Hardware Podcasts

Two Dads Puzzlin Things Out

The Amp Hour · 17 Apr 2023 · 1h 01m · Episode 628

What this episode covers

Dave Young of Young Circuit Designs and Blue Stamp Engineering joins Chris Gammell to discuss the persistent challenges of the chip shortage, specifically the inability to source Raspberry Pis and instrumentation amplifiers, and the resulting need to pivot designs or pay scalpers. They analyze the consolidation of the analog semiconductor industry into a duopoly of Texas Instruments and Analog Devices, noting how this reduces supply chain resilience. The conversation also covers the technical complexities of integrating the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4), including the difficulty of hand-soldering 0.4mm pitch connectors and the necessity of controlled impedance for high-speed signals like MIPI DSI. Finally, they explore the implications of Amazon Sidewalk for low-cost IoT connectivity and discuss strategies for fostering engineering education and maker communities in the next generation.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Young Circuit Designs, Blue Stamp Engineering, Texas Instruments, Analog Devices
Products
Raspberry Pi, Compute Module 4, Amazon Sidewalk, Golioth
Also
DigiKey, Osh Park, Hirose

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