2 Feb
2006
2 Feb
'06
10:38 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
I most certainly believe that newer devices are problematic.
Older SMD is doable, newer stuff is getting very hard. One 432 pin BGA
FPGA MIGHT be doable in the converted toaster, but what is the
successrate going to be if you need say 4 or 5 BGAs in your design ?
I wanted to construct a efficient LED lighting system for my bike.
Turns out all these white led driver IC ic s are in MLP or TDFN
packages.... Not even a SOT8 variant available.
One thing I've been concerned about for a while is what seems to be the
lack of electronics building skills. *My* feeling is the desire to work
on this stuff is going away and I'm not sure why. I DO NOT BUY the
argument that components are so small now that nobody can build or hack
Nor do I. The larger SMD parts are perfectly easy to homebrew with, and I
am quite sure _I'll_ find a way to use even BGAs as/when I have to. That
said, there are plenty of pin-through-hole parts around still. things you can't buy. And thirdly, nothing (IMHO)
compares with the
feeling when one of your homebrew designs works.
That, of course, is very true.
There are no good well-paid, satisfying jobs in those
areas.
You probably look in the wrong places. I know a UK based electronics
designer (ic designer, not self-employed), who makes 50K pounds a year.
Sounds pretty decent to me....
One reason has to be that her skillset does NOT include knowing how to
use TTL.
In general, for those listreaders with fear of the future of technics in
Europe or the US (and I am also one of those engineers whose job will
end up in Shanghai):
There are examples of very successful, small, Europe-based companies
being run by tinkerers. My favorite ( sorry, very OT, not electronics
based )is www.velomobiel.nl
They (3 people) design and build their products themselves, in expensive
Europe, are already fully booked until the end of 2009 and make a decent
living from it.
It is all about being inventive and having the right product and
quality. I certainly enjoy my Mango.....
Jos Dreesen