# 180: Chickens in Helmets

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2016-12-20
- Length: 1h 05m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/180-chickens-in-helmets

## Summary

Peter Esden-Tempski of 1BitSquared and Gareth McMullin of Black Sphere explain the Black Magic Probe, an open-source J-Tag/SWD debugger that uses the GDB extended remote protocol to eliminate the need for middleware like OpenOCD. They discuss the device's architecture, its support for Cortex-M devices from vendors like ST and Atmel, and the accompanying 1Bitsy development board. The conversation covers their Kickstarter campaign to fund mass production, the technical differences between J-Tag and SWD, and the future roadmap including Cortex-A support.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets#t=8) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [6:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets#t=391) Black Magic Probe Architecture and GDB Integration
- [21:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets#t=1290) Kickstarter Campaign and Manufacturing Strategy
- [33:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets#t=2007) J-Tag vs SWD and Protocol History
- [41:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets#t=2467) Contributing to Open Source and Future Roadmap

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Black Magic Probe (product)
- 1Bitsy (product)
- 1BitSquared (company)
- Black Sphere (company)
- OpenOCD (tool)
- GDB (tool)
- STM32 (chip)
- Swift Navigation (company)
- PlatformIO (tool)
- Visual Studio Code (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Piotr Esden-Tempski](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-08-21-an-interview-with-piotr-esden-tempski) (The Amp Hour)
- [010 - T0015! Part 0x3 - Debug Interfaces](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-05-15-010-t0015-part-0x3-debug-interfaces) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [044 - Scots Army Knife](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2021-01-03-044-scots-army-knife) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [017 - Supercon 2018 Part 2](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-11-11-017-supercon-2018-part-2) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [An Interview with Scott Shawcroft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-03-12-an-interview-with-scott-shawcroft) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-20-180-chickens-in-helmets. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.