Hardware Podcasts

PLEASE be a die shrink

The Amp Hour · 16 Aug 2021 · 1h 05m · Episode 554

What this episode covers

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the terror of receiving Product Change Notifications (PCNs) from distributors like DigiKey, specifically highlighting Vishay's decision to remove markings from their TNPW series resistors, which complicates automated optical inspection. They analyze the M.2 connector standard, detailing how keying (A, B, E, M) dictates pinout functionality for applications ranging from NVMe drives to cellular modems from Blue's Wireless and SparkFun. The conversation also covers Espressif's new ESP32-C3, a RISC-V based microcontroller that maintains the ESP32 branding despite a different architecture, and the economic challenges of producing low-volume test equipment like the B-Funk function generator.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
DigiKey, Mouser, Vishay, Blue's Wireless, SparkFun, Espressif, Bryman, Siglent
Products
TNPW series, M.2, BM786, B-Funk, Logic Pro
Chips
ESP32-C3, AD9837, LTZ1000

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Spark Gap · 1h 19m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 32

    Hosts Carl and Corey revisit topics from their first 31 episodes, discussing the NXP acquisition of Freescale, MakerBot's layoffs, and Tesla's certified pre-owned program and Powerwall. They also analyze the John Deere firmware ownership controversy, the performance trade-offs of No-OS and Lua on microcontrollers, and the evolution of the Raspberry Pi. The episode highlights specific components like NXP current-sensing MOSFETs and the PCA8550 I2C dip switch, while addressing software bugs in Boeing 787 generator control units and the importance of checking simple parts like LDOs.

    Microcontrollers & dev platformsBatteries & low-power design
    11 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 22m

    069 - Canned Cheese and Onion Rings

    Ian from Dangerous Prototypes discusses the evolution of the BusPirate, culminating in the BusPirate 5, which utilizes an RP2040 microcontroller and features an LCD, adjustable power supply, and current sensing. He details the creation of DirtyPCBs and other services like DirtyCables, explaining how he automated PCB ordering in Shenzhen to disrupt the market. Ian also shares anecdotes about his time in Huaqiangbei, including the 'Expressway to Pleasure' project and his experiences with local manufacturing quirks.

    PCB design & layoutMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    8 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 57m

    322: Learn Assembly Code

    Ramiro Montes de Oca, CEO and founder of aThing.io, explains his company's 'motionless electronics'—modular, penny-sized components that connect via phone-style connectors without soldering. He discusses the technical architecture of these modules, the emerging chiplet industry standard led by the Chiplet Alliance, and the business challenges of scaling hardware manufacturing during global supply chain disruptions. Montes de Oca also shares insights from exhibiting at CES and the importance of design-for-manufacturing for early-stage founders.

    PCB design & layoutChips, FPGAs & semiconductors
    8 chapters

  • Oxide and Friends · 1h 23m

    For Want of a Resistor

    Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal host members of Oxide Computer Company’s operations and electrical engineering teams, including CEO Steve Tuck, Robert "RFK" Keith, Eric Aasen, and Scott Tagwerker, to discuss a critical supply chain crisis involving a PCIe clock buffer from Microchip. The team nearly halted production when they discovered the substitute part required a 49.9-ohm termination resistor that was missing from the design, causing clock signals to fail. After a frantic debugging effort involving rework of tiny 0201 resistors and identifying a copy-paste error in part numbers, they implemented a stencil change to integrate the fix into normal manufacturing, saving the production line. The episode highlights the extreme fragility of hardware supply chains and the importance of human engineering judgment in debugging physical failures that AI or automated systems might miss.

    Sourcing & supply chainDebugging & failure analysis
    8 chapters

  • Hackaday Podcast · 56m

    EP014: Keeping Raspberry's SD Card Alive, We Love MRRF, and How Hot Are Flip Chips?

    Elliot Williams and Mike Szczys review weekly hacks, including a delay pedal by Electro Smash using the PT 2399 chip and a project by Tegwin Jolly Roger Twom Fat using AI to identify garden slugs. They discuss extending Raspberry Pi SD card life via log-to-RAM scripts and explore the complexities of metal 3D printing and flip chip technology. The episode features an interview with Scotty Allen of Strange Parts, who walks through the Shenzhen electronics markets, explaining how specialized small businesses network to manufacture products.

    PCB design & layoutAI & machine learning
    13 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.