Pioneer Display Business Does the Hokey Pokey.

As a follow up to our previous article “Sharp, Sony & Pioneer Join Forces…” Pioneer has announced additional plans for future production. Pioneer Corp.’s Board of Directors has approved radical changes in their display business through a massive restructuring. After completion of the 2008 model production is complete all plasma display panel production will cease at the Pioneer Plasma Display Corp. and Pioneer Display Products Corp. After termination of in-house production Pioneer will rely on Matsushita Electric industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic) for procurement of plasma display panels beginning in summer of 2009. As a result Pioneer’s plasma display technologies will be integrated into the Panasonic product.

Drake’s DAD860 Digital to Analog Decoder

Drake’s new DAD860 provides a solution for contractors anticipating the upcoming switch to digital TV.  Particularly those involved with the integration of the new format into previous RF distribution installations where the use of existing cabling and display devices in necessary.

The Drake model DAD860 Digital to Analog Decoder is a digital demodulator and decoder, for ATSC 8VSB broadcast or in-the-clear QAM television signals, that delivers a standard NTSC composite analog video and stereo audio output. This device, used in conjunction with an analog NTSC modulator, allows a cable system operator to continue to provide analog versions of services that will only be available to him as digital in the future. It may also be utilized to provide the alternate digital channels now available from many broadcasters.

Bill Whitlock; President of Jensen Transformers

Bill Whitlock, President of Jensen Transformers, Inc. since October, 1989. His responsibilities include leadership and management of Jensen. He oversees product development, engineering, and manufacturing. He writes technical articles for trade magazines and presents seminars on interfacing issues at industry trade shows.

For several years Whitlock worked closely with Deane Jensen, the original founder, providing consulting services to clients. He has an extensive background in high performance and wideband analog circuit designs. His experience includes data conversion, analog and digital magnetic recording, video signal processing, telemetry PWM and PCM techniques, computer peripheral interfaces, and test equipment design.

The Five Faces of Distortion

As a waveform passes through an audio or video system any deviation from the original signal is considered to be distortion. Therefore the output signal is no longer the same as the input signal only greater in amplitude, it has been changed and is now “distorted”.

David Hafler; (Acrosound, Dynaco & Hafler)

Hafler had an enormous influence on several generations of audiophiles and music lovers. A graduate in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania, Hafler served as a communications specialist in the Coast Guard during the Second World War. In 1950, he founded Acrosound, a transformer manufacturer. In 1954, he founded Dynaco, a name that became synonymous with good sound and good value. Hafler’s entire career was built on the concept of providing great performance at an affordable price.

The Service Call That Didn’t Need Any Service!

Many of are accustomed to dealing with clients that do not have dedicated audio/video people on staff. I’m sure you have received a call from an upset customer that is convinced your system in malfunctioning and causing them embarrassment and headaches. More often than not these items can be resolved with a little TLC.

The new face of GAIN11

GAIN11 is excited to announce that we are days away from lauching a new site. The new site will include many new interactive features for our readers. Features will include an interactive question and answer section and testing to assess one’s readiness for various course material. Gain11 greatly encourages requests and suggestions from out readers on topics they would like to see covered or features they feel would be beneficial to the community. We look forward to serving you all in the future!

Jason Levert
GAIN11

“Logarithmic Thinking in a Linear World”

Haas Effect; (Precedence Effect)

The Haas effect, first discovered in 1946 and named after Helmut Haas, also commonly referred to as the Precedence Effect and/or law of the first wave front. The Haas effect is a psychoacoustic effect having to do with the auditory phenomena that allows us to localize sounds emanating from anywhere around us. This is achieved by using a combination of sensory responses to the varying physical differences between the sounds we hear such as arrival times, level of intensity and phase interactions. Our use of varying arrival times to determine location is a result of simple anatomy. The geometry of the human head with our ears spaced apart and a barrier in between means that direct sound will arrive at the ear closest to the source first and then arrive at the ear furthest away allowing us to locate the source of the sound.

Inverse Square Law

The inverse square law is probably one of the most widely used fundamental of physics used in the field of audio. As you advance through your career you will continue to use this particular formulation on an increasingly frequent basis. You will use it at the very beginning of your system designs when trying to determine what speakers to select and what amplifiers will be required to power them. It can also be used to assist in the setting of delays speakers and much more. It will be a very valuable tool to have in your audio knowledge toolbox. Simply stated the definition of the inverse square law is as such.

Audio & Video Periodicals