# Firmware Update Capabilities

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2021-03-14
- Length: 1h 14m
- Episode: 534
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/534-firmware-update-capabilities/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the trade-offs between analog and firmware-based designs, the recent bankruptcy of MIPS and its pivot to RISC-V, and the enduring legacy of Australian electronics retailer Jaycar following the death of its founder Gary Johnston. They also cover the Right to Repair movement led by Lewis Rossmann, the technical challenges of low-power sensor design, and the engineering economics behind Fluke's long-lived multimeter models.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=0) Introduction: Firmware vs. Analog Design
- [7:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=474) Tribute to Gary Johnston and Jaycar
- [15:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=957) MIPS Bankruptcy and RISC-V Pivot
- [24:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=1456) Silicon Valley and Tech History
- [32:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=1938) Right to Repair and Lewis Rossmann
- [43:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=2602) Prototyping with Wire-to-Board Connectors
- [50:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=3012) Low-Power Sensor Design and Op-Amps
- [55:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=3303) Mars Helicopter and Vaccine Updates
- [1:00:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=3606) Sunken Cost Fallacy and Micro Supply
- [1:09:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities#t=4162) Fluke Multimeter Economics

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Jaycar (company)
- Gary Johnston (other)
- MIPS (company)
- RISC-V (other)
- Microchip (company)
- Pico32 (product)
- Fluke (company)
- Fluke 87 (product)
- Lewis Rossmann (other)
- Altronics (company)
- Radio Shack (company)
- MITS (company)
- Altair (product)
- Microsoft (company)
- Bill Gates (other)
- Paul Allen (other)
- Ed Roberts (other)
- Zephyr (tool)
- VMware (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [523: Bad Experience With Donuts](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-04-02-523-bad-experience-with-donuts) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-05-06-the-spark-gap-episode-32) (The Spark Gap)
- [029 - Old Timey Name Droppin'](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2019-10-17-029-old-timey-name-droppin) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [203: Save My Board](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-06-08-203-save-my-board) (Embedded.fm)
- [181: Work on It for Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-30-181-work-on-it-for-ten-years) (Embedded.fm)

## 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/2021-03-14-firmware-update-capabilities. 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.