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Re: [TenTec] audio

To: <aa6yq@ambersoft.com>, <tentec@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TenTec] audio
From: "Steve Baron - KB3MM" <SteveBaron@StarLinX.com>
Reply-to: Steve Baron - KB3MM <SteveBaron@StarLinX.com>,tentec@contesting.com
Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2003 02:01:55 -0000
List-post: <mailto:tentec@contesting.com>
Is all of the source code available ?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Bernstein" <aa6yq@ambersoft.com>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 21:30
Subject: RE: [TenTec] audio


> With respect to the FlexRadio SDR-1000, there is another difference:
> users have access to the source code.
> 
>     73,
> 
>        Dave, AA6YQ
> 
>   
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Grant Youngman
> Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 16:17
> To: tentec@contesting.com
> 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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