One advantage to these units is that they perform spectrum analysis on the waveforms. I own, but seldom use a Velleman PCS64i PC oscilloscope (I bought it so that I could provide screen captures of waveforms for this journal). Do not get me wrong, this is a fine unit, which I recommend to anyone who has need for such a instrument. The reason I seldom use it is that my PC is too far away from my workbench and that I am very comfortable with my old oscilloscope (and somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of high voltage meeting my computer, even though the PC scope is fully isolated).
    I recommend a Google search for other similar scopes.

Subject: Multi-channel audio
    With the advent of home theater systems for DVD's I notice a high price and high power. Nothing in the LOW price and the SMALL apartment sized systems. Umm. Bookcase size for my tiny loving room. Is the Home theater solely the domain of solid state and custom computer logic or can a home grown tube design fit in nicely that is of low and medium power?
Ben.
?

    For years I have been trying to convince tube related companies to come out with a high quality five channel tube amplifier; in vain. In general, tube watts sound more powerful than solid-state watts. So five 30 watt amplifiers should fill the bill, especially if solid-state powered sub-woofers are used.
    The pitch I made was to build very slender mono-block amplifiers that could be bought separately. Thus if someone only wanted a pair of 30 watt Class-A amplifiers, they would buy two. If they later want to bi-amp, they buy another pair. Or if they want a five channel amplifier, they buy five. The faceplate could be made from an anodized extrusion and it would serve to protect the output tubes, eliminating the need for a cage. A nice touch would be to bore a large hole in the faceplate, allowing a view of the tubes.
    As for the decoding boxes, a market exist for a tube output based unit. Why does no one come out with it? Bytheway, a poor man's five channel system can be made from one stereo transformer coupled amplifier and five speakers and two high-wattage resistors.  At first, you may not immediately like the sound, finding it too big sounding, but after a day or two, the two-speaker alternative will sound small, flat, and thin by comparison.

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