Talk:Detector (disambiguation)

Proposed merger
I propose merging discussion of the general sense of the word detector into the article Sensor. The discussion of optical detectors would be merged into Photodetector. The rump of the article would remain to discuss the RF detector, with a disambiguation page for uses outside of radio. Since this is more of a dismemberment than a straight merger, let's hold any discussion here instead of at the destination pages.-- The Photon 05:17, 18 February 2006 (UTC)
 * This seems reasonable. "Detector" may be too general a concept for a good article, and in any event the current contents do not do the term justice.--Srleffler 06:20, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

I think this may be good. I think we need to be clear on the fundamental difference between "Detector" and "Sensor".

In my experience, and in many of the definitions browseable on Google, "Detector" defines a device that "Senses or detects" the OCCASIONAL physical presence of the detected "Thing". It is more of an "Event" detector than a "Value" sensor. Examples are Photons, individual humans, propane gas of at least some concentration, (relatively) nearby lightning strikes, etc.

As often defined,(And as I prefer  :-) ) "Sensors" typically provide a continuous value representing a physical quantity, such as temperature, pressure, propane gas concentration, solar flux, or human crowd noise Sound Pressure Level.

So, WhatIf: The Photodetector stuff goes there, RF guys discriminate between "Detectors" and "Demodulators" (Unfortunately often combined and confused), and we add some good examples in "Sensor" that defines "Detector" as a type of sensor with a binary result, as compared to "Sensors" which (usually) provide an Analog result. (If the system doesn't ID me, I'm terry@terryking.us )  Regards, Terry King Terry King

Dumped most of page to make a fresh start.
First the subject of detectors and detection circuits goes far beyond a discussion about coheres and crystal diodes; secondly there is a cut-and-paste feel to the bulk of the article that has the smell of copyvio all over it.

I'm starting from scratch, with a technical discussion followed by an historical treatment of the topic. Or should we make this a disambiguation page to the various usages of the term? Iwill give it a day before I start.--DV8 2XL 00:05, 25 March 2006 (UTC)