Hardware Podcasts

The Spark Gap - Episode 37

The Spark Gap · 15 Jul 2015 · 1h 01m

What this episode covers

Hosts Carl and Corey discuss designing embedded systems for the future, focusing on hardware strategies that allow for upgrades and revisions without redesigning the entire board. They highlight the use of surface mount test points for easier debugging and the PCA9540B I2C bus multiplexer to manage address conflicts and isolate faulty peripherals. The conversation emphasizes selecting pin-for-pin compatible components, such as Allwinner and STM32 microcontrollers, to enable cost-downs or performance upgrades later in the product lifecycle. Finally, they argue for leaving unused microcontroller pins accessible via headers and including bootloader support to ensure devices can receive firmware updates and remain useful over time.

Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
NXP, Allwinner, Olimex, ST, Tesla
Products
Pebble, Arduino, Raspberry Pi
Chips
PCA9540B, STM32
Tools
Altium Circuit Maker, KiCad, Eagle
Also
Keystone, Millmax

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