# An Interview With Todd Bailey - Embedded Embrasure Engineering

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2014-04-16
- Length: 1h 30m
- Episode: 194
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/194-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering/

## Summary

Todd Bailey, an embedded and analog engineer and contractor, discusses his journey from an English literature degree to designing toys at Big Monster Toys and now working on high-end custom electronics. He details the technical challenges of building a vector graphics engine for an Asteroids arcade monitor using FPGAs and high-speed DACs, as well as his experiences creating open-source hardware like the 'Where's the Party At' digital sampler. Bailey also reflects on the nature of engineering as a 'calling' versus a hobby, the difficulties of working with artists, and the future of PCB assembly services.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=0) Introduction and Background
- [2:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=176) Career Path: From Stereo Repair to Toy Engineering
- [14:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=872) Lessons from Big Monster Toys and Freelancing
- [28:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=1726) Product Development: Where's the Party At Sampler
- [47:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=2872) Technical Deep Dive: Vec9 Vector Arcade Game
- [58:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=3509) Engineering as a Calling vs. Hobby
- [1:18:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-04-16-an-interview-with-todd-bailey-embedded-embrasure-engineering#t=4685) Future of PCB Assembly and Chip Printing

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Big Monster Toys (company)
- Horowitz and Hill (other)
- Vec9 (product)
- Where's the Party At (product)
- Asteroids (product)
- FPGA (chip)
- DAC (chip)
- Linear Tech (company)
- Jim Williams (other)
- Casio SK-1 (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep057: Dismantled LCD Panels, Unexpected Dynamometer, a Flappy POV, and Dastardly Encryption](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-06-ep057-dismantled-lcd-panels-unexpected-dynamometer-a-flappy-pov-and-dastardly-en) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [122: Glue a Board to Your Resume](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-10-21-122-glue-a-board-to-your-resume) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep020: Slaying the Dragon of EL, Siege Weapon Physics, Dis-entangled Charlieplex, Laser Internet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-05-24-ep020-slaying-the-dragon-of-el-siege-weapon-physics-dis-entangled-charlieplex-la) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [123: Banished from Running Linux](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-10-28-123-banished-from-running-linux) (Embedded.fm)
- [052 - Twitter Is My Lab Notebook](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2021-10-26-052-twitter-is-my-lab-notebook) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)

## Citing this page

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