4 ms·
I expected the debugging session to end when they identified the transistor that was bad, but these guys were dedicated! I've never seen a transistor can opene
by de_Selby 8y ago
I expected the debugging session to end when they identified the transistor that was bad, but these guys were dedicated!
I've never seen a transistor can opened like that. I love how it's essentially just a shrunken down version of the very first transistor ever made[1]
Great story about the USAF. It's a shame that circuitry is essentially a black box nowadays.
1: https://physics.aps.org/assets/c5065b1e-4bf2-4501-a05b-6a841be4559e/e16_1.jpg https://physics.aps.org/assets/c5065b1e-4bf2-4501-a05b-6a841...
- zenojevski 8y agoA transistor is just as much of a black box, only incredibly simpler. You can decap hardware today in roughly the same way, and given of course enough time, understand it, and eventually control it.
- stephengillie 8y agoThese days decapping involves sandpaper and a magnifying glass.
- jacquesm 8y agoMost likely acid. Sandpaper will destroy whatever you are trying to decap if you get close.
- 13of40 8y agoUsed to be able to burn the package off with a torch and leave the chip somewhat unscathed. I hate to think of the chemicals I was exposing myself to when I did that as a kid, though.
- jiveturkey 8y ago> It's a shame that circuitry is essentially a black box nowadays. Yeah, quite a shame that we have high speed low power electronics today. I pine for vacuum tube computers. You get my point. Most advances come at a cost. The cost in this case is worth it.
- bitwize 8y agoVacuum tube machines computed with more pleasing harmonics, resulting in the output having a richer, warmer sound.
- bsder 8y agoAnd we all know that germanium is waaaaay better than silicon in your diodes and transistors.
- MisterOctober 8y agoI just installed a germanium Dallas-Arbiter Fuzzy Logic unit, and boy did I ever see some benchmark improvements
- bsder 8y agoOh, God, "germanium Dallas-Arbiter Fuzzy" isn't just word salad ... I'm dying over here ...
- nonamenoslogan 8y agoHow much HP exactly? If I put one in my Civic does it mount on the trunk-wing bleacher seat spoiler or to the muffler resonator tip?
- MisterOctober 8y agoAnd have you ever tried to compute the "Pride and Joy" algorithm using a silicon-based computer? Exercise in futility, to say the least.