Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2006 15:23:24 -0500
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>, WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net
From: "Mike B." <omni at omniphile.com>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: resistors, capacitors, and modems
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

At 12/25/2006 02:17 AM, ronkean at juno.com wrote:

>filters disappeared when digital filters (DSP) became cheaper.  In 1981,
>I was part of an engineering team designing a high speed DSP modem which
>was expected to sell for something like $1K or $2K, so it's a safe bet
>that your $160 1981 modem had analog filters, not digital filters.

I'd almost be willing to bet money it was analog filters.  DSP chips
back then were pretty exotic things, not common like today.

Thanks for the info on resistor technology.  One comment that came to
mind was that non SMD resistors will always have a market so long as
prototype and educational circuits are hand assembled.  I've heard
that it is possible to solder on an SMD package by hand, but it's
pretty tricky, especially for beginners.  The old axial resistors and
capacitors can be used even without a PC board, which is really handy
when experimenting.

-- Mike B.