.I remember the day when they took a photograph of what the PCB would be
and then used the film like they now do after photoplotting (well, the
mechanical photoplotters of some 30 years ago are gone I suppose, the
Gerber format meant for them is pretty much alive though (back then
I could implement it but I had no data about the excellon format
for the drilling machines; I got hold of a punched tape and snooped
it from it..
Before that my first CPU board (early 80-s, I was in my late 20-s,
came later to the party) was photographed on that whole-room camera,
no plots yet. It took me months to \"draw\" it (actually I used
thin red scotch tapes and stuck them on a plastic transparent millimeter
\"paper\"). I was working as a turner back then, was convenient for
cutting the scotch tapes to say 1mm or may be I went below that
(scale for photo was 2:1), can\'t remember. Here is what remains of
that first CPU board of mine, must be still somewhere around:
http://tgi-sci.com/misc/grany09.gif
On a sunny day (Sun, 23 Jan 2022 01:06:30 +0200) it happened Dimiter_Popoff
dp@tgi-sci.com> wrote in <ssi2lo$r14$1@dont-email.me>:
I remember the day when they took a photograph of what the PCB would be
and then used the film like they now do after photoplotting (well, the
mechanical photoplotters of some 30 years ago are gone I suppose, the
Gerber format meant for them is pretty much alive though (back then
I could implement it but I had no data about the excellon format
for the drilling machines; I got hold of a punched tape and snooped
it from it..
Before that my first CPU board (early 80-s, I was in my late 20-s,
came later to the party) was photographed on that whole-room camera,
no plots yet. It took me months to \"draw\" it (actually I used
thin red scotch tapes and stuck them on a plastic transparent millimeter
\"paper\"). I was working as a turner back then, was convenient for
cutting the scotch tapes to say 1mm or may be I went below that
(scale for photo was 2:1), can\'t remember. Here is what remains of
that first CPU board of mine, must be still somewhere around:
http://tgi-sci.com/misc/grany09.gif
This was much faster, one day torn around:
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/graphics_card_top.jpg
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/graphics_card_bottom.jpg
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/sound_card_bottom.jpg
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/soundcard_top.jpg
http://panteltje.com/panteltje/z80/system14/diagrams/index.html
all done in the evenings and weekends in the eighties.
concepts use peeseebee why
!
On 1/23/2022 9:55, Jan Panteltje wrote:
On a sunny day (Sun, 23 Jan 2022 01:06:30 +0200) it happened Dimiter_Popoff
dp@tgi-sci.com> wrote in <ssi2lo$r14$1@dont-email.me>:
I remember the day when they took a photograph of what the PCB would be
and then used the film like they now do after photoplotting (well, the
mechanical photoplotters of some 30 years ago are gone I suppose, the
Gerber format meant for them is pretty much alive though (back then
I could implement it but I had no data about the excellon format
for the drilling machines; I got hold of a punched tape and snooped
it from it..
Before that my first CPU board (early 80-s, I was in my late 20-s,
came later to the party) was photographed on that whole-room camera,
no plots yet. It took me months to \"draw\" it (actually I used
thin red scotch tapes and stuck them on a plastic transparent millimeter
\"paper\"). I was working as a turner back then, was convenient for
cutting the scotch tapes to say 1mm or may be I went below that
(scale for photo was 2:1), can\'t remember. Here is what remains of
that first CPU board of mine, must be still somewhere around:
http://tgi-sci.com/misc/grany09.gif
This was much faster, one day torn around:
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/graphics_card_top.jpg
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/graphics_card_bottom.jpg
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/sound_card_bottom.jpg
http://panteltje.com/pub/z80/soundcard_top.jpg
http://panteltje.com/panteltje/z80/system14/diagrams/index.html
all done in the evenings and weekends in the eighties.
concepts use peeseebee why
!
My first graphics card for this system was made using the same
wiring technology only I had got hold of some teflon wire, 0.5
or 0.7mm external diameter and the wiring was on the bottom side.
Teflon made it much easier, no burnt insulation while the soldering
tip could just go anywhere. Was a proud 320x240 pixels, 2 bits per
pixel - on a mono screen it was just enough to write my first graphics
editor and use it to design the next CPU board which got already
photoplotted (it was still a 6809 one though).
I think on that graphics card I had even put a pallete RAM in the
form of a 74170.... Two bits in, was it 4 bits out, I don\'t remember.
On a sunny day (Sat, 22 Jan 2022 12:06:14 -0800 (PST)) it happened whit3rd
whit3rd@gmail.com> wrote in
0cf15665-e706-4327-a126-32a61feb8e92n@googlegroups.com>:
On Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 6:59:47 AM UTC-8, Jan Panteltje wrote:
This 22-year-old builds chips in his parents\\u2019 garage
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/01/this-22-year-old-builds-chips-in-his-parents-garage/
more than 1000 transistors on it...
Only claims 100 on a chip,
quote
Then his homemade photolithography machine beamed on his design: a grid of 12 circuits,
each with 100 transistors (and a dancing bear), 1,200 transistors in all.
end quote
so 100 per circuit, 12 circuits on a \'wafer\' ?
but the metallization doesn\'t connect to that many; I\'m not sure how complex
the circuitry can be, but it looks like a rather simpler circuit, like a differential pair and some
current mirrors. It could hold an op amp, that uses external bias resistors (don\'t see
any sign of FET or CMOS or both NPN and PNP transistor types).
His basic idea, it seems, is that small-scale production is possible and instructive.
Imagine a six-man shop that can produce integrated devices with quick turnaround.
Would that be a useful addition to a maze of megacorporations with ever-changing
off-the-shelf designs, big plants, and long turnaround, but cryptic spec sheets
and big foundry toolchain complexities (and surcharges)?
For prototypes, heck yes. Bill Sloman can sell \'em some e-beam litho tools.
He is now 22, wait a few more years what else he comes up with.
And then China gets into it
Maybe your own chip-making machine on ebay for $999.99 .....
Very cool! In California, he would likely be jailed for having \"gasp!\"
He is a CMU student. Knowing first hand the amount of work that gets thrown at ECE students, I am surprised he has a lot of time to devote to his hobby.On Sun, 23 Jan 2022 07:23:54 GMT, Jan Panteltje
pNaonSt...@yahoo.com> wrote:
On a sunny day (Sat, 22 Jan 2022 12:06:14 -0800 (PST)) it happened whit3rd
whi...@gmail.com> wrote in
0cf15665-e706-4327...@googlegroups.com>:
On Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 6:59:47 AM UTC-8, Jan Panteltje wrote:
This 22-year-old builds chips in his parents\\u2019 garage
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/01/this-22-year-old-builds-chips-in-his-parents-garage/
more than 1000 transistors on it...
Only claims 100 on a chip,
quote
Then his homemade photolithography machine beamed on his design: a grid of 12 circuits,
each with 100 transistors (and a dancing bear), 1,200 transistors in all.
end quote
so 100 per circuit, 12 circuits on a \'wafer\' ?
but the metallization doesn\'t connect to that many; I\'m not sure how complex
the circuitry can be, but it looks like a rather simpler circuit, like a differential pair and some
current mirrors. It could hold an op amp, that uses external bias resistors (don\'t see
any sign of FET or CMOS or both NPN and PNP transistor types).
His basic idea, it seems, is that small-scale production is possible and instructive.
Imagine a six-man shop that can produce integrated devices with quick turnaround.
Would that be a useful addition to a maze of megacorporations with ever-changing
off-the-shelf designs, big plants, and long turnaround, but cryptic spec sheets
and big foundry toolchain complexities (and surcharges)?
For prototypes, heck yes. Bill Sloman can sell \'em some e-beam litho tools.
He is now 22, wait a few more years what else he comes up with.
And then China gets into it
Maybe your own chip-making machine on ebay for $999.99 .....
Very impressive !
At 22 years old, how does he pay for all that nice stuff he\'s got ?
The HP gear and microscope, etc ?
Somehow I don\'t think he has to have a day job unless he just does
this in his spare time.
boB
A rich parent who is with it will be far happier seeing his money go into scopes and electronics vs drugs and rehab. A stint in rehab for kids of wealthy parents will cost more than his lab setupOn Sun, 23 Jan 2022 07:23:54 GMT, Jan Panteltje
pNaonSt...@yahoo.com> wrote:
On a sunny day (Sat, 22 Jan 2022 12:06:14 -0800 (PST)) it happened whit3rd
whi...@gmail.com> wrote in
0cf15665-e706-4327...@googlegroups.com>:
On Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 6:59:47 AM UTC-8, Jan Panteltje wrote:
This 22-year-old builds chips in his parents\\u2019 garage
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/01/this-22-year-old-builds-chips-in-his-parents-garage/
more than 1000 transistors on it...
Only claims 100 on a chip,
quote
Then his homemade photolithography machine beamed on his design: a grid of 12 circuits,
each with 100 transistors (and a dancing bear), 1,200 transistors in all.
end quote
so 100 per circuit, 12 circuits on a \'wafer\' ?
but the metallization doesn\'t connect to that many; I\'m not sure how complex
the circuitry can be, but it looks like a rather simpler circuit, like a differential pair and some
current mirrors. It could hold an op amp, that uses external bias resistors (don\'t see
any sign of FET or CMOS or both NPN and PNP transistor types).
His basic idea, it seems, is that small-scale production is possible and instructive.
Imagine a six-man shop that can produce integrated devices with quick turnaround.
Would that be a useful addition to a maze of megacorporations with ever-changing
off-the-shelf designs, big plants, and long turnaround, but cryptic spec sheets
and big foundry toolchain complexities (and surcharges)?
For prototypes, heck yes. Bill Sloman can sell \'em some e-beam litho tools.
He is now 22, wait a few more years what else he comes up with.
And then China gets into it
Maybe your own chip-making machine on ebay for $999.99 .....
Very impressive !
At 22 years old, how does he pay for all that nice stuff he\'s got ?
The HP gear and microscope, etc ?
Somehow I don\'t think he has to have a day job unless he just does
this in his spare time.
boB