# The Spark Gap - Episode 39

- Show: [The Spark Gap](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap)
- Published: 2015-08-12
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39
- Listen: https://thesparkgap.net/the-spark-gap-episode-39

## Summary

Hosts Carl and Corey discuss the WS2812B addressable LED, noting its daisy-chain capability and 5V requirement, and the MAX1474 electronically trimmable capacitor, which allows for digital calibration of DC-DC power supplies. They then transition to a deep dive into embedded firmware, explaining that pointers are fundamental to microcontroller memory mapping and efficient C programming. The hosts argue that understanding pointers is crucial for embedded engineers to manage memory constraints, optimize execution speed, and interface directly with hardware registers, despite the abstraction provided by libraries like Arduino.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=0) Introduction and Podcast Setup
- [2:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=134) WS2812B Addressable LEDs
- [11:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=664) MAX1474 Electronically Trimmable Capacitors
- [18:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=1087) Introduction to Pointers in C
- [21:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=1278) Pointers and Memory Mapping
- [31:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=1886) Performance and Stack Management
- [39:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=2348) Typecasting and Pointer Arithmetic
- [43:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=2639) Dangers and Debugging Pointers
- [47:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-08-12-the-spark-gap-episode-39#t=2833) Arrays as Pointers and Dereferencing

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- WS2812B (chip)
- MAX1474 (chip)
- NCD2100 (chip)
- Arduino (other)
- STM32 (chip)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [41: Pink Universes Die Really Quickly (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-07-27-41-pink-universes-die-really-quickly-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [167: All Aliens Are Shiny](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-09-07-167-all-aliens-are-shiny) (Embedded.fm)
- [41: Pink Universes Die Really Quickly](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-03-05-41-pink-universes-die-really-quickly) (Embedded.fm)
- [Why isn't this working?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-02-14-why-isnt-this-working) (The Amp Hour)
- [155: Foot-Seeking Bullet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-08-155-foot-seeking-bullet) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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