Analog Outlawed???

[Mike Hillis]

I thought this was very interesting.

Here is a link to letter from Whites about a discontinued machine. Read through it and digest. Seems you may want to hit those RS stores alittle more seriously as parts may become seriously in short supply.

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?56,...159#msg-370159

Appears the age of analog is coming to an end and the digital revolution has finally taken over.

HH

[Carl-NC]

What a bunch on nonsense.

[Unregistered]

Analog Outlawed

If that was true Minelab will have to stop making thier most popular detectors...the Sov and Excalibur as there is an Analog Preamp IC in the coils of those detectors. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next year.

JMHO

[Qiaozhi]

I think this statement from Whites' representative has been taken out of context. What they actually said was "many of the key analog parts and raw materials (the parts that made the XL Pro) are no longer available". This is not the same as saying that all analog parts have been obsoleted. It appears to be more to do with legislation against the use of certain raw materials then anything else.
Long live analog(ue)!!

[Carl-NC]

Here is my reply on the Findmall forum:

I work for Maxim Integrated Products, and used to work for Analog Devices, two of the world-leading manufacturers for analog components like opamps. While there are more regulations coming that restrict the use of lead in circuit manufacturing, electronic component suppliers are switching over to lead-free packaging on both analog AND digital parts.

There is absolutely no reason why the XL-Pro circuitry cannot be built to the new lead-free standards. The only component I can think of that might have been truly obsoleted is the analog meter... everything else is no different than the XLT, MXT, or GMT, all of which have plenty of analog electronics, and all of which will need to be switched over to lead-free as well.

Analog components are here FOREVER, because some devices simply cannot be made pure-digital. Metal detectors are one of those devices... it MUST have at least some analog circuitry.

- Carl

[Unregistered]

JC1

Hi Carl,

Agree completely, but will they build all the old parts to the new standards? Some may fall off the table as is usually the case in the things.

And there are other issues related to detectors, and gee even you automobile, remember you need to be able to get to the gold/treasure area and back, even more than having your detector working. Oh well.

Cut and Paste follows:

A Pb-free solder joint can fail earlier than an SnPb solder joint when subjected to mechanical vibration or shock in the field.

http://www.electronicproducts.com/ro...r.sep2005.html

t's a lot more complex than just finding a solder solution.

For several years, the industry has been working towards eliminating lead in electronics by July 1, 2006, as required under the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. But complying with RoHS is actually much more complicated, as companies are finding out. There are a lot of issues, and it's a challenge keeping track of them all, let alone implementing industry wide and company-specific solutions.

http://leadfree.ipc.org/

http://www.inemi.org/cms/projects/ese/lf_hottopics.html