Re: Fast sampler

On 10/03/2025 10:22 am, Tom Del Rosso wrote:

Phil Hobbs wrote:

Hi, All,
>
Late last year we did a fast sampler/TDR with nice clean 60 ps edges.
>
We're gearing up to actually sell them, so I did a short technical
writeup on the design, which may be of interest.
>
<https://electrooptical.net/News/a-high-performance-time-domain-reflectometer>
>
Cheers
>
Phil Hobbs

 Why is a LASER ruler that can measure distances in air with 2mm accuracy
$16,
 and an OTDR for measuring fiber $600?

Air is a rather less complex transmission medium than optical fibre, but the most likely explanation is that you can sell a lot more laser rulers than you can sell tools for measuring optical fibres, so you can afford the masks for an ASIC for the former, but not the latter.
Cunning designers have been known to use ASICs in applications for which they weren't designed, but if the application is too specific, it won't work.
--
Bill Sloman, Sydney