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Electronics Glossery: D

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

- DAC

Abbreviation for "digital to analog converter."

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Damping

Reduction in magnitude of oscillation due to energy being dissipated as heat.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Darlington pair

An amplifier consisting of two bipolar junction transistors with their collectors connected together and the emitter of one connected to the base of the other. Circuit has an extremely high current gain and input Impedance.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm



DC

Abbreviation for "direct current".

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DC load line

A graph representing all possible combinations of voltage and current for a given load resistor in an amplifier.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

DC offset

The change in input voltage required to produce a zero output voltage when no signal is applied to an amplifier.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

DC power supply

Any source of DC power for electrical equipment.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm



Dead short

Short circuit having zero resistance.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Decade

A frequency factor of ten.
(As used in Audio) A measurement equal to the low pass frequency being ten times the high pass frequency, which is relevant in a passive band pass crossover. The difference between 500 Hz and 5000 Hz is equal to 1 decade.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm
Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Decibel (db)

1) A logarithmic representation of gain or loss.
2) (As used in Audio) A unit of measurement for the ratio of loudness. The threshold of hearing is 0 db. One db SPL is the smallest audible difference in sound level.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm
Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Degenerative feedback

Also called negative feedback. A portion of the output of an amplifier is inverted and connected back to the input. This controls the gain of the amplifier and reduces distortion and noise.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Delay time

The time for collector current to reach 10% of its maximum value in a BJT switching circuit.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Depletion mode

In a FET, an operating mode where reverse gate-source voltage is used to deplete the channel of free carriers. This reduces the size of the channel and increases its resistance.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Depletion mode MOSFET

A MOSFET designed to operate in either depletion mode or enhancement mode.

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Depletion region

Thre area surrounding a pn junction that is depleted of carriers.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Detent Controls

A detent knob has precise click-stops at regular points to indicate how much the control has been turned up or down.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Deutsche Industrie Normen (DIN)

German (European) industrial standards. DIN size refers to the stereo size that fits most European automobiles.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Device

A component or part.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm





Diac

A two terminal bidirectional thyristor. Has a symmetrical switching mode.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dialectric constant

Property of a material that determines how much electrostatic energy can be stored per unit volume when unit voltage is applied.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dialectric strength

The maximum voltage an insulating material can withstand without breaking down.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dielectric

1) Insulating material between two plates where an electrostatic field exists. 2) An insulating material with low electrical conductivity.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm
Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Differential amplifier

An amplifier in which the output is in proportion to the differences between voltages applied to its two inputs.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Differentiator

A circuit in which the output voltage is in proportion to the rate of change of the input voltage. A high pass RC circuit.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Diffusion

Tendency of conduction band electrons to wander across a pn junction to combine with valence band holes.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Digital

Relating to devices or circuits that have outputs of only two discrete levels. Examples: 0 or 1, high or low, on or off, true or false etc.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Digital Output

An output where the signal is in digital form to allow external processing before being converted to an analog signal.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Digital Time Delay

A component that electronically delays the audio signals (in milliseconds) to provide surround type sound as well as compensate for speaker placements.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Digital Time Delay Gain Control

The control that lets you select how much of the whole of the audio signal to be treated with digital time delay.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Diode

A two terminal device that conducts in only one direction.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

DIP

Abbreviation for "dual in line package."

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Direct coupling

Where the output of an amplifier is connected directly to the input of another amplifier or to a load. Also known as DC coupling because DC signals are not blocked.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Direct Current (DC)

An electrical current that flows in one direction.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Directional / Directionality

The angle at which a speaker disperses sound. Higher frequencies are narrower than lower frequencies. Tweeters are more directional than woofers.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Discharge

Release of energy stored in either a battery or a capacitor.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Discrete component

Package containing only a single component as opposed to an integrated circuit containg many components in a single package.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dispersion

Distribution of sound from a speaker.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Dissipation

Release of electrical energy in the form of heat.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Distortion

An undesired change in a waveform or signal.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Distortion

2) Audio Sound that is modified or changed in some way. Measured as a percentage of the whole signal.

also see: Harmonic, Frequency, Amplitude & Intermodulation Distortion
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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Distributed capacitance

Any capacitance other than that within a capacitor. For example, the capacitance between adjacent turns of wire in a coil.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Distributed inductance

Any inductance other than that within an inductor. Example inductance in any conductor.

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Dolby Noise Reduction

A patented noise reduction system that increases dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio of Dolby encoded media.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Domain

A moveable magnetized area in a magnetized material. Also known as magnetic domain.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dome

A convex speaker shape usually used for tweeters.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Donor atoms

Pentavalent atoms that give up electrons to the conduction band in an N type semiconductor material.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Doping

The process of adding impurity atoms to intrinsic (pure) silicon or germanium to improve the conductivity of the semiconductor material.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dot convention

Standard used with transformer symbols to indicate whether the secondary voltage is in phase or out of phase with the primary voltage.

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Drift

A problem that can develop in tuned amplifiers when the frequency of the tuned circuit changes due to temperature or component aging.

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Driver

Synonymous with loudspeaker. The term also refers to a loudspeaker being coupled to a horn for acoustic coupling and controlled dispersion of sound.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Dropping resistor

Resistor whose value has been chosen to drop or develop a given voltage.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dry cell

DC voltage generating chemical cell using a non liquid (paste) electrolyte.

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Dual in-line package (DIP)

Integrated circuit package having two rows of connecting pins.

also see: SIP, QFP, PGA, BGA
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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dual trace oscilloscope

Oscilloscope that can simultaneously display two signals.

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Dynamic

Relating to conditions that are changing or in motion.

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Source:http://www.twysted-pair.com/dictionary.htm

Dynamic Noise Reduction (DNR)

A signal-processing circuit that reduces the level of high frequencies (hiss). Unlike Dolby Noise Reduction, DNR does not require processing during recording.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp

Dynamic Range

The difference between the softest and loudest portions of sound that an amplifier or recorder can reproduce within an acceptable range of distortion. Expressed in decibels, the higher the number the better.

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Source:http://www.the12volt.com/glossary/glossary.asp



Created: 04/25/04
Updated: __/__/__
Checked: __/__/__

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