Search found 20 matches

by ThomasHenry
Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:03 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Free Analog Design Sheets for Download
Replies: 2
Views: 2623

Free Analog Design Sheets for Download

If you haven't noticed, Nuts & Volts has posted my large package (about 3 meg) of analog design sheets for download---free! The article this month was edited a bit, but the download package includes all of the schematics and quite a few other perks not mentioned. Audio designers should especiall...
by ThomasHenry
Wed Oct 05, 2005 9:50 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: I am claiming dunce of the week
Replies: 44
Views: 19471

Re: I am claiming dunce of the week

Okay, how about this one. I'm glad to say it's not me (and even it were, I wouldn't confess it.)<p>I had an instructor who had been an electrical inspector in Iowa back in the 1960's. He told of a homemade house-wiring job he was to inspect. It turns out the guy had wired his entire house with twin-...
by ThomasHenry
Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:36 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: What makes an audio CD stutter?
Replies: 8
Views: 3734

Re: What makes an audio CD stutter?

Thanks. As I mentioned, any of these CD-R's play just fine on every other unit I have (three different units from portable to component system). The fact that the GE only has trouble with them, but NOT with commercial CD's suggests to me it's optical rather than mechanical difficulties. I'm guessing...
by ThomasHenry
Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:32 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: What makes an audio CD stutter?
Replies: 8
Views: 3734

Re: What makes an audio CD stutter?

Well, the results are in. I ended up trying a grand total of 5 of these GE CD/Clock Radios. The first one played great, but the display burned out in a week. The remaining four skipped and stuttered all over the place.<p>What I observed: all could play commercial CDs without a problem, but only one ...
by ThomasHenry
Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:12 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: What makes an audio CD stutter?
Replies: 8
Views: 3734

Re: What makes an audio CD stutter?

Thanks to all for the explanations.<p>I too don't think a limited buffer is the problem, since the first unit (same model) worked well. In other words, it doesn't seem to be an inherent design issue but something that varies from unit to unit.<p>My curiosity is up as to what is going on, just in the...
by ThomasHenry
Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:22 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: What makes an audio CD stutter?
Replies: 8
Views: 3734

What makes an audio CD stutter?

Hi gang,<p>I'm trying to add to my knowledge of the audio CD technology. The following real-world problem has arisen; I'd be glad to hear your comments.<p>In short: what is going on when an audio CD skips or stutters, repeating passages and so forth? Is it software or is it hardware, is it solid-sta...
by ThomasHenry
Tue Jun 22, 2004 1:15 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Clamping an op-amp output
Replies: 7
Views: 3112

Re: Clamping an op-amp output

Hi gang,<p>(Slap)...if you can hear that, that was my hand slapping my forehead. Sherlock Holmes (in one of those cheesy Rathbone movies) said "There's nothing so deceptive as the obvious fact."<p>Well, Cato went right to the nub, and as soon as I saw his comment, the slapping began...<p>W...
by ThomasHenry
Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:45 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Clamping an op-amp output
Replies: 7
Views: 3112

Re: Clamping an op-amp output

Many thanks to Dean and Chris for their rapid replies.<p>Dean: I'd like to use multiple packages if possible (like the four-banger TL074), of which the control voltage summer would be one element. So, using a single supply instead of a bipolar one doesn't work well in this application (since the fil...
by ThomasHenry
Mon Jun 21, 2004 6:34 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Clamping an op-amp output
Replies: 7
Views: 3112

Clamping an op-amp output

Hello all,<p>Here's a problem I've been struggling over. I'm hoping someone might have an idea that will put me back on the straight and narrow.<p>I have a single op-amp stage, configured as a summer. It's duty is to mix a variety of control voltages, any of which might range from -15V to +15V, and ...
by ThomasHenry
Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:56 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Audio Frequency Counter Recommendation
Replies: 14
Views: 6797

Re: Audio Frequency Counter Recommendation

Also, the only signals I monitor on a regular basis are sines, triangles, ramps and squares (music synthesizer outputs). So, yes, I'm only working with clean signals.
by ThomasHenry
Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:54 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Audio Frequency Counter Recommendation
Replies: 14
Views: 6797

Re: Audio Frequency Counter Recommendation

For the analog input I used nothing more than an NPN driving a buffer from a 4050. Some specifics: input jack to 2.2 non-polarized cap, to 22k to base of transistor. I put the cathode of a 1N4148 on the base to ground to dump negative excursions. On the collector is a 4.7K pullup, and then to the 40...
by ThomasHenry
Wed Apr 14, 2004 8:34 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Audio Frequency Counter Recommendation
Replies: 14
Views: 6797

Re: Audio Frequency Counter Recommendation

Thanks to everybody for the suggestions.<p>I ended up designing and building one from scratch, using the 80C32 microcontroller. It goes from 0Hz to 65kHz (I'm obviously using a 16 bit register to record the counts), with 1Hz resolution and a 5 digit LCD display. It counts on a fixed 1 second gate, w...
by ThomasHenry
Wed Apr 14, 2004 3:19 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Lighting a Bicolor LED
Replies: 11
Views: 4696

Re: Lighting a Bicolor LED

Oh yeah, I used a three lead type LED, with the reversed back to back elements.
by ThomasHenry
Wed Apr 14, 2004 3:18 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Lighting a Bicolor LED
Replies: 11
Views: 4696

Re: Lighting a Bicolor LED

I don't believe in touting commercial stuff here, but since you asked, Dacflyer: my tri-color LED project appeared in the newsletter mentioned above. It hasn't been posted on the Web, but was reprinted in a book of mine which is still in print and available, called _Electronic Music Circuits: The Re...
by ThomasHenry
Mon Apr 12, 2004 11:04 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Lighting a Bicolor LED
Replies: 11
Views: 4696

Re: Lighting a Bicolor LED

I had a circuit published back in 1982 that might be of some benefit. It used a tri-colored LED to indicate voltage levels: green for signals less than 5Vpp, orange for 5Vpp to 10Vpp, and red for signals greater than 10Vpp. The LED was driven by a simple pulse-width modulator to create the color eff...