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The Spark Gap

Karl and Corey on embedded electronics, from nuts-and-bolts circuit design to industry debates, with detours into 3D printing and CNC routers.

53 episodes · 50 hours · since 2014

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The Spark Gap has ended.

Its last episode came out on 31 Jan 2018. The whole back catalogue is still here to explore, every episode with its summary and chapters.

The Spark Gap is filed under electronics, embedded and engineering. Its most recent episode published on , so it sits in the archive rather than the active listings. Listeners have left 22 ratings on Apple Podcasts, averaging 5 out of 5.

Latest episodes

The 10 newest episodes of The Spark Gap, each with a summary and chapters.

  • · 54m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 53

    Corey discusses his ongoing ping pong scoreboard project, which uses discrete logic chips like the CD4026 and struggles with CD4518 counters due to clock rise time violations at 12V. He details his debugging process involving breadboards, hex buffers, and the decision to design a PCB using Fritzing. Meanwhile, Karl introduces the STM32F723ZE microcontroller, highlighting its built-in USB High-Speed PHY, but warns of software library incompatibilities, and outlines his own project: a custom CNC Raspberry Pi hat integrating an Arduino and RS485 communication for a variable frequency drive.

    Microcontrollers & dev platformsPCB design & layout
    7 chapters

  • · 1h 32m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 52

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss the strategic transition from using development kits to custom hardware designs. They analyze the risks of supply chain dependency, the importance of selecting dev kits based on final product requirements rather than convenience, and the software implications of hardware abstraction layers. The conversation also covers practical advice for first-time PCB designers, including managing power supplies and simplifying assembly processes.

    Microcontrollers & dev platformsPCB design & layout
    7 chapters

  • · 1h 13m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 51

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss protecting circuit boards from external damage, covering ESD, reverse polarity, and overcurrent scenarios. They highlight specific components like the Triad Semiconductor TS3633 for VR tracking and the Maxim Integrated DS2401 for serial numbers. The hosts explain design strategies including TVS diodes, current-limiting switches, and isolated power domains to safeguard microcontrollers and FPGAs from user error or faulty peripherals.

    Analog & power electronicsPCB design & layout
    7 chapters

  • · 1h 39m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 50

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss user input methods, starting with the LTC4366 surge stopper for managing in-rush current and the FTDI FT900 series microcontroller, which features a proprietary core and shadow memory. They then analyze tactile buttons, explaining mechanical bounce and debouncing techniques using capacitors and firmware counters. The conversation covers rotary encoders, distinguishing between incremental (quadrature) and discrete (Gray code) types, before concluding with resistive and capacitive touch sensing technologies, including the Silicon Labs CPT007B chip.

    Analog & power electronicsMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    8 chapters

  • · 59m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 49

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss their attendance at the 2016 Open Hardware Summit in Portland, focusing on the new Open Source Hardware Association certification and specific electronic components. Corey details the features of the NXP MMA8452Q accelerometer, noting its integrated DSP and QFN packaging limitations for hobbyists. Carl highlights the upcoming TI INA260 power monitor, which integrates a shunt resistor to simplify circuit design, and they analyze the trade-offs between integrated and discrete solutions. The hosts also review the BBC micro:bit educational platform and critique the summit's vendor presence and the new certification's numbering system.

    Sensors & measurement in productsAnalog & power electronics
    7 chapters

  • · 57m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 48

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss design choices for schematics and PCB layouts that facilitate easier board bring-up and debugging. They highlight specific components like current limiting diodes (1N5312) and bidirectional level shifters (SN74LVC1T45) to handle varying voltages and signal translation. The conversation emphasizes practical debugging strategies, including strategic package selection (QFP vs. BGA), the use of test points, and power isolation techniques using 0-ohm resistors to isolate faults during initial power-up.

    PCB design & layoutDebugging & failure analysis
    9 chapters

  • · 1h 23m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 47

    Speakers Carl and Corey discuss the ST L9779WD multifunction IC for engine management, highlighting its BCD 6S process technology and Micro2nd Channel interface, alongside the Texas Instruments TSU6111A USB/UART mux chip for firmware update workflows. They then analyze thermal management in embedded design, explaining how temperature coefficients (tempco) affect component behavior, leading to issues like BJT thermal runaway and crystal drift. The hosts cover prevention strategies like using switching regulators, detection methods using thermistors and digital sensors, and cooling solutions ranging from PCB copper pours and heat sinks to active fans and liquid cooling.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsMechanical engineering
    8 chapters

  • · 1h 10m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 46

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss the Stackpole JW60-Z-T0300, a 0-ohm through-hole resistor that is literally just a piece of wire, highlighting its absurd marketing and high inventory. They then examine the Atmel SAM-V71 microcontroller, noting its Cortex-M7 core and integrated CAN-FD and USB peripherals, while warning about early silicon lacking ISO CAN-FD compliance. The remainder of the episode is a deep dive into the CAN bus protocol, covering its differential signaling, hardware-level arbitration, bit stuffing, and error handling, before introducing CAN-FD as a solution for higher throughput.

    Microcontrollers & dev platformsWireless & RF
    7 chapters

  • · 51m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 45

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss the STM32F0 microcontroller's built-in HDMI CEC controller and the Atmel U2043B automotive turn signal IC, highlighting specific hardware features like comparators and current sensing. They then detail key lessons from Eric Bogatin's Signal Integrity Boot Camp at DesignCon, focusing on PCB trace attenuation, the impact of fiberglass weave patterns on high-speed signals, and the limitations of impedance calculators.

    PCB design & layoutMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    7 chapters

  • · 1h 04m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 44

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss a grab bag of embedded electronics topics, starting with their new remote recording setup using Shure and MXL microphones. They review the TI ADS1263 32-bit ADC and the Lattice iCE40 FPGA ecosystem, highlighting the open-source Project Ice Storm toolchain. The hosts then critique the Raspberry Pi Zero's limited I/O and the safety issues surrounding lithium-ion batteries in 'hoverboards', before Corey airs a grievance about poor PCB differential pair routing practices.

    PCB design & layoutMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    7 chapters

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