[BC] Black Box circuits

[padrino]

Group,

To my knowledge *all* black box modules or devices used generic parts.
Sure, some were custom to that product, but the actual component(s) came
from some basic device. I know that some processing boxes had IC's that
were special or specific to that unit, but it grew out of basic analog
circuitry. VCA's, even the custom flavors, are some variant of a quadrant
multiplier. Likewise custom opamps are based upon some previous device,
but it contains some specific function that is unique.

Within most black boxed modules you would find off-the-shelf parts, but as
Rob Meuser said, it comes down to the arrangement of the furniture inside
that allows unique operation. Same for digital algorithms. The instruction
set for DSP chips or native microprocessors is all the same. It is how
those instructions are applied that brings about proprietary performance.

-Frank Foti

Broadcasters' Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net> writes:
>
>> At 07:29 AM 7/6/2006, you wrote:
>>>From: Kevin Tekel <amstereoexp at yahoo.com>
>>>Subject: [BC] Black Box circuits
>>>To: broadcast at radiolists.net
>>>Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20060705234901.047e49c8 at oldradio.com>
>>>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>>>
>>>Robert Meuser wrote:
>>>  > Xrays of numeropus black boxes was very popular at one time. I heard
>>> a
>>>  > story that maybe Bob O could confirm that the black boxes in the
>>>  > original 8000 had lead shields cut out in the pattern of the CBS
>eye.
>>>
>>>In one of my CRL processors the epoxy in the "black box" chips has
>become
>>>brittle enough with age that I can pop the caps off and peek inside. 
>All
>>>I see are a bunch of resistors, capacitors, and diodes soldered
>together.
>>>
>>>So that's the "magic" -- just a bunch of off-the-shelf components which
>>>determine the thresholds, time constants, and such.  Combine that with a
>>>whole bunch of TL072 op-amps and LM13600N's, and you can practically
>make
>>>your own Spectral Energy Processor out of Radio Shack parts.
>>
>> The "magic" is innovative circuitry that was tuned to give the
>processor a
>> competitive sound and that the company did not want competitors to copy
>> easily. This circuitry is built with normal electronic components. What
>> did
>> you think was in there -- pixie dust?
>
>
>
>
>Maybe not pixie dust, but how about pigeon pixels? See
>http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html
>
>
>Harold
>
>
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