computer science

Psion Wavefinder

Psion Wavefinder is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Psion Wavefinder rather than just read about it. In short: The Psion Wavefinder was a computer peripheral for receiving digital audio broadcasting radio signals, made by Psion. It attached via USB to a personal computer, and had no loudspeakers or controls of its own, with only a flashing light on the device.

Key takeaways

Psion Wavefinder belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Psion Wavefinder to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Psion Wavefinder from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Psion Wavefinder was a computer peripheral for receiving digital audio broadcasting radio signals, made by Psion. It attached via USB to a personal computer, and had no loudspeakers or controls of its own, with only a flashing light on the device. Psion hoped it would become a design classic. The Wavefinder was released on 17 October 2000, and gave access to both DAB audio and DAB Data services. The WaveFinder software had the ability to receive the 'Broadcast Website' service which some DAB broadcasters experimented with during the early days of digital radio - displaying HTML content provided by the broadcaster in the users' web browsers. The device initially retailed for £299 (at the time the cheapest digital radio on the UK market) and was bundled with new PCs sold by Dixons, but it was quickly discounted, retailing at £49.99 by that December, and was no longer produced by 2002. Psion ended support in 2004. The Wavefinder had frequent software problems, and an unofficial patch called WaveLite was released in 2001. The Wavefinder had widely reported problems with the USB drivers in Windows XP Service Pack 2. It will work with Windows XP with SP3. There are reports that the Wavefinder works in Vista. It is not compatible with Macintosh computers, except perhaps through the use of a PC emulator or virtualisation solution. There is a driver and command line application for Linux, OpenDAB, that describes itself as "experimental". The unregulated power supply which is supplied with the Wavefinder has an output which can go up to 19 volts, this can cause the Wavefinder to develop faults. It is therefore recommended to use a regulated 12 volt supply.

References

External links An unofficial FAQ h2g2 article The designer's page on the Wavefinder

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Psion Wavefinder

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Psion Wavefinder claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Psion Wavefinder before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Psion Wavefinder ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Psion Wavefinder

In research: Psion Wavefinder appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Psion Wavefinder in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Psion Wavefinder is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer peripherals, Computing stubs, Digital radio, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Psion Wavefinder outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Psion Wavefinder in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Psion Wavefinder means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Psion Wavefinder out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Psion Wavefinder in simple terms?

Why does Psion Wavefinder matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Psion Wavefinder?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Psion Wavefinder.