Hardware Podcasts

Keyzermas Vacation

The Amp Hour · 23 Dec 2019 · 1h 23m · Episode 472

What this episode covers

Chris Gammell, founder of MightyOhm, discusses his transition from Valve to independent product development, focusing on his efforts to learn SolidWorks and Altium to enable full electrical-mechanical co-design. He details the challenges of sourcing long-lead-time through-hole components for his Geiger counter kits and shares insights from attending the IEEE EMC symposium, emphasizing the importance of robust design over mere compliance. The conversation also covers the practical realities of 3D printing functional parts, the high cost of professional RF test equipment like VNAs, and the evolving landscape of vintage electronics and manufacturing supply chains.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
MightyOhm, Valve, Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz, Yageo, Kemet
Products
Prusa, Geiger counter kit, Sunbeam, Sinclair C5
Tools
SolidWorks, Altium, Fusion, KiCad

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 22m

    154: Physics Is a Big Pain

    Jeff Keyzer, an electrical engineer at Valve and founder of the open-source electronics kit company MightyOhm, discusses the challenges of designing and manufacturing consumer hardware like the Steam Controller. He shares insights on the importance of clear specifications for vendors, the difficulties of managing complex electromechanical assemblies, and the critical role of embedded software in facilitating manufacturing test and programming. Keyzer also provides detailed technical advice on soldering techniques, flux selection, and the physics of RF antenna design.

    Design for manufacturing & NPIEmbedded firmware
    6 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 56m

    35: All These Different Reasons Why You Might Want to Do Something

    Chris Gammell, co-host of The Amp Hour podcast and employee at a large industrial electronics company, discusses his new online course, Contextual Electronics, which bridges the gap between academic theory and practical hardware design. He explains the course's structure, which targets advanced Arduino users by teaching them to design, source parts for, and build a 'Bench Buddy' project using KiCad and open-source tools. Gammell details the logistical challenges of running a remote hardware class, including managing global time zones, version control via GitHub, and optimizing for low-cost, low-quantity component sourcing.

    Validation & product-market fitEDA & CAD tools
    8 chapters

  • Hackaday Podcast · 46m

    Ep013: Naked Components, Shocking Power Supplies, Eye-Popping Clock, And The Hackaday Prize

    Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss the 2019 Hackaday Prize, focusing on product development and manufacturing readiness. They review several hacks, including a transformerless power supply build, automating a Nintendo Switch with a Raspberry Pi, and a complex servo-driven word clock. The episode concludes with an interview with Andy, a chip broker in the Huaqiangbei electronics market in Shenzhen.

    Analog & power electronicsEmbedded firmware
    8 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 52m

    36: Drive the Boat with a Wii Mote

    Mark Garrison, co-founder of Saleae, discusses the evolution of his company from a garage-side project to a small business selling the Logic 8 and Logic 16 logic analyzers. He details the challenges of bootstrapping, the importance of distributors like Avnet over Digi-Key for production, and the technical hurdles of FPGA design and manufacturing. Garrison also shares anecdotes about debugging a custom electric sailboat project and the company's plans for new high-end products.

    Starting a product companyPCB design & layout
    8 chapters

  • The Spark Gap · 1h 32m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 52

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss the strategic transition from using development kits to custom hardware designs. They analyze the risks of supply chain dependency, the importance of selecting dev kits based on final product requirements rather than convenience, and the software implications of hardware abstraction layers. The conversation also covers practical advice for first-time PCB designers, including managing power supplies and simplifying assembly processes.

    Microcontrollers & dev platformsPCB design & layout
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Amp Hour. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.