# An Interview with Dr. Howard Johnson - Winsome Waveform Wizardry

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2012-01-10
- Length: 1h 26m
- Episode: 77
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-amp-hour-77-winsome-waveform-wizardry/

## Summary

Dr. Howard Johnson, author of 'High Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic' and a high-speed signal integrity consultant, discusses the evolution of signal integrity, the importance of mentorship, and the practical realities of designing high-speed systems. He explains how adaptive equalization works, the limitations of cheap cables, and why right-angle PCB traces are less problematic than often believed. Johnson also shares insights from his work on Ethernet standards, his teaching at Oxford University, and the historical progression of communication technologies from binary to multi-level signaling.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=0) Introduction: Dr. Howard Johnson and his books
- [4:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=253) Writing 'High Speed Digital Design' and Oxford teaching
- [21:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=1311) Cosmic rays, space electronics, and memory reliability
- [29:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=1763) Connectors, materials, and the limits of copper
- [48:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=2938) Adaptive equalization and signal integrity fundamentals
- [1:02:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=3763) Ethernet link budgets and cable quality
- [1:09:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=4180) Audio cables, skin effect, and grounding
- [1:15:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry#t=4512) Right-angle PCB traces and vias

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- High Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic (product)
- Advanced Black Magic (product)
- Oxford University (company)
- ROLM (company)
- IEEE 802.3 (other)
- Xilinx (chip)
- Voyager (product)
- Fast Ethernet (product)
- Gigabit Ethernet (product)
- SI List (other)
- EMC Society (company)
- Ampeg (company)
- Benaroya Hall (other)
- Monster Cable (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Modern vs. Old School Signal Integrity w/ Donald Telian](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-06-20-modern-vs-old-school-signal-integrity-w-donald-telian) (OnTrack)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2016-02-10-the-spark-gap-episode-45) (The Spark Gap)
- [IPC Courses, PCB Design Practices & Advanced Materials with Kris Moyer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-07-30-ipc-courses-pcb-design-practices-advanced-materials-with-kris-moyer) (OnTrack)
- [379: Monstrous Cable Corporation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-07-08-379-monstrous-cable-corporation) (Embedded.fm)
- [398: Clocks Get Into Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-01-14-398-clocks-get-into-everything) (Embedded.fm)

## 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/2012-01-10-an-interview-with-dr-howard-johnson-winsome-waveform-wizardry. 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.