[TenTec] Being a Contrarian...."

Tue Aug 1 09:39:18 EDT 2006

How soon everyone forgets all of the lockups that occurred and were the bane of TT's classic Orion for so long. Now, the lock ups are gone from the Orion, thanks to the rewrite, due to the horsepower required for the DSP algorithms implemented in the V1 series, and now, re-written using different algorithms that take up less horsepower, and the lockups.... are gone. Sure, there were code lockup problems in the beginning of Orion V2 and Orion II, but those are now gone. No more lockups.That is what happens when you are rushed to give the public something, and they won't wait for it to be right.
Thank you TT for the re-write, it allows us Hams to really use this product to its potential.
Remember, most problems that are seen now, are those that are resolved by the operators fixing their hamshack, and not updating in code. grounding problems, bad mics, and one of the most laughable ones... When they switch from one mic to another, they blame TT that they now have to change the mic gain from their tried and true value to something a few values up or down. What a joke. Go complain about having to change a setting, when you change your HW.

I will rest on this point for now. 

Seems it falls on deaf ears.

I can pull up hundreds in the archives, complaining of the lockups.
But I guess everyone forgets.

Bob Henderson <bob at 5b4agn.net> wrote: Presentation is a powerful thing.  It can triumph over substance.

Doug Smith wrote great DSP code for Orion.  I don't recall anyone 
complaining about the DSP code Doug left behind.  Despite this, it was 
abandoned in favour of a rewrite for V2.

If you ask me, which I grant you didn't, the baby went out with the bath 
water.

I can't help but wonder, were you expecting 'insiders at TenTec' to say, 
"Sheesh we're in big trouble here.  The only guy who understood the code 
left us and we're struggling to get by."

After more than 18 months development time, V2 operating code is inferior in 
several ways to the code it was written to supersede.

Orion has huge potential.  Regrettably, current operating code fails to 
realise it.

Despite all of this, Orion with V1.37 code is still the highest performance 
commercial transceiver available.

Bob, 5B4AGN

PS I am delighted that during your visits to your friend's shack, none of 
these shortcomings have been noticed.  Long may he enjoy his Orion(s).

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William Addams" 
To: ; "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" 

Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Being a Contrarian...."

> I'm sorry, but you are wrong.
> The DSP code was written by Doug Smith. It was not purchased. It was 
> written by Doug Smith with much consultation with Lee Jones, who is their 
> Chief Technical Officer.
> And, for those that don't know. That is only one small part of the entire 
> code set that is strewn across multiple microprocessors and DSPs.
> Who wrote the remainder of that code? which is actually the majority of 
> the code?
> I am told that Gary Barbour did. The VP of Engineering, is also the chief 
> software engineer in Sevierville.
> He is also the ONE person that re-wrote ALL of the DSP and UI and 
> communications and memory management and etc code for the Orion 2.
> So, in a nutshell, one of the original authors of a majority of the 
> classic Orion code, is also the ONLY author for ALL of the Orion 2 code 
> and the classic Orion V2 code.
> That is ONE engineer doing the entire job of writing the code.
> I'll bet Yaesu has about 10 working on the FT1000 alone.
> That is why it does take a little longer, but that is also why you get 
> such a good product in the end.
> He also has to take EVERYONEs comments in line when he updates the code. 
> For Example, NR was one of the biggest gripes before 1.375, and he changed 
> it to handle those inputs, only to get other peoples inputs stating that 
> they wanted it back the other way. So what is he to do? He has to look at 
> it, by himself, discuss with others at TenTec, and determine the best 
> compromise or alternative trying to satisfy two very vocal groups that 
> portray it as the end of TenTec if the code doesn't get fixed.
> I look at my friends Orion, never locked up, happier than heck with it.
> Same for his Orion 2.
> Now, get off of TenTec's back, and enjoy these radios, and by all means, 
> give them inputs and suggestions.
> But get your facts straight.
> Gary Barbour is the sole author now of Orion and Orion 2 code.
> Doug Smith only wrote the DSP routines, under the direction of Gary.
> That is what I was told by insiders at TenTec.
>

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