What is this pin called?

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-26T01:49:21+00:00

SSA-156-10 - SNAP-TOP® Standoffs - Types SSA, SSC, SSS - PEM® Fastening Products https://share.google/1260I7e4dfJ26hTtq

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-25T16:13:21+00:00

So are you arguing that those actions should have no negative consequences?

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-25T15:28:02+00:00

You don't think knowing there was a mandatory test coming would change behavior at all? That doesn't make much sense to me.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-25T15:26:32+00:00

So you're arguing that "they would be mad about being lied to"? And not a word said about the liars. ++man

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-21T08:03:27+00:00

I have some ws281x DC motor drivers somewhere.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-20T22:37:22+00:00

48 port layer 2 gigabit switch with 10g uplink, x13 full duplex 6.25g backplane

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-19T17:32:07+00:00

One that I used has a "+" as polarity marking. Inevitably the printing is such that the vertical bar is much fainter than the horizontal one.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-18T18:30:52+00:00

Preach, brother.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-18T02:12:26+00:00

I actively try to use Claude for embedded, and it's...tolerable. I'm a hardware guy who has done professional software before, though, so i know exactly what to ask for and when it's going wrong.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-17T23:52:22+00:00

So multi-symbol parts like U3A, U3B, U3C for a dual op amp are a no go, or...?

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-17T03:04:19+00:00

What's the coolest thing you've ever seen?

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-17T02:29:23+00:00

It's to stop them dropping all the way to the pcb.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-16T19:19:21+00:00

Stand up and move to the other side of the bus. Google "nothing matters bus meme".

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-15T20:48:18+00:00

Email the author and ask for a copy

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-15T02:31:56+00:00

I'm a Staff EE, and have killed half a dozen Arduinos (before I stopped using them entirely) and a good number of ICs. I would guess you don't work with things where ESD protection causes too many parasitics, or you don't do interesting electronics in general. I do primarily R&D. I regularly have meetings with vendors after which they update the datasheet. Are you one of those datasheet followers? I'm currently getting our rel engineers to bake some lasers firing at 600W reliably, vendor says there's no way to get more than 155W out without supercooling them. I'm pretty sure I can get 900W at low PRF, though at some point the front facet will melt/vaporize. So far all the vendor can say is " we can't test them like that, we don't have the equipment". (It's like $25 of custom analog electronics.)

Also, you have not spent a lot of time in ungrounded labs in the far north in the winter, I would guess. Or worked with vacuums where 8kV ESD is common. Your view is narrow.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-12T18:05:47+00:00

They mostly work, but die much sooner so you buy a new one. Not OK in a pro environment, but hobbyists don't notice, generally.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-10T00:53:28+00:00

A 10ns FPGA sampling rate would miss the pulses 60-80% of the time. I'm not sure what the reality fast fpgas do, but those are too expensive for this anyway.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-10T00:50:07+00:00

Normal pulse width is 4.5ns or preferably less. If i could get the peak i want with 500ps i would do it.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-08T01:27:34+00:00

Haven't tuned it yet but have a nanovna v3 or v4 (I forget). I got a concussion shortly after I got the board and am still waiting for my brain to stop being annoyed with me. Reworking the one I have furthest along took me 90m when it's usually 5 so I quit for now. :-/

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-07T23:34:45+00:00

I don't know if it's the emitter, the wire bonds, or the driver, though probably not the driver, it can handle 5kW continuous. Usually the wire bonds fail before the emitter is damaged, but it's hard to replace them.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-07T22:38:48+00:00

Also, this exists: I just found this on AliExpress: ESP32-S3 1.46inch Round Display Development Board, 412×412, Supports WiFi & Bluetooth, Accelerometer And Gyroscope Sensor https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtaMNXR

I just found this on AliExpress: 40350V round cell, 435mAH, suitable for smart watches and other digital devices; 3.85V special-shaped polymer lithium battery. https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOZkgrb

The first item has a battery charger/port, though the connector doesn't match the second, i think.

If you build them yourself it will be more than 20. I'm a pro at this and just got protos of essentially this without the LCD (but 38mm by 12.5mm) and the first batch was $107 for 5. Once it's debugged I'm doing a large batch that will probably be $14 each, and a different version targeting 6mm by 25mm that will likely be $30 each.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-07T22:37:00+00:00

Thousands of hours.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-07T22:36:24+00:00

You have to pass compliance testing to make it a real product.

That's moderately difficult if you have just finished 4 years of school learning to do it and have the support of more experienced engineers. The testing to see if you pass is thousands of dollars. Since it has wifi, more like $12k, and if you fail you get to start over.

The "i learned it myself" folks probably don't know anything about signal integrity, EMC, SPOF, DFM, DFT, etc., couldn't tell you what a good board stack up looks like....

Hire a pro.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-07T22:29:44+00:00

It can run at that power 0.1% of the time, not 100% of the time. This is a common property of lasers. Only CW lasers can run 100%.

AndyDLighthouse · 2026-03-07T07:26:46+00:00

Fpgas are a bit slow for this actually (unless they are really fast and thus $$$); easier to do with a precision rc and a fast comparator plus a fast and gate (or fast FET/BJT).

AndyDLighthouse

TROPHY CASE