The Spark Gap · 10 Feb 2016 · 51m
Hosts Carl and Corey discuss the STM32F0 microcontroller's built-in HDMI CEC controller and the Atmel U2043B automotive turn signal IC, highlighting specific hardware features like comparators and current sensing. They then detail key lessons from Eric Bogatin's Signal Integrity Boot Camp at DesignCon, focusing on PCB trace attenuation, the impact of fiberglass weave patterns on high-speed signals, and the limitations of impedance calculators.
makers and hobbyists
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
Hosts Dave Jones and Chris Gammell answer caller questions on The Amp Hour, covering topics from soldering iron recommendations and PCB grounding issues to career advice for transitioning into electronics engineering. They discuss advanced PCB design resources for high-speed signals and BGA layouts, and provide technical solutions for implementing capacitive touch buttons in KiCad for a custom dry-aging meat fridge project.
Dr. Howard Johnson, author of 'High Speed Digital Design: A Handbook of Black Magic' and a high-speed signal integrity consultant, discusses the evolution of signal integrity, the importance of mentorship, and the practical realities of designing high-speed systems. He explains how adaptive equalization works, the limitations of cheap cables, and why right-angle PCB traces are less problematic than often believed. Johnson also shares insights from his work on Ethernet standards, his teaching at Oxford University, and the historical progression of communication technologies from binary to multi-level signaling.
Eric Bogatin, Dean of the Teledyne LeCroy Signal Integrity Academy, explains the foundational physics of signal integrity, emphasizing that engineers must understand Maxwell's equations and the concept of 'being the signal' to grasp how voltage waves propagate on transmission lines. He outlines three essential rules of thumb: bandwidth is approximately 0.35 divided by rise time, signals travel at roughly 6 inches per nanosecond in FR4, and a 50-ohm microstrip requires a line-to-dielectric thickness ratio of 2:1. Bogatin discusses the importance of using 2D and 3D field solvers like those from Polar Instruments for accurate impedance calculation, particularly with hatched ground planes, and critiques common misconceptions about inductance and capacitance in power distribution networks.
Philip Salmony of Phil's Lab joins Chris Gammell to discuss his new mixed-signal PCB design course hosted on Fedevel Academy, which guides students from vague requirements to a manufacturable USB signal generator using KiCad v6. They explore the challenges of the current silicon shortage, including the need to redesign boards for available components like STM32 microcontrollers and sensors, and the resulting maintenance burden of supporting multiple hardware revisions. The conversation also covers Philip's career path from analog design at Keithley Instruments to his current work, emphasizing the importance of practical education, mentorship, and building a 'mental library' of component knowledge.
Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss several hardware projects, including Elliot's discovery of Chinese clone STM32 microcontrollers (CS32, GD32) on 'Blue Pill' boards that caused programming failures with standard tools. They also explore Top Point TV's zero-ohm jumpers in various SOT packages, which offer creative but risky PCB layout solutions. The episode highlights a 3D-printed Selectric typewriter ball, an ESP32-based time-lapse camera project by Bitlooney that battles a shared GPIO bug, and a detailed look at RF modulation using RTLSDR dongles.
The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Spark Gap. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.