Lobbying for a Class D Forum

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Some Class D / SMPS threads to relocate from the latest 100 pages of the "Solid State" Thread,

Help: LCAudio module putting out 42v DC
Class-T with Tubes?
Working ClassD schematics.
Class-T Integrated Amp?
Help with my D class Amp
Half or full H bridge?
New SMPS Design Tool from On-Semi
Tripath RB-TA3020-2 question
UCD180 or UCD400?
smps and heat
poor switching
thermal distortion in class T amplifiers
class A amp with switchmode psu???
Class-D amplifier R&D
Best Deadtime Delay Circuit in Class-D
Success with class-d?
Sony XM-5540 SMPS problem
Single Vs Complementary Vs Differential Comparators in Class-D
SMPS efficency issues...
Help selecting PWM controller
Switchmode converters
LCaudio Millenium vs. ZAPpulse and others
Line-powered SMPS for Power Amp?
Anyone heard the new TacT SDA2175?
switching power supply failure
100kHZ HV Mosfets recommendationtotally ridiculous digital amplifier (power DAC) idea
Whats the difference between full bridge and half-bridge SMPS ?
Class D Amps
Looking for self oscilating class D
Novel? current feedback technique for Class D amplifiers
Help Class D Class D Class D
Class D Power Supply???
Switching Mosfet overshoot
Discussing digital and class A amps
Class-D Amp with Discrete Gate Drivers
cores
ClassD problem with HIP4080
Tripath TA103 blowup
A New Class-d Amp Tutorial From Irf
TRIANGULAR or SAWTOOTH which is best for CLASS-D
Patents on classd??
Proposal On Single Ended Class-D Subwoofer Amp
Effect of feedback in Class-D amplifiers
SMPS problem
Class_D PWM CAR AMP
Modifying PC power supplies?
Project : Practical Class-D PWM Subwoofer Amplifiers with optocoupled Gate Drivers
Zetex has some exelent transistors for MOSFET drivers
Small SMPS problem
Filterless subwoofer Class-D amp
Class A and A/B vs. Class D
Class-T Audio Experiences
Carver Digital Amp Schematics Here
Help needed with Tripath Board
A Tripath TA3020 based amp
SMPS For Tubes
Digital amp revolution here
H Bridge 'subwoofer' amplifiers
 
Thanks

Hello AudioFreak & Moderators,

I'd like to extend my warmest thanks the moderators and the webmaster for taking action to set up a proper home for class D related posts.

Some things I'd like to remark (things said by others as well)
1) It's currently quite hard to navigate to the new forum. I have to click on solid state (or tubes) first. That lands me on the level below Amplifiers. Then on the header I can click Amplifiers to get to that level. Then the class D forum appears. Does this happen to other forums too? Maybe the top should really list only the top categories.
2) The name and description of the new forum is unfortunate.
There is no such a thing as a digital amplifier. Although the power devices are operating in on/off mode, it is anything but "11010010101110". The precise timing, voltage levels and waveform detail are all analogue characteristics crucial to performance. Digital on the other hand works with symbols, whether they are passed in electrical, optical or smoke signal form.
Apart from that, an Amplifier is by definition something that increases the signal level (voltage, current or both) while otherwise retaining the shape of the signal.
So, even devices that take a digital audio signal and convert it to something you can attach a loudspeaker to are not digital amplifiers but power D/A converters, because the input signal doesn't remotely resemble the output signal. As anyone will agree, the actual switching power stage in a power D/A converter is an analogue exercise.
The naming issue is not just a detail, it can greatly influence what kind of visitors it attracts. Just like a good book with the wrong title will attract the wrong readership (or not even be read), a forum with a name that is not only incorrect but also "popularly incorrect" might give the impression that there are no knowledgeable people in there, and stop others from joining.

The subtitle also lists class T and class H.
Class T is a trade mark for a Tripath's (company founded by Adya Tripathi) class D amplifiers. If trade names are to be placed in the forum description it would only be fair to include UcD, Mueta, IcePower, Zappulse etc (all of which are at least as significant as class T) as well.

Class H (or G) is a non-official "class" of circuits where a class AB amplifier is powered by variable supplies. The supplies can be switched from multiple sets of rails (H) or OR-tied with bootstrap emitter followers (G). These belong most firmly in the category of (linear) solid state amplfiers.

My suggestion would be to simply call the forum "Switching" as in
Top > Amplifiers > Switching
with a subheader along the lines of "Class D amplification, Power D/A Conversion and SMPS"

You've already made us very happy with our "own" forum. You would make us perfectly happy with a technically sound name.

Cheers,

Bruno
 
Hi,

I'm not yet seeing the links which I submitted in post #76 moved into the new forum, hope you didn't miss it?

I know what you mean, the search function hasn't been good to me either.

Something you might get a kick out of trying, bypass it and use a better search function.

For example, for over 800 far more relevant links, go to google and paste this in:

"class d" site:http://www.diyaudio.com

It's kind of a cheap "grep" feature.

Perhaps you'd consider making this thread "sticky" for a time, just to make it a little easier for people to come and post links to, before it gets buried?

Also I would be very happy with either forum title that both JohnW or Bruno suggested.

Many thanks,
Chris
 
AudioFreak said:

Tripath Technology Inc. might like to disagree with you on that point.

True, THEY might but no-one else would. I can call some circuit I develop anything I wish, for marketing purposes or whatever. That doesn't mean my coined 'term' will appear in the official terms recognized by international regulating bodies such as IEEE, IRE, JEDEC, SAE, etc.
 
Originally posted by pinkmouse
The only problem with just calling the forum "Switching" is that it is not very elucidating to new members...
Well it was my idea that the "name" of the forum is actually
"diyaudio forums > top > amplifiers > switching" and I think it's best not to make the name itself too long (the subtitle is there for further explanation).
But OK if it comes across as a tad obscure I'd suggest one of these:
"Switch-Mode Power Amplification" (mind the hyphen, without it there's a trademark problem)
"Class D"
or as per JohnW:
"Class D - Switching Amplifiers and SMPS" (a bit long but it would remove the need for a subtitle)

"Class D" has a decided advantage in terms of instant recognisability. "Switch-mode power amplification" on the other hand might lower the threshold for people with class D xenophobia.

How about this?
 
classd4sure said:
Hi,

I prefer to call the beast by its proper name, so my vote is for "Class D", no need for confusion!

How's this:

"Class D
Switch Mode Amplifiers & Power Supplies"

Since power D/A converters aren't amplifiers but I do want to include them in this forum (for obvious reasons), can we agree on "Class D" as the forum name and "Switch-Mode Power Amplification, Power D/A Conversion and SMPS" as the subtitle?
 
Bruno Putzeys said:


Since power D/A converters aren't amplifiers but I do want to include them in this forum (for obvious reasons), can we agree on "Class D" as the forum name and "Switch-Mode Power Amplification, Power D/A Conversion and SMPS" as the subtitle?

Sure can.. however I find that subtitle a bit long, could we agree to abbreviate it a bit, and keep the same meaning?

"Power DAC's"?

Any more abbreviating and the meaning starts to change..
 
Since power D/A converters aren't amplifiers

I'm confused - why aren't Power D/A converters amplifiers? For they amplify a smaller signal, be it SPDIF or I2S etc. to a much larger signal able to drive speakers, they amplify – just in a convoluted way :)

Switch "Mode" amplifiers - the word "Mode" although a correct term, is normally used when talking about PSU’s - i.e. Switch Mode PSU.... scares people away - noisy RF things that always go bang & melt earth leads on scope probes....

Go on, you know it makes sense "Class D - Switching amplifiers & SMPS"
 
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