Transistor question

[aroby]

What does it mean to "turn a transistor on harder"?  Alan (w2aew) uses this terminology around 2:20 in this video .

Anthony

[Sebastian]

I think he just means saturate it more (higher base current).

[KJDS]

I think he just means saturate it more (higher base current).

^^^This^^^ but it also reduces Vce. A fully on transistor only has about 0.2V as Vce

[Paul Price]

The Vce of a "transistor turned on harder" (or operating in it's saturated region) varies with the type of transistor, the available collector current, the base current and also temperature.

It is possible a transistor for even a "turned on the hardest" transistor to still develop several volts Vce (VceSat) and get plenty hot as well.

[w2aew]

What does it mean to "turn a transistor on harder"?  Alan (w2aew) uses this terminology around 2:20 in this video .

Anthony

I was simply referring increasing the base (and thus the collector) current of the transistor. These cross-connected transistors are connected such that as the bias current increases in one, it subsequently increases the current in the other - basically a regenerative connection or positive feedback.

[aroby]

Thanks everyone for the explanations!

Anthony