[TenTec] audio

[Steve Baron - KB3MM]

Very well put.

I was hoping I could use the SO-239 as the mic connector - that would be a
solid connection (vbg).

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grant Youngman" <nq5t at comcast.net>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 21:17
Subject: Re: [TenTec] audio


> > My notion is that the ORION should not be promoted as a
> > software-defined radio with all that implies without providing some
> > indication of its software-defined capabilities as opposed to those
> > which are embedded in the hardware.
>
> I generally agree that no product should be  misrepresented in the way
> you suggest.  But I still see the gap with reality not as expectation
based
> on promotion hype, but expectation based on wishful thinking.
>
> To take it to the extreme, all of the controls on the front of the Orion
and
> all of the connectors on the back could I suppose have label strips for
> changing their function and assignments.  And while certainly the code
> could be written to do that for some things, it doesn't make much sense,
> and would do little of value but add to the cost of firmware development,
> related control mux/demux/routing logic,  and even more confusion for
> the user.  It does seem to me that by printing a pinout for something with
> labels on each pin, it should be reasonably apparent that it isn't a "make
it
> what you want it" connection.
>
> So I don't buy into the notion at all that T-T is selling snake oil about
> "software defined".
>
> An informed buyer has access to the complete manual prior to purchase.
> And the new one is pretty good. (I also think T-T should require a signed
> affadavit from each owner that they have READ the darn thing too -- 
> <grin>).
>
> An uninformed buyer who isn't happy that he can't set a menu item and
> plug DC power into the CW jack or route audio out the antenna
> connector, is .. well .. a little uninformed.  Ok ... so that's a bit
extreme :-)
> but those things really bear little on being SD.  All of the information,
> menu options, etc. are clearly set out in the manual.
>
> > The Icom PRO2 contains more control computers (at least six, each
> with
> > it own dedicated function set and firmware) and software than the
> > ORION yet Icom never presents it as a software-defined radio.
>
> I'm going to leave that alone :-)  Counting processors doesn't make the
> difference.
>
>
> > silicon as it were. But, over-promotion does raise expectations and
> > that in turn causes confusion and disappointment when things are not
> > as one would reasonably expect them to be.
>
> I just reread very carefully both the ads that are running in QST and the
> material on the website.  Nowhere do I see over promotion.  If
> expectation exceeds what the manual says the radio does, then that's not
> a vendor generated expectation.
>
> > As to "appliance" - yes, the majority of users today could be termed
> > "appliance operators."
>
> I'm not knocking appliance operators either.  More often than I'd like to
> admit, I'm one myself.  It makes life simple.  And I enjoy it :-)
>
> > When, instead, the "appliance" is marketed with the implied promise
> > that virtually any feature or capability can be provided by a firmware
> > upgrade, then the confusion mounts and disappointment results.
>
> This is a general misunderstanding among many consumer segments
> about "firmware controlled things.  It has nothing whatsover to do with
> overpromotion.  You should read some of the digital camera forums
> about what folks think a "firmware upgrade" will do for lens performance,
> and other very hardware  defined parameters, etc.  It's hysterical.  And
> they get genuinely upset that a little (free) firmware can't turn their
10X
> zoom 3 Mp Wizzerroo 7xl  into a 10 Mp camera with 400x zoom or take
> over lighting and composition for them.
>
> Nowhere do camera manufacturers state that "everything" can be
> software upgraded (they rarely state that anything at all can be
> upgraded).  And radio vendors don't do that either, that I can see.
>
> If/when the new "I" radio is released with upgradable firmware, that
> vendor will very likely have the same issues to deal with.  And the very
> same misunderstandings will result.  It's the nature of the guy buying the
> radio to read what he wants to read between the lines.  You do have to
> admit (or not) that T-T has been much more forthcoming about the Orion
> in terms of technical detail than anything we've seem from our Asian
> friends so far.
> >
> > I have been exploring the nearest thing to a true software-defined
> > radio with the SDR-1000 developed by FlexRadio.
>
> Yep, it's an interesting little radio.  But if you read their own
description of
> what being SD means, except for being a simple direct conversion
> receiver, it differs not a whit in overall design from what's being done
in
> the Orion, and probably the PRO-II (except it won't perform near as well
> as either of them).  And it doesn seem to have specific I/O assignments
> for things like Mic, Speaker, key, etc :-)
>
> Grant/NQ5T
>
>
>
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