Hello - Anyone In Here?

A place for software, hardware and DSP-based audio gizmos. All things code and the hardware that runs it. Time and amplitude are described in bits and pieces here. Links to interesting gizmos and software.
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JR.
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Re: Hello - Anyone In Here?

Post by JR. »

Digital systems can likewise design in redundancy.. IIRC the shuttle used 3 computers and took a vote between the three systems to determine if it was really 1 or 0.

The obvious single point of failure is the human (talent or operator).

Digital systems often end up with UPS. It's just a matter of thinking about what is likely to fail then ruggedize that.

I spent too much time pondering how to engineer power amps that wouldn't fail and generally if you identify a weak link it is cheaper to make that link stronger (higher voltage or higher current) than to cobble in two of them with seamless hand-off.

At the end of the day it comes down to quality of assembly and quality of the raw component fabrication. In recent years the components keep getting better while assembly not so much.

My new dishwasher had a couple LEDs stop working within the first few months (probably a bad solder connection for a common leg driving all 3 dark LEDs). Another example is my dehumidifier with the temp scale stuck on Lo (indicating temp <40') and RH readings 10-12% high lacking the temp correction. Again very likely a solder or wiring fault. Once most modern gear survives the infant failure period it will be reasonably robust, while moving parts like disc drives probably share half lives not unlike tape machines (remember them) did.

I'm not sure how I end up being the apologist for digital technology. I'm an old analog dog, but I just call it like I see it.

JR
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ricardo
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Re: Hello - Anyone In Here?

Post by ricardo »

brianroth wrote:
JR. wrote:(Just like I hate the half-second (?) latency delays when in a fast-paced conversation on a cell phone.."OK..OK...Eric...you talk and I'll be quiet".) Ma Bell landlines didn't mess with me like that! <g>
Maybe you're too young to remember transatlantic phone calls :lol:

Repeaters (amps placed every so often) on da old analogue transoceanic lines (were they Ma Bell?) had HUGE group delay ... especially as they were all in series ... sometimes a second or two.

Black, Nyquist, Bode etc did all their supa research, theory etc to enable better design of these amps. Actually, they all worked for Ma Bell so the answer is "Yes" ;)
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JR.
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Re: Hello - Anyone In Here?

Post by JR. »

ricardo wrote:
brianroth wrote:
JR. wrote:(Just like I hate the half-second (?) latency delays when in a fast-paced conversation on a cell phone.."OK..OK...Eric...you talk and I'll be quiet".) Ma Bell landlines didn't mess with me like that! <g>
Maybe you're too young to remember transatlantic phone calls :lol:

Repeaters (amps placed every so often) on da old analogue transoceanic lines (were they Ma Bell?) had HUGE group delay ... especially as they were all in series ... sometimes a second or two.

Black, Nyquist, Bode etc did all their supa research, theory etc to enable better design of these amps. Actually, they all worked for Ma Bell so the answer is "Yes" ;)
Funny but I didn't say that....

must be Christmas magic.

JR :x
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brianroth
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Re: Hello - Anyone In Here?

Post by brianroth »

Once the Holidaze are past, I'll figure out a method to scan the mic preamp pages from our Neve Capricorn manual.

It's not all that much "magic"...one of the older SSM chips and some 553x with digital control wrapped around to diddle the gain(s) via the user control surface. But, it does sound decent.

Bri
Professional audio and video systems design/installation/maintenance.
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