FAQ

1. I am not a U.S. resident. Can I enter the Contest?
   Yes. The Contest is open anyone who is 18 years or older as of June 30, 2005, regardless of your place of residence. However, foreign entrants are cautioned to review the laws in the country or province in which they reside to determine that there are no prohibitions to their entry in the Contest.
   
   
2. I work for a major distributor that sells Renesas components. Are these companies considered "affiliates," which would make me ineligible to enter the Contest?
   Renesas would prefer not to exclude smart technical people, especially from its product support and distribution channels, but there is only one ethical choice. It is Renesas’s opinion that anyone who works for one of its affiliates directly selling or supporting the sale of Renesas components, is ineligible. However, Renesas has deemed that third-party developers and resellers are eligible to enter.
   
   
3. Can I use a third-party commercial board or a Renesas development system?
   Technically speaking, any design that uses an M16C device is eligible. Let's face it, this contest is about Renesas components used in various applications. It is not necessarily about proving that you have new ways to wire a M16C in a circuit or that you soldered it together yourself. The real focus of the Contest is the uniqueness of your application and its software. The judges, however, will probably be more impressed if the commercial source of your project's brain is de-emphasized and the project application and software are emphasized. The easiest way to de-emphasize that you are using a Renesas development system or other commercial board is to redraw the entry schematic to contain only the hardware circuitry necessary for the project. That tells the judges that, although you used a commercial board for convenience, you did it only for that reason and not because you don't know how to configure the proper Renesas component circuit. The photograph submitted with your abstract should contain your actual hardware, even if this is a commercial development system.
   
   
4. Why do I need a Project Number? Do I have to register for one ahead of time?
   Project Numbers are used instead of names to identify entries to ensure unbiased judging. Do not put your name on any project materials to be judged, including the project description, schematic, photograph, block diagram, and code. Include your name and address only on the official entry forms and in correspondence with us.
   
   We prefer that you go to the web site and fill out the official entry form before e-mailing your project. (Filling out a Project Entry Form is separate from the sample request form and does not influence the delivery of samples.) After the official entry form is received, we will e-mail you a registration Project Number to label your entry. This number doesn't have to be plastered on every file but it should be somewhere prominent enough that the judges know what is yours. Most entrants label the ZIP file and the main Word document with the Project Number.
   
   Some entrants request a Project Number months before the end of the contest. Others do it only hours before. Certainly, getting a Project Number before the last hour makes better sense. Of course, the Contest is about the projects, and we don't want to miss receiving yours on a timing technicality. If you request a Project Number at the last minute and do not receive a reply in time to meet the 11:59 p.m. deadline, then e-mail your project anyway. Include the registration information required on the official entry form in the text of the e-mail (don't put it with the project files).
   
   
5. Is there a preferable file format? How should I submit the photograph?
   Please send your textual description in a Word or ASCII file. Do not send a PDF. As the rules state, we have to be able to excerpt pieces from your entry to make a publishable abstract. Some PDFs make this almost impossible to do. If you embed schematics, block diagrams, or other figures in your Word document, please include a separate file of each. The preferred file formats are .JPG, .GIF, .TIF, .BMP, and .EPS.
   At least one photograph of your project must be included with your entry. If you embed your photograph in a Word document, you must also include a separate file of the photograph that we can use for publishing purposes. The preferred file formats are .JPG, .GIF, .TIF, and .BMP. High-resolution (around 300 dpi) images that are approximately 4² × 4² are preferred.
   
   
6. Can I mail or FedEx my entry instead of e-mailing it?
   Yes. Some people don't trust e-mail delivery. We prefer to receive digital files by e-mail, but you are welcome to send a CD-ROM or a pile of diskettes. Send an e-mail to contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com for the address and shipping instructions. Just make sure that if you haven't already registered online and received a Project Number to label your entry, then you should fill out a hard copy of the entry form and mail that along too. And finally, mailed entries must be postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on June 30, 2004.
   
   
7. Should my entry be digital or hard copy?
   We prefer digital files, preferably by e-mail. It’s also acceptable to send digital files by mail on a CD or diskette. If you cannot send digital files, we will accept hard copies. Because we post the winning projects, digital files are more convenient. When sending a hard copy entry, you must include four (4) copies of the entire entry. Send an e-mail to contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com for the address and shipping instructions.
   
   
8. When should I send in my entry?
   Before the deadline, obviously. Seriously speaking, you'll want to send your entry with plenty of time to get it here by 11:59 p.m. EST on June 30, 2005. E-mail your entry to contest.administrator@circuitcellar.com, not to Renesas. If you send it before the last minute, it gives us time to inspect the project, check that files aren't corrupted, and make sure everything is there. If you forget a schematic, for example, we would have time to tell you so you could add it before the deadline. After your entry is received, you will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt. (Note: This is not an auto-reply service, so please be patient.)
   
   
9. How do I put together an entry that will impress the judges?
   For the most part, following the rules is the best way to impress the judges. They don't like searching for the key ingredients in your entry. They appreciate organization and presentation depth. We're not telling you to submit your entry as a magazine article, but the organized format of a technical article is a good template for describing your project to the judges. It also makes your presentation more impressive when the time comes for us to decide which projects should be published in Circuit Cellar magazine.
   
   
10. Why do I have to go to TechOnLine rather than simply fill out a sample request form on this site?
    Renesas is providing the tools to participate in the Contest free of charge (limited quantity). The development boards being given away normally cost $99 each, so Renesas wants to make sure these samples go to people who are seriously interested in entering the contest. The only requirement to receive one is that you take the initiative to see what the M16C Development Environment is all about by going to RenesasInteractive (www.RenesasInteractive.com) and experiencing a real-time demonstration of the M16C Starter Kit.
    
    There are four easy steps: 1) Complete a 15-minute tutorial using a real starter kit; 2) Answer some simple questions to verify that you completed the tutorial; 3) Choose the kit you want; 4) Fill out the request form. Any changes in the qualification process or samples available will be posted on the Sample Kit section.
     
11. Are the M16C Starter Kits free? Do I have to pay shipping and handling costs?
    The kits are free, including cost-free shipping, to any eligible contestant. A limited number of kits are available. See FAQ 10 for ordering details.  
    
    
12. May I submit multiple entries? If so, what is the maximum number allowed?
    You may submit as many entries as you want (Contest rules), but each must have a separate Project Number.
    
    
13. Four of us are combining our talents to make a single project. Do we each need to request a Project Number?
    No. The Project Number is used to label the entry, in this case a single design, and not to indicate the number of people who worked on it. One person should request a Project Number for the group. That person can include the other names at that time or indicate them in the e-mail that accompanies the final submission. In either case, we will ask participants whose names go on a project before announcing the winners.
    
    
14. By entering this contest or requesting a M16C Starter Kit, is my contact information going to be sold to outside parties?
    No, it will not be distributed to others. Renesas may periodically send product information to you, but they will not sell or distribute your name to anyone. We may use it to update you on the progress of the Contest or notify you of follow-on Contest opportunities. In either case, all Privacy Act conditions apply, and all contact information will be used solely by Renesas or Circuit Cellar personnel.
    
    
15. Are there other opportunities besides the Contest prizes?
    That's up to you. Circuit Cellar magazine is the administrator for the Contest. As a technical applications magazine, we are always on the lookout for good design projects to publish. If you have done your work correctly, your entry probably already contains 90% of the information necessary for creating an article. Winning a prize in the Contest is not related to publishing your project. If you have a good design, win or loose, it is quite possible that we may contact you. In addition, we traditionally approach many of the non-winning yet noteworthy entrants about opportunities to have their project posted along with the winners.
    
    
16. How long after the Contest deadline will the winners be notified?
    Winners will be notified via e-mail or postal mail on or about September 7, 2005. The list of winners will be posted on or about September 16, 2005 at http://www.circuitcellar.com/renesas2005m16c/.
    
    
17. If I win and have to send in my finished project, does Renesas keep it or is it sent back to me after it's evaluated?
    According to the rules, if you are chosen as a winner, we will notify you and inform you that you may be required to ship your project. Your project will be returned.

Deadline: June 30, 2005