# Timing is Everything

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2021-08-31
- Length: 1h 47m
- Episode: 555
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/555-timing-is-everything/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell host a live Q&A for their 555th episode, discussing the history and engineering of the 555 timer, the safety constraints preventing rechargeable multimeters, and the PCB manufacturing economics of ground pours. Gammell recounts his time at Altium, detailing the failed 'NanoBoard' FPGA development platform and the company's strategic pivot away from hardware. The conversation also covers the challenges of home energy storage, the viability of hydrogen vehicles versus EVs, and the professional market dynamics between Altium and KiCad.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=0) Introduction and New Lab Setup
- [5:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=333) History and First Encounters with the 555 Timer
- [19:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=1158) Multimeter Battery Safety and Compliance
- [23:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=1417) PCB Ground Pours and Manufacturing Costs
- [1:07:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=4050) Altium's Failed FPGA Hardware Strategy
- [44:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=2640) EV Battery Recalls and Home Energy Storage
- [49:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=2955) Hydrogen Cars vs. Electric Vehicles
- [1:38:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything#t=5884) EDA Tool Wars: Altium vs. KiCad

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- 555 timer (chip)
- Altium (company)
- KiCad (tool)
- NanoBoard (product)
- FOMU (product)
- UP5K (chip)
- Tesla (company)
- Cree (company)
- Maplin (company)
- Tandy (company)
- Maxim (company)
- Analog Devices (company)
- Henry Ott (other)
- Douglas Engelbart (other)
- Nick Martin (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep 256: 0, 256, 400, 100, and 10000000](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2024-02-09-ep-256-0-256-400-100-and-10000000) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [317: What Do You Mean by Disintegrated? (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-10-06-317-what-do-you-mean-by-disintegrated-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [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)
- [Ep 222: VCF East Special Edition](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2023-06-09-ep-222-vcf-east-special-edition) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 264: Cheap Minimills, 65-in-1 Electronics, and Time on Moon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2024-03-29-ep-264-cheap-minimills-65-in-1-electronics-and-time-on-moon) (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/2021-08-31-timing-is-everything. 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.