# FPGA, Xess, 32 Bit - Quirky Qualitative Questions

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2013-01-08
- Length: 1h 18m
- Episode: 127
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-amp-hour-127-quirky-qualitative-questions/

## Summary

Hosts Dave Jones and Chris Gammell answer user-submitted questions covering solar energy economics, the viability of open-source hardware companies like MakerBot, and the challenges of designing for subzero temperatures. They discuss the technical causes of power supply buzzing, including transformer laminates and capacitor microphonics, and debate the career value of learning FPGAs versus 32-bit ARM microcontrollers. The conversation concludes with advice for hobbyists and students on learning practical electronics, emphasizing hands-on projects and resources like the DSO Nano and Art of Electronics.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=0) Introduction and Sydney Weather
- [2:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=170) Solar Energy and Feed-in Tariffs
- [7:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=430) Open Source Hardware and MakerBot
- [20:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=1246) Designing for Subzero Temperatures
- [27:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=1664) FPGA vs 32-bit ARM Career Advice
- [33:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=2002) Power Supply Buzz and Microphonics
- [42:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=2543) Advice for Hobbyists and Students
- [47:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions#t=2863) University Lab Practical Knowledge

## Topics

- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- MakerBot (company)
- SparkFun (company)
- DSO Nano (product)
- Art of Electronics (other)
- Xilinx (company)
- Agilent (company)
- Fluke (company)
- Seeed Studio (company)
- Gabotronics (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [181: Work on It for Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-30-181-work-on-it-for-ten-years) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-12-25-the-spark-gap-episode-44) (The Spark Gap)
- [177: Boba Fett Fell Down](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-11-22-177-boba-fett-fell-down) (Embedded.fm)
- [129: Atoms Not Bits](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-12-09-129-atoms-not-bits) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep046: Bring Us Your Nonsense, Hack NES Clones, Grasping FPGAs, Music Hacks, & Fish Tank of Random](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-12-13-ep046-bring-us-your-nonsense-hack-nes-clones-grasping-fpgas-music-hacks-fish-tan) (Hackaday Podcast)

## 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/2013-01-08-fpga-xess-32-bit-quirky-qualitative-questions. 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.