Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Re: [Alsa-devel] Firewire Audio Card Support
From: Simon Jenkins (sjenkins_AT_blueyonder.co.uk)
Date: Fri Nov 19 2004 - 23:03:54 EET
Jussi Laako wrote:
>On Thu, 2004-11-18 at 15:16 -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
>
>
>
>>And I posted a [possibly OT] rant to that thread about how this was a
>>waste of time and how you could REALLY make a killing with open sound
>>hardware.
>>
>>
>
>I've been doing hardware design and device driver development as part of
>my day work. Designing open source hardware is possible in theory, but I
>can't see who would pay the expenses of the development.
>
The expense could be spread around the participants, but yes, some
sponsorship
would be nice too.
> Software and
>hardware required to develop a proper hardware costs thousands of euros.
>
So some of the work would have to be done by people who can access such
software/hardware at work.
>Also each prototype manufacturing of the PCB is about 500¤,
>
Pessimistic. I had to specify a single 6-layer board, 5 days delivery
and 100
component placements before I got an online quote approaching 500Euro. And
the price drops *fast* when you want a few more boards, a bit slower.
Its down
to 162Euro per board if you want 5 boards in 10 days. Its down to 55Euro per
board if you want 10 4-layer boards in 15 days. That's manufactured and
*assembled* (but not including the component cost). These are actual quotes
from an actual company who I've actually used.
> and
>components a few hundred (because not buying >1000 each).
>
OK...
> So yeah, it
>would be possible for about 10000¤ if not counting price for the work.
>
Either you typed an extra zero here, or you're factoring in 9000+Euros for
development software and hardware, or you're expecting 10 generations of
prototype before it works, or something.
Yes, it would cost time and money, but I think you've overestimated the
per-developer cash cost.
> I
>don't have, nor willing to spend that kind of money for development of
>open piece of hardware.
>
10000Euro? No, neither am I.
1500Euro? 1000Euro? Hmmmm......
> Someone else would of course collect the money
>from the sales of such hardware.
>
Maybe. Maybe not.
>Software is different thing, you are mostly spending just time. I've
>still put a few thousand euros of pure money to my software projects.
>It's a different thing is someone is willing to sponsor such a project.
>
Another option would be to find someone who'd pay us *not* to do it :)
Simon Jenkins
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