Initialization of Diagnosis Multiplexer Failed" Error?

Some guides gave feedback that when they were using the SUPER MB PRO M6+ PRO, the computer showed "Connected" in the bottom-right corner, but an error appeared during vehicle diagnosis:

Error Message: "Initialization of diagnosis multiplexer failed."

Possible Causes:

The link between the diagnosis multiplexer and the diagnostic socket is interrupted.

The linkbetween the diagnosis multiplexer and the diagnostic unit is interrupted.

The voltage supply at the diagnostic socket (circuit 30 and/or circuit 31) is faulty.

Note: When using SDconnect, check the connection status via the Toolkit.

The solution:

This error indicates abnormal software communication in MB PRO M6+.

Steps to Fix:

Ensure the IP settingsfor the USB or Ethernet communication port are correctly configured. Refer to the user manual for guidance.

Check if the computer firewallis disabled, as it may interfere with communication. (Refer to the image below for firewall deactivation steps.)

Following these steps should restore proper communication for diagnostics.

[jaroeducations]

What is the Difference Between Combinational Vs. Sequential Circuits

Combinational and sequential circuits are fundamental concepts in digital electronics. Combinational circuits depend only on the current input values, producing instant outputs without memory storage. Examples include adders, multiplexers, and logic gates. Sequential circuits, on the other hand, rely on both current inputs and past outputs, using memory elements like flip-flops to store data. These circuits are used in registers, counters, and memory devices. Understanding their differences is crucial for designing efficient digital systems Read More..

[thejacksmit]

Projection Room: Preston's Newest Cinema - day one at The Arc, through Jack's eyes

February 21st 2025 will go down as a landmark day for cinema here in Preston - for the last thirty years, film fans have either gone to the docks, or the out-of-town Capitol Centre for their big screen fix. But for the first time since the late 1990s, the city has its own prime, state of the art multiplex cinema, opened by the city’s favourite Bafta-winning son Nick Park CBE the night before (with Feathers McGraw statue to boot). So of course, I went digging around to profile what has already become a marquee development for the city.

Owned by Preston Council and built by the local Eric Wright Group, this isn’t the Council’s first attempt at bringing a cinema back into the city centre- the word Tithebarn always brings back bitter memories for any Prestonian, but since the ill-fated regeneration of that area of the city died a death in 2008, it has been a mission to create a premium leisure offering in the heart of the city centre, and especially in what is known as the Harris Quarter. In 2015, the first iteration of a redevelopment of the indoor market went before councillors, which was set to be a 12 screen venue not too dissimilar to what we eventually got - but a little thing called Covid made things a bit tricky. Years passed, the operator originally set to deliver the scheme backed out, we land in 2022, and a new version of the scheme was signed off, inspired by a similar development in Chorley - this time it passed all the political red tape and steelwork began to rise in the summer of 2023.

And that brings us to the complex now known as Animate. Anchored by Irish family owned chain The Arc, the complex also features the Argento Lounge, Taco Bell, Ask Italian, Hollywood Bowl, a street food hub and a 164 capacity car park (which provides 3 hours free for cinema users), this development has been in the planning for as long as this blog has been going.

Now a lot of readers will be thinking ‘who are The Arc?’. Well, here’s a small history - the independent chain began life very humbly in 2014, opening a six screen cinema in a shopping centre in Drogheda as a way to regenerate a shopping centre owned by the chain’s parent company Melcorpo. From then they’ve become a 13-strong circuit with six venues in Ireland and an ever expanding English complement of venues, from ‘classic’ sites refurbished to modern standards in Hucknall, Peterhead and Great Yarmouth to new-builds in Daventry and most recently Rotherham. Talking to Arc director Brian Gilligan and their marketing manager Mark Gallagher on the public opening day last week (alongside friend of the blog, Screen Rant and Blog Preston writer Ben Gibbons), there is a lot of pride around this new site on both Arc and cinema fans’ sides, with it being the company’s most significant new build of the company’s expansion so far. With this being their first foray into North West England, this is also a new market for Arc to learn about, especially with a wealth of competition in a highly successful Vue site, a middle of the ground Odeon, and the boutique Flower Bowl all on their radar.

For the Love of Film: The Facilities

The Arc have brought an 8 screen venue to Preston, kitted out with everything you’d expect for a cinema in 2025: self serve food and drinks, recliner seating as standard, 7.1 surround sound, and laser projection in all screens. Gone are the days of proper projection booths, such is the technology available to exhibitors - because they can legitimately put them into the ceilings of each screen. Capacity wise, the smallest holds 55 and the biggest standard screen holds 111 - there are two very special screens though, more on them in a minute. A lot of care has been put into the foyer area, with a seating area ideal for us critics who like writing their reviews up on-site!

They also put a lot of thought into the midweek offers too, from student ticketing for those who study up the road at UCLan, to things like Date Night Thursdays, Silver Screen, Second Chance Mondays (the perfect way to catch up with films that are about to conclude their big screen run) and a reasonably priced Family Ticket offering at £5.95 per person off-peak, but if their film launch events are anything to go by, I can only imagine what they’ll have in store for major Marvel launches. Plus for those of you of a certain vintage who miss hearing a certain bit of music before and after the adverts, yes, they’re with Pearl & Dean so the iconic Asteroid kicks things off for every screening.

Preston, Meet Premium Large Format: Welcome Hypersense

But undoubtedly The Arc’s USP, and the thing which I had been excited to test out on day one, is their Hypersense screen. Like a good bus service, just when you expect one to turn up you actually get TWO. Premium large format screens have become quite a big deal for cinemas in the modern age, you just have to look at things like Dolby Cinema, IMAX, and other chains’ offerings, and to finally have two literally on the doorstep is a major coup. Hypersense is the standard Arc screen specification, but turned up to 11. The same seats, but an enhanced 4K laser projector (standard screens have 2K laser projection), a wall to wall screen, and in the sound department, 45-speaker Dolby Atmos sound powered by no fewer than seven amplifiers. In layman’s terms, Dolby Atmos is true 3D surround sound, as not only do you have the speakers in the usual places… there’s also a few more above you too.

Screen 4, Arc Preston’s biggest, holds 169, and understandably this is the marquee Hypersense screen (seconded by screen 8, which holds 134), and on a movie like Captain America: Brave New World you can literally hear the difference - the extra capability offered to filmmakers with that height channel certainly allows for inventive sound design, and as every speaker gets its own individual feed there’s no reverb or delay like many other cinema screens. Hypersense does carry a £2 uplift but on the major films to come in 2025 like Mickey 17, Thunderbolts* Snow White, F1 and most of the blockbusters to come over the next 12 months, this is completely justified for the technology on offer.

SO IS IT WORTH IT?

In a word: yes. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea in terms of the comfort offered by the recliners, but to have a venue like this to add to an already thriving big screen scene can only be a good thing. Paired up with the wider Animate complex this cinema is off to a fantastic start - and in time it’s only gonna get more polished. Tickets under £10 for regular screenings, respectable food and drink pricing, warm and welcoming staff (both at cinema level and higher up) makes it a venue that 100% will be on the rotation of sites we use to bring you the film reviews here on TheJackSmit.com. The minute that coffee machine is plugged in, that cinema will be running as I like it - because no cups of tea were sadly available on day 1. Helps having an entire city centre next door though!

A huge thanks to everyone at The Arc for welcoming me in as a paying customer on the first day open - tickets are available from Preston.ArcCinema.co.uk.