They Sent a $45,000 Bill... Then Ghosted Us. - EMC Chamber Problems
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Promos
Check out the MSI RTX 4090 SUPRIM: msi.com TEAMGROUP's Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale: bit.ly TEAMGROUP Delta RGB DDR5 6400 - White at Micro Center: bit.ly The lab is spending mucho money on an Anechoic EMC Chamber. What does that mean? It means a big box, it means carbon-impregnated, it means WIFI, it means FOAM. And a whole mess of an order. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:17 What we were expecting 2:36 Problems Pt 1 3:15 FOAM and what it does 5:19 Ferrite Tiling 7:03 Story Time 8:29 Making Lemonade 10:18 Making Foam Fort 12:18 Outro
The video opens with a candid setup about investing nearly $45,000 in an industry standard electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) chamber, intended to test and measure wireless devices, routers, and other electronics. The hosts explain that the goal is to verify signal range, battery drain, interference, and regulatory compliance, all within a controlled anechoic environment. They reveal a major setback early on: the shipped chamber is not only the wrong size but also in poor condition, and the seller stopped replying to emails. This sparks a plan to salvage the situation by repurposing the material they do have into a usable project while they pursue a better solution. The segment transitions into a sponsor plug and a broader discussion of why specialized lab gear is essential for accurate measurements, including the need for a 4G/5G lab kit and a proper EMC chamber to isolate signals from external interference. The tone stays practical, with emphasis on method, safety, and the potential to learn from the misstep rather than simply vent about the loss.
Topics · science and technology · hardware testing · industrial equipment · laboratory testing
Questions answered
- Why did Linus say they spent nearly $45,000 on an EMC chamber?
- They intended to buy an industry-standard EMC chamber to test RF and wireless equipment, but the shipped unit was the wrong size and in poor condition, prompting them to reassess and repurpose the materials.
- What is the difference between EMC foam and acoustic foam?
- EMC foam is carbon impregnated and denser, designed to absorb electromagnetic energy and help form a Faraday-like shield, whereas acoustic foam mainly focuses on dampening sound waves and is less effective at EMI attenuation.
- What is Ferrite tiling and why isn’t it used inside their chamber?
- Ferrite tiling blocks lower-frequency signals and would enhance EMI shielding, but it is very expensive; the team determined they could achieve adequate isolation above certain frequencies without it.