You don't know why it's taken so long?! We are talking spaceflight. crude and low-performance, but spaceflight. They also had a fatal accident in testing. I would say given the starting point (almost nothing and apparent disregard for previous experience of others) they are doing pretty good.
2. The Karman line is the generally accepted edge of space at 100 km (62.5 mi). This is where an aircraft would have to fly so fast to get lift from the thin air that it would achieve orbital velocity in the attempt and so wings would be superfluous. The US has awarded astronaut wings to pilots flying above 50 miles. This doesn't change the objective criteria of the Karman line.
Oh, fucking bullshit. Someone in Europe arbitrarily chose 100 KM as a nice round number, then came up with a bullshit derivation after the fact to justify it. It's no more objective than 50 miles
The Russians announce their "plans" to build a new space station, to start a trip to Mars, create a fusion reactor, etc. periodically. It's ready to go, all the work has been done, all they need is someone to pony up money to actually finish the work. It's not a lot different from the Nigerian Scam.
In my opinion it's a moot issue. I've worked on HD Radio exciters for some years, first with great enthusiasm and now with very little. It's a great idea on paper but when you listen to an actual radio in the real world the difference is VERY underwhelming. AM is a lot bigger improvement but FM is almost a wash. I can't imagine anyone paying for so minimal an improvement. If you're into AM talk radio I can see it but I don't think anyone is going to pay the iBiquity tax (every radio manufacturer has to pay for iBiquity IP to have an HD decoder) to have a radio that "sounds a little better".
I agree completely. For FM it's essentially a wash, with analog coming out on top in terms or general reception and sound quality, if you can get it without multipath. The one and only thing that HD does better is deal with the multipath, and that's actually a pretty big deal around here. If I can get a clean analog signal, I would pick analog every time. I cut the "HD Enable" trace in my Sony HD radio so it sticks in FM regardless (is has a brilliantly=good FM section).
For AM it's a pretty dramatic improvement, but it's so wonky and subject to dropping out it's almost unusable. On average I do a whole lot better with a conventional analog radio and a good antenna. A 50+-year-old radio! The other issue is that only a very few AM stations have adopted HD around here (tech-heavy metropolitan area). If it's almost unheard of here, it's effectively dead.
Not just the typical AM/MW/BC band - shortwave, too. Regular analog shortwave is hardly a vibrant medium right now, and if it really solves the fading issues (very improbable, from my knowledge of the topic) increasing the voice quality could certainly be a worthwhile endeavor. I doubt that it will replace regular analog in any case, any more than HD is going to displace analog FM or AM.
It certainly was back in the record era, at least for pop or rock records from the 60's-70's on, with rare exceptions. It almost had to be to sound recognizable on AM radio or in cars (since the radio stations all played the records). Only in the mid-late 70s were there many pop or rock records that were mixed for FM or home listening on quality equipment. Early 70's pop records were horrifically compressed, easily as bad as your average Britney Spears crap. Even back as far as the "Wall of Sound" where the dynamics were intentionally compressed "up front" is an example.
I would also note that most full-dynamic-range records *can't be played* on anything less that pretty expensive cartridges on perfectly-adjusted equipment. I have one Sheffield direct-to-disk "Harry James" records that I could only reliably track after extensive adjustments to the tracking force and cartridge moment of inertia and tonearm mass. Almost anything I tried, and any conventional inexpensive cart ($50) is sends the tonearm off the record 1/8". If for nothing else, it would play much better in the majority of cases if there *was* some compression applied. It HAS to be.
I have been a high-fidelity guy (not an audiophool "cable consumer") for the past 40 years. CDs and digital music has been such a tremendous advance. Compression is hardly a new idea and absurdly compressed range was common for as long as records have existed. Vinyl is no solution, it's the engineering, no matter what the delivery medium.
That's very odd. I have CDs from the "early adopter" era (25ish years ago) that still play perfectly, and I have hardly been gentle with them, and some of them spent a lot of time in hot black cars in the warm California sun.
Records, on the other hand, go noticeably over the hill after about 10 plays, and after about 2 plays if you don't wait 30 mins-hour between plays. I have seen data (actual real waveform and waterfall plots) showing that the high frequencies can disappear after the first play. And they have to be treated with extreme care or they can easily be ruined by someone just touching them wrong.
Well, the easy solution is to *not have socialized medicine*. It is absolutely NOT my, your, or anyone else's responsibility to treat someone for their own mistakes - or in fact, random accidents that are no one's fault. I might very well *choose* to do it as a humanitarian act, but it is certainly not my *duty* to pay for it.
Because we are not going to accept the loss of independence created by a government nanny state. Regulating food is not a legitimate government function.
Li-Ion batteries are in fact very bad for the environment: by reducing reliance upon fossil fuels, demand for fossil fuels drops, which reduces prices, which encourages future use, which reduces pressure to research green alternative energy sources, which ultimately means more pollution.
The vast, vast majority of taxes IS paid by corporations. And things are lining up to make is even more so with the "soak those greedy corporations" punitive taxes. That's why your cable bill is what it is.
Please tell us all, with your clearly vast experience putting spacecraft into space, how you would have met the same requirements. Let's make it simple for you, 65000 lbs to a polar orbit with a 1200 mile crossrange capability. Dazzle us!
Swell idea. We use do have that. It never made money, went bankrupt, and was nationalized in about 1970. And has continued to lose money even when the service was cut down to only the most profitable routes. It's called AMTrack.
Slashdot Mirror
You don't know why it's taken so long?! We are talking spaceflight. crude and low-performance, but spaceflight. They also had a fatal accident in testing. I would say given the starting point (almost nothing and apparent disregard for previous experience of others) they are doing pretty good.
Brett
you knew it was coming....
The manned space program has never been and will never be about *science*. If you think that's what it is for, you will be sorely disappointed.
The Russians announce their "plans" to build a new space station, to start a trip to Mars, create a fusion reactor, etc. periodically. It's ready to go, all the work has been done, all they need is someone to pony up money to actually finish the work. It's not a lot different from the Nigerian Scam.
and what twit modded this "troll"? Its directly on point
I agree completely. For FM it's essentially a wash, with analog coming out on top in terms or general reception and sound quality, if you can get it without multipath. The one and only thing that HD does better is deal with the multipath, and that's actually a pretty big deal around here. If I can get a clean analog signal, I would pick analog every time. I cut the "HD Enable" trace in my Sony HD radio so it sticks in FM regardless (is has a brilliantly=good FM section).
For AM it's a pretty dramatic improvement, but it's so wonky and subject to dropping out it's almost unusable. On average I do a whole lot better with a conventional analog radio and a good antenna. A 50+-year-old radio! The other issue is that only a very few AM stations have adopted HD around here (tech-heavy metropolitan area). If it's almost unheard of here, it's effectively dead.
Brett
Not just the typical AM/MW/BC band - shortwave, too. Regular analog shortwave is hardly a vibrant medium right now, and if it really solves the fading issues (very improbable, from my knowledge of the topic) increasing the voice quality could certainly be a worthwhile endeavor. I doubt that it will replace regular analog in any case, any more than HD is going to displace analog FM or AM.
Brett
I get all my up-to-date UFO and secret alien conspiracy information there!
And all seven listeners appreciate it!
Generally the vinyl is not over-compressed.
It certainly was back in the record era, at least for pop or rock records from the 60's-70's on, with rare exceptions. It almost had to be to sound recognizable on AM radio or in cars (since the radio stations all played the records). Only in the mid-late 70s were there many pop or rock records that were mixed for FM or home listening on quality equipment. Early 70's pop records were horrifically compressed, easily as bad as your average Britney Spears crap. Even back as far as the "Wall of Sound" where the dynamics were intentionally compressed "up front" is an example.
I would also note that most full-dynamic-range records *can't be played* on anything less that pretty expensive cartridges on perfectly-adjusted equipment. I have one Sheffield direct-to-disk "Harry James" records that I could only reliably track after extensive adjustments to the tracking force and cartridge moment of inertia and tonearm mass. Almost anything I tried, and any conventional inexpensive cart ($50) is sends the tonearm off the record 1/8". If for nothing else, it would play much better in the majority of cases if there *was* some compression applied. It HAS to be.
I have been a high-fidelity guy (not an audiophool "cable consumer") for the past 40 years. CDs and digital music has been such a tremendous advance. Compression is hardly a new idea and absurdly compressed range was common for as long as records have existed. Vinyl is no solution, it's the engineering, no matter what the delivery medium.
Brett
That's very odd. I have CDs from the "early adopter" era (25ish years ago) that still play perfectly, and I have hardly been gentle with them, and some of them spent a lot of time in hot black cars in the warm California sun.
Records, on the other hand, go noticeably over the hill after about 10 plays, and after about 2 plays if you don't wait 30 mins-hour between plays. I have seen data (actual real waveform and waterfall plots) showing that the high frequencies can disappear after the first play. And they have to be treated with extreme care or they can easily be ruined by someone just touching them wrong.
Brett
3 to 5 years? I have a box full of them that all died in 6 months.
How many parrots can afford an iPod?!
The best was when Count Floyd tried to sell the 3d glasses - at a live show.
Dr Tongue's "3D House Of Stewardesses!" SCARY!
Well, the easy solution is to *not have socialized medicine*. It is absolutely NOT my, your, or anyone else's responsibility to treat someone for their own mistakes - or in fact, random accidents that are no one's fault. I might very well *choose* to do it as a humanitarian act, but it is certainly not my *duty* to pay for it.
Both of those are about as crappy as it gets. Looks like the graphics on a playschool "computer". Your tax dollars at work!
Absolutely correct
Because we are not going to accept the loss of independence created by a government nanny state. Regulating food is not a legitimate government function.
Your manifesto was excellent, by the way!
The vast, vast majority of taxes IS paid by corporations. And things are lining up to make is even more so with the "soak those greedy corporations" punitive taxes. That's why your cable bill is what it is.
Oh, that's what they are doing to me? Thanks for clearing that up! And I am too stupid to see it? Even better!
Please tell us all, with your clearly vast experience putting spacecraft into space, how you would have met the same requirements. Let's make it simple for you, 65000 lbs to a polar orbit with a 1200 mile crossrange capability. Dazzle us!
Swell idea. We use do have that. It never made money, went bankrupt, and was nationalized in about 1970. And has continued to lose money even when the service was cut down to only the most profitable routes. It's called AMTrack.
It's not economically feasible on a large scale.