# Ceramic capacitors & High end scopes - Kempt Kickstarter Kakorrhaphiophobia

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2012-07-16
- Length: 1h 06m
- Episode: 104
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-amp-hour-104-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the high costs and user-unfriendliness of $140,000 high-end oscilloscopes, contrasting them with affordable options like Rigol. They analyze Marcus Shappie’s Ninja Block Kickstarter success, highlighting the operational challenges of 3D printing cases and the transition to injection molding after securing venture capital. The conversation covers the 'pit of despair' for successful crowdfunding campaigns, the complexities of sourcing components like ceramic capacitors, and the dominance of TSMC in the semiconductor foundry market.

## Chapters

- [0:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia#t=31) Introduction: High-End Oscilloscopes and Test Equipment Economics
- [8:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia#t=499) MakerBot Replicator and Microcurrent Enclosure Design
- [11:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia#t=690) Ninja Block Kickstarter and 3D Printing Fulfillment
- [15:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia#t=924) The Pit of Despair in Crowdfunding and Tesla's Manufacturing Struggles
- [29:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia#t=1745) Ceramic Capacitor Manufacturing and Component Sourcing
- [45:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-07-16-ceramic-capacitors-high-end-scopes-kempt-kickstarter-kakorrhaphiophobia#t=2719) Octopart Historical Pricing and Semiconductor Foundry Landscape

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Rigol (product)
- MakerBot (company)
- Ninja Block (product)
- Tesla (company)
- Linear Technology (company)
- TSMC (company)
- HP (company)
- Octopart (other)
- DigiKey (other)
- Altium (tool)
- Johnson Dielectric (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 068: Love Handles and Bald Spots](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2016-04-22-episode-068-love-handles-and-bald-spots) (Making It)
- [470: Upping the Chaos Level](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2024-02-09-470-upping-the-chaos-level) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-11-11-the-spark-gap-episode-43) (The Spark Gap)
- [#058 - Freedom to work and play anywhere without losing power, with Nancy de Fays of Linedock, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-07-04-058-freedom-to-work-and-play-anywhere-without-losing-power-with-nancy-de-fays-of) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [510: The Secret Chip](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2025-09-19-510-the-secret-chip) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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