---
title: "VOTEM"
id: 14536
type: "product"
slug: "votem"
url: "http://localhost/product/votem/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/product/votem.md"
published_at: "2019-11-30T01:15:29+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-22T13:22:49+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/votem.jpg"
excerpt: "The VOTEM was a hardware/software package that could measure, display and record real world analog signals via the cassette input. Any physical phenomenon (pressure, light temperature, etc.) that could be represented by a DC voltage could be measured. The name of the product came from the fact that it could measure VOltage and TEMperature. The…"
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  - name: "Interfacing"
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    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/hardware/interfacing/"
post_tag:
  - name: "Down East Computers"
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    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/down-east-computers/"
  - name: "Downloadable"
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  - name: "TS 1000"
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    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts1000/"
  - name: "TS 2068"
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  - name: "ZX80"
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  - name: "ZX81"
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    url: "http://localhost/tag/zx81/"
model:
  - name: "Sinclair ZX80"
    slug: "zx80"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/zx80/"
  - name: "Sinclair ZX81"
    slug: "zx81"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/zx81/"
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 1000"
    slug: "ts-1000"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-1000/"
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 2068"
    slug: "ts-2068"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-2068/"
genre:
  - name: "Hardware"
    slug: "hardware"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/hardware/"
  - name: "Interfacing"
    slug: "interfacing"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/interfacing/"
company:
  id: 10825
  title: "Down East Computers"
  type: "company"
  url: "http://localhost/company/down-east-computers/"
price: 59.95
date: 1982
rarity: "Uncommon"
related_content:
  - id: 35823
    title: "VDAQ1"
    type: "product"
    url: "http://localhost/product/vdaq1/"
  - id: 54647
    title: "Votem advert"
    type: "document"
    url: "http://localhost/document/votem-advert/"
  - id: 60988
    title: "VOTEM User’s Manual"
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    url: "http://localhost/document/votem-users-manual/"
  - id: 60991
    title: "Down East Sales Receipt and Product Flyers"
    type: "document"
    url: "http://localhost/document/down-east-sales-receipt-and-product-flyers/"
product_reviews:
  - id: 53924
    title: "Using Two TS1000 Computers and Two VOTEMS and John Snakenburg’s Data Program for a Jr. High Science Project"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/using-two-ts1000-computers-and-two-votems-and-john-snakenburgs-data-program-for-a-jr-high-science-project/"
  - id: 60304
    title: "Intro to I/O"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/intro-to-i-o/"
  - id: 60306
    title: "Votem Cassette Controller"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/votem-cassette-controller/"
  - id: 8610
    title: "Link to the real world"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/link-to-the-real-world/"
  - id: 60885
    title: "CSUN Project Finally Getting Slot on Shuttle"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/csun-project-finally-getting-slot-on-shuttle/"
  - id: 34013
    title: "Operating VOTEM on the Timex 2068 Computer"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/operating-votem-on-the-timex-2068-computer/"
  - id: 24398
    title: "The Votem"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/the-votem/"
  - id: 22538
    title: "Review of VOTEM"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/review-of-votem/"
  - id: 19335
    title: "VOTEM interface board"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/votem-interface-board/"
  - id: 60318
    title: "VDAQ – A Data Acquisition Development Program"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/vdaq-a-data-acquisition-development-program/"
  - id: 60248
    title: "The Cassette Connection"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/the-cassette-connection-3/"
  - id: 19618
    title: "Timex at the Heart of the Kidney"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/timex-at-the-heart-of-the-kidney/"
  - id: 7828
    title: "Timex Add-Ons"
    type: "article"
    url: "http://localhost/article/timex-add-ons/"
articles:
  - article:
      id: 24415
      title: "Extending Your Computer"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/extending-your-computer/"
  - article:
      id: 22528
      title: "Highlights of the August Meeting"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/highlights-of-the-august-meeting/"
  - article:
      id: 8610
      title: "Link to the real world"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/link-to-the-real-world/"
  - article:
      id: 34013
      title: "Operating VOTEM on the Timex 2068 Computer"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/operating-votem-on-the-timex-2068-computer/"
  - article:
      id: 24350
      title: "Resources (Sync v2 n3)"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/resources-sync-v2-n3/"
  - article:
      id: 22538
      title: "Review of VOTEM"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/review-of-votem/"
  - article:
      id: 24398
      title: "The Votem"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/the-votem/"
  - article:
      id: 7828
      title: "Timex Add-Ons"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/timex-add-ons/"
  - article:
      id: 19618
      title: "Timex at the Heart of the Kidney"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/timex-at-the-heart-of-the-kidney/"
  - article:
      id: 19335
      title: "VOTEM interface board"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/votem-interface-board/"
adverts:
  - publication:
      - id: 26643
        title: "SYNC v2 n3"
        type: "issue"
        url: "http://localhost/issue/sync-v2-n3/"
    advert_page: "45"
  - publication:
      - id: 26460
        title: "SYNC v4 n2"
        type: "issue"
        url: "http://localhost/issue/sync-v4-n2/"
    advert_page: "85"
  - publication:
      - id: 26677
        title: "Synchro-Sette v3 n4"
        type: "issue"
        url: "http://localhost/issue/synchro-sette-v3-n4/"
    advert_page: "15"
image_gallery:
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/VOTEM-front.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/VOTEM-back.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/VOTEM-3.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/VOTEM-2.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/votem.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Votem.png"
related_products:
  - id: 51396
    title: "VDAQ1-HR"
    type: "computer_media"
    url: "http://localhost/computer_media/vdaq1-hr/"
companies_products:
  - id: 10825
    title: "Down East Computers"
    type: "company"
    url: "http://localhost/company/down-east-computers/"
---

# VOTEM

The VOTEM was a hardware/software package that could measure, display and record real world analog signals via the cassette input. Any physical phenomenon (pressure, light temperature, etc.) that could be represented by a DC voltage could be measured.

The name of the product came from the fact that it could measure VOltage and TEMperature. The design incorporated a DIP switch to allow connection between terminals for voltage, external temperature probe, and an internal temperature sensor.

A built-in tape signal conditioner circuit allowed for loading tapes at lower volume, resulting in less noise. It came with temperature probe and 35 page manual.

Ray Mills and [Alger Salt](http://localhost/indiv/alger-salt/) developed the VOTEM in the early 1980s. It used the [Analog Devices AD537 voltage-to-frequency converter](https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD537.pdf) to measure voltages presented to the input of the VOTEM.

They sold a few hundred, including many outside the States.

One was sold to a college engineering group that used it in a project that went on one of the space shuttles. The VOTEM was used in an experiment to manufacture hollow spheres in zero gravity. The experiment failed but the VOTEM measured the temperature inside the space shuttle cargo bay.

Medi Products of Salt Lake City, a medical instrument company, [designed a system to “reclean and resterilize artificial kidneys”](http://localhost/article/timex-at-the-heart-of-the-kidney/) around the Timex Sinclair 1000, VOTEM and other hardware.

Other applications included interfacing to laboratory instruments such as pH meters and spectrometers, weather monitors, etc.

[Fred Nachbaur](http://localhost/indiv/fred-nachbaur/) wrote a data acquisition tool called [VDAQ1-HR (“VOTEM Data Acquisition – Hi Res”)](http://localhost/product/vdaq1/). His version allowed for multi-screen acquisition, variable scale and timebase. Could measure frequency without the VOTEM.