Is analog really more expensive to make at scale?

[NickK_chugchug]

I'm trying to put this in a serial context but there's a multitude of reasons.

Noise
* each transition between digital and analogue injects noise
* smaller current loops with SMT, but once digital you're pretty resilient to noise, however analogue is a constant both in terms of clocking noise, power supply noise, RFI.. etc
* power efficiency of switchers means digital noise, and cleaning up for a long analogue chain adds cost.

Cost per function
* once in digital, a few components can do alot - the same math digital processing can do a variety of things at the same time, reducing parts, reducing the cost due to volume pricing, reduced vendor relationship costs, reduced weight for transport etc
* cost of components - the world runs on digital, so digital ICs and SMT are mainstream.
* Majority of people prefer a 80% there for cheap, to improve they throw away and buy the next 80% there, rinse and repeat.

 

[tubedude]

I've heard, and I may be misremembering the decade here, but I've heard that as late as the 60's some grades of automatic transmission fluid contained whale oil. I don't know what specific quality made it desirable, but I think it was in the original Mercon and Dextron formulations. Today I think you use... is it Type F that substitutes for the early D/M formulas? Which means that some chemist out there had to figure out what oil is closest to whale oil to act as a replacement.

Still better performance than the new digital oils.

 

[ChXpensiveVintage]

Analogue got expensive when industry did what it always does and compromised in favour of convenience.

Not a criticism, just the way it is.

 

[telemnemonics]

Make fewer = charge more per piece