350: The State of the Empire Is Good

Embedded.fm · 6 Nov 2020 · 59m · Episode 350

What this episode covers

Ben Hencke, founder of ElectroMage, discusses the evolution of his Pixelblaze LED controller business from hand-soldered hobbyist projects to a scaled operation using a desktop pick-and-place machine. He details the technical transition from the ESP8266 to the ESP32 microcontroller for the upcoming Pixelblaze V3, highlighting the challenges of multi-core firmware development and race conditions. Hencke also explains his decision to launch V3 via CrowdSupply for its rigorous vetting and fulfillment support, and shares practical advice on solder paste selection and safety.

Mentioned

Companies
ElectroMage, Tindie, CrowdSupply, Henkel Adhesives, Sparkfun
Products
Pixelblaze
Chips
ESP8266, ESP32
Tools
FreeRTOS
Materials
LOCTITE GC 10

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Hackaday Podcast · 1h 06m

    Ep 357: BreezyBox, Antique Tech, and Defusing Killer Robots

    Editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi discuss BreezyBox, a project by Valentine Donald Chuck that provides a busybox-like shell and virtual terminal for the ESP32, enabling interactive development and self-compiling applications on the microcontroller. They also review a case study on Brighter, a Kickstarter-funded lamp company, detailing the manufacturing challenges faced by founder Simon, including heat sink design errors and assembly communication failures. The episode covers Tucker Osman's reverse engineering of iPad displays to create a PC touchscreen, the homebrew scene for the Nintendo Pokemon Mini, and the creation of a custom RGB 14-segment display by East Makes. Finally, they analyze industrial robot safety protocols and test the viability of decade-old PLA filament.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 23m

    An Interview with Marcus Schappi - Kit Ketch Kenophobia

    Marcus Schappi, founder of Little Bird Electronics and partner at Ninja Blocks, discusses his new Kickstarter for the MicroView, an Arduino-compatible device with a built-in OLED display. He explains how Little Bird consolidated shipping for Australian hobbyists to compete with US vendors, and details the design process for the MicroView, including using SparkFun Electronics for manufacturing to ensure on-time delivery. Schappi also reflects on the challenges of his previous company, Ninja Blocks, particularly the pitfalls of 3D printing enclosures and the strategic shift toward IoT platforms like the Electronic Imp.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 27m

    Stick 'Em On Whales

    Chris Gammell joins Alicia White and Dave Jones of Embedded.fm to recap the year and discuss the state of the electronics industry. They cover the shift in PCB prototyping costs, the rise of the ESP32, and the challenges of IoT device management, including firmware updates and security. The conversation also touches on career transitions, remote work trends, and specific technologies like LoRaWAN and CircuitPython.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 11m

    Secret Squirrel

    Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics discusses his new role as a developer advocate, focusing on modular hardware like U-Blocks and the trend of integrating complex functions into single System-in-Package (SIP) modules such as the Octavo OSD335x-SM. Dave Jones of EEV Blog shares his experience prototyping a new multimeter with a South Korean manufacturing partner, detailing the financial risks and supply chain decisions involved in moving from prototype to pilot production. The conversation also covers the resurgence of retro computing standards like PC-104 and the strategic use of crowdfunding for hardware ventures.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 22m

    069 - Canned Cheese and Onion Rings

    Ian from Dangerous Prototypes discusses the evolution of the BusPirate, culminating in the BusPirate 5, which utilizes an RP2040 microcontroller and features an LCD, adjustable power supply, and current sensing. He details the creation of DirtyPCBs and other services like DirtyCables, explaining how he automated PCB ordering in Shenzhen to disrupt the market. Ian also shares anecdotes about his time in Huaqiangbei, including the 'Expressway to Pleasure' project and his experiences with local manufacturing quirks.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Embedded.fm. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.