[linux-audio-user] Re: Companies Refusing to Release/Permit Linux Drivers

[Gene Heskett]

On Tuesday 21 March 2006 06:59, Chris Bannister wrote:
>On Sun, Mar 19, 2006 at 11:35:22AM -0500, Gene Heskett wrote:
>> >Thanks for the insight. When I worked for Telecom, I commisioned
>> > some broadcast circuits from the local radio station and there
>> > were a few old broadcast magazines from the 60's and they were
>> > interesting reading, esp the techniques that were used with what
>> > little was available at the time.
>>
>> Don't knock it too loudly, the tv transmitter I help maintain yet,
>> an
>
>I wasn't knocking it. :-)
>
>> old water cooled GE TT42-TF3a combo was originally made about then.
>> And it still makes 'good pictures' yet today.  But thats part of the
>
>You can get some nasty "belts" off those tubes. :-)

Not if the safety stuff is working.  Opening a cabinet door to gain 
access to any of that puts dead short crowbars across the high voltage 
stuff at the same time it opens the main plate control relay/breaker.  
It makes an impressive amount of noise and light when that happens, 
even more impressive if the breaker doesn't open on command as that 
leaves a nice short ciruit across a 7 kv to 22 kv supply capable of 10 
or more amps continuous duty.  When the breaker doesn't open, say by-by 
to a 4000 pound plate transformer and get ready to go stomp out the 
grass fires that the fuses on the substation pole will start when they 
try to open up under short circuit conditions but the holder has so 
much metal evaporated onto it that it keeps the circuit alive.  That 
lights up the evening rather nicely.

Those aren't "belts", they are third degree burns with a very high 
probability of being lethal, been there, done that, got the shingles 
from it even.  But I'm still here.

>Some (most?) of the records from the 60's sound a lot better than some
>you can get today, which seems surprising considering the technology
>available. Maybe less is better than more :-)
>
>Maybe there was so much to look out for, like 'birds nests', 'earth
>loops' etc., that one had to be particulary diligent?
>
>Or maybe the components of today are manufactured with 'cheaper'
>materials?

I think thats the major problem today.  The fact that digital guarantees 
a certain level of accuracy is often overridden by the accuracy of the 
digital.  It certainly seems to have engendered a generation of circuit 
designers that have no concept of good design practice in the analog 
sections of their products.  Thats why the good stuff costs more money, 
lots more in some cases.

-- 
Cheers, Gene
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Copyright 2006 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved.