ASIC #2, Myarc

Second ASIC with Myarc - HFDC - late 1987

After the success of the first ASIC, I designed a second ASIC for Myarc’s HFDC (Hard/Floppy Disk Controller) to unify HDD and FDD management on a single card. This time, I worked with California Devices near Boston, spending six days on-site designing, validating, and optimizing the 4,000-gate ASIC using their proprietary EDA tools.

Unlike the first ASIC, this one worked perfectly on the first tape-out, demonstrating my improved efficiency in hardware debugging, validation, and process automation. Myarc mass-produced the HFDC, making it one of the most advanced storage controllers for the TI-99/4A ecosystem. California Devices was so impressed that they offered me a job on the spot due to the speed and quality of my work.