# An Interview with Jeroen Domburg (Sprite_tm)

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2017-09-11
- Length: 1h 18m
- Episode: 359
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/359-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite_tm/

## Summary

Chris Gammell, a Senior Software Engineering Manager at Espressif, discusses the evolution of the ESP8266 and ESP32 chips and his journey from the Netherlands to Shanghai. He explains how the community's reverse engineering of the ESP8266, including the use of GCC and leaked SDKs, forced Espressif to open up their development ecosystem. Gammell details the technical differences between the ESP8266, designed as a tablet Wi-Fi chip, and the ESP32, designed specifically for IoT with symmetric multi-core capabilities and extensive peripherals. He also covers the challenges of working in China, including visa bureaucracy and the Great Firewall, while highlighting Espressif's strategy of supporting multiple software stacks like Arduino, MicroPython, and their own ESP-IDF.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=0) Introduction: Jeroen Domburg and Chris Gammell
- [2:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=160) Chris Gammell's Background and Early Projects
- [17:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=1022) The Emergence of the ESP8266 and Community Hacking
- [29:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=1767) Gammell's Move to Espressif and Shanghai
- [53:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=3230) ESP8266 vs. ESP32: Design Philosophy and Architecture
- [1:06:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=4001) FreeRTOS, Linux, and Symmetric Multi-Core Processing
- [1:10:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm#t=4229) Sourcing, Distribution, and Future Chips

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Espressif (company)
- ESP8266 (chip)
- ESP32 (chip)
- FreeRTOS (other)
- ESP-IDF (other)
- Arduino (other)
- MicroPython (other)
- Lua (other)
- Hackaday (other)
- Grass Valley (company)
- Tensilica (company)
- Cadence (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep011: Weird Keyboards, Salvaging LCD Screens, and Mike Interviews Ivan of Espressif in Shanghai](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-03-22-ep011-weird-keyboards-salvaging-lcd-screens-and-mike-interviews-ivan-of-espressi) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [102: The Deadly Fluffy Bunny (With WiFi)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-05-27-102-the-deadly-fluffy-bunny-with-wifi) (Embedded.fm)
- [272: Stick 'Em on Whales](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales) (Embedded.fm)
- [447: All Sorts of Weird Problems](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2023-04-13-447-all-sorts-of-weird-problems) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep034: 15 Years of Hackaday, ESP Hacked, Hydrogen Sipping Cars, Giant Drawbot, Really Remote RC Cars](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-09-06-ep034-15-years-of-hackaday-esp-hacked-hydrogen-sipping-cars-giant-drawbot-really) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-09-11-an-interview-with-jeroen-domburg-sprite-tm. 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 The Amp Hour.