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From: bill@flutter.tv.tek.com (William K. McFadden)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: RE Descrambler
Keywords: descrambler, caps
Message-ID: <10080@orca.wv.tek.com>
Date: 11 Feb 91 16:55:11 GMT
References: <1991Feb9.233031.25283@sactoh0.sac.ca.us>
Sender: news@orca.wv.tek.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tektronix TV Products
Lines: 18

In article <1991Feb9.233031.25283@sactoh0.sac.ca.us> jhp@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Jim H. Puga) writes:
>I've finally decided to build the descrambler and have a quick
>question.  What does NPO stand for on capacitors?  Is there
>anything I should know before I start building this thing?

It refers to the temperature characteristic of a ceramic capacitor.
NP0 stands for "negative-positive zero," which means that the
capacitance is not supposed to vary (much) with temperature.  This is
the best kind of temperature compensating capacitor.

There are also non-temperature compensating types, which are used in
applications where the value isn't critical (e.g., decoupling caps).
One such type is Z5U.  Z5 indicates a +10C to +85C temperature range,
and U means +22%/-56% max. capacitance range over temperature.
-- 
Bill McFadden    Tektronix, Inc.  P.O. Box 500  MS 58-639  Beaverton, OR  97077
bill@videovax.tv.tek.com,     {hplabs,uw-beaver,decvax}!tektronix!videovax!bill
Phone: (503) 627-6920                 "SCUD: Shoots Crooked, Usually Destroyed"