# EE Movies, Part Rants and SPICE.

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2010-11-16
- Length: 1h 01m
- Episode: 17
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-amp-hour-17-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice/

## Summary

Dave Jones from EEVblog and Chris Gammell discuss the frustrations of using online component selection tools like WebMentional, which quote high-volume pricing that is inaccessible to prototypers, and the difficulties of sourcing parts directly from manufacturers. They critique the misleading metrics of electronics community platforms like Element14 and Design Spark, arguing that active user counts are vastly inflated compared to actual engagement. The hosts also debate the utility of SPICE simulation for complex analog designs, the historical evolution of capacitor unit notation, and the prevalence of free energy scams.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=0) Introduction: Moore's Law and Computer Hardware
- [3:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=182) Shoutouts: Ham Radio, Drones, and Podcast Community
- [9:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=565) Rant: Open Source Hardware Terminology
- [11:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=703) Critique of WebMentional and Component Pricing
- [17:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=1066) Sourcing Parts and Contract Manufacturer Stock
- [23:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=1411) Startup Stories: SparkFun and Early Apple Financing
- [29:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=1746) Rant: Fake Community Metrics on Element14 and Design Spark
- [31:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=1893) Rant: Amazon Associate Program and International Payment Issues
- [35:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=2131) Global Engineering Jobs and Free Energy Scams
- [45:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice#t=2716) RF Processes, PCB Colors, and SPICE Simulation

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- WebMentional (tool)
- LTSpice (tool)
- Element14 (company)
- Design Spark (company)
- SparkFun (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- Apple (company)
- Amazon (company)
- DigiKey (company)
- Mouser (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Spark Gap - Episode 41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-10-14-the-spark-gap-episode-41) (The Spark Gap)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2014-08-20-the-spark-gap-episode-10) (The Spark Gap)
- [478: The Map Is Not the Territory](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2024-05-30-478-the-map-is-not-the-territory) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-10-21-the-spark-gap-episode-42) (The Spark Gap)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2018-01-01-the-spark-gap-episode-52) (The Spark Gap)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-11-16-ee-movies-part-rants-and-spice. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.