# Loopback

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2017-11-06
- Length: 1h 03m
- Episode: 366
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/366-loopback/

## Summary

Chris Gammell and Dave Jones, founders of Contextual Electronics and EEVblog respectively, discuss the origins of The Amp Hour podcast, tracing its roots to a Reddit interaction and their early days at Keithley and Altium. They analyze the semiconductor industry's consolidation, highlighting the financial struggles of companies like Freescale and the aggressive marketing strategies of Texas Instruments with the $4.30 Launchpad. The conversation explores the economics of open-source hardware, detailing how designers like Jones optimize BOMs to compete with giants like SparkFun and Adafruit, while warning against gray market counterfeit components and invention brokers.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=0) Introduction: The Amp Hour's Origin Story and 365th Episode Context
- [4:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=266) Dave Jones and Chris Gammell's First Podcast Recording and Maker Fairs
- [16:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=990) Semiconductor Industry Consolidation, Freescale Debt, and Apple's Dominance
- [22:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=1352) Texas Instruments Launchpad Strategy and the 'Free' Economy Model
- [31:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=1902) Counterfeit Components, Gray Market Risks, and Rochester Electronics
- [39:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=2371) BOM Optimization, Cost Engineering, and Open Source Hardware Economics
- [50:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-06-loopback#t=3040) Local vs. China Manufacturing, Farnell/RS Competition, and Design Spark

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Contextual Electronics (company)
- EEVblog (product)
- Keithley (company)
- Altium (company)
- Freescale (company)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Launchpad (product)
- Arduino (product)
- SparkFun (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- Rochester Electronics (company)
- Farnell (company)
- RS (company)
- Design Spark (product)
- Eagle (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Circuit Ep:1 - Introductions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2022-12-21-the-circuit-ep-1-introductions) (The Circuit)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2014-10-08-the-spark-gap-episode-17) (The Spark Gap)
- [35: All These Different Reasons Why You Might Want to Do Something](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-01-15-35-all-these-different-reasons-why-you-might-want-to-do-something) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-10-14-the-spark-gap-episode-41) (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/2017-11-06-loopback. 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.