Member's Forum - Recent Threads

RE: Top Tech Voices Podcast S2 E5: Work-Tech Life Balance

chloro — Sat, 16 May 2026 04:42:30 GMT

The concept of categorizing your calendar events depending on energy states (red if you feel drained, green if you are energetic) is truly great. By the way, I will try implementing this in my life soon. Also, it was great to listen to her tips on how one should consider AI as a “cognitive prosthetics” and not just as a machine that makes decisions.
At the same time, I partly agree with her statement on discipline being entirely useless. It might sometimes help to establish a little bit of a routine and feed it with curiosity. Although, it should be said that curiosity works wonders when there already exists some momentum.
To sum up, I truly enjoyed listening to this episode as it was one of my favorites. Big thanks to Anne-Laure and Top Tech Voices for the conversation. Looking forward to the next one!

Top Tech Voices Podcast S2 E5: Work-Tech Life Balance

JoRatcliffe — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:11:52 GMT

It is time for Episode 5 of the Top Tech Voices podcast! This episode’s guest is Dr Anne-Laure Le Cunff: a neuroscientist and former Googler.

Tune in for an episode covering:

Why ‘pushing through’ and resilience culture can be toxic
How curiosity helps you learn and improve yourself in the long-term
The ‘plus minus next’ journaling system for self-improvement
How to use AI as a partner for thinking and feedback

Click the banner below to watch the podcast video or listen on your favorite platform.

Or you can watch straight away right here:

[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ5asG4jq4Q:640:360]
Leave a comment and be in the running to win a prize!

All you have to do is the following:

1. You have to either [embed:2daa3209-d43a-4187-9a01-6e12b1daefd8:5807aeb6-eaa1-42fb-90ac-04560e611a58:btntext=Register&btnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.element14.com%2Fuser%2Fcreateuser%3FReturnUrl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcommunity.element14.com%252Fmembers-area%252Ff%252Fforum%252F56494%252Fit-s-the-holidays-if-someone-gave-you-the-gift-of-unlimited-budget-for-one-project-what-would-you-build-we-are-asking-e14-in-our-join-share-win-competition&btntype=primary&btnsize=large&target=samewindow&id=&classes=&onclickcode=&dataName1=&dataVal1=&dataName2=&dataVal2=] or [embed:2daa3209-d43a-4187-9a01-6e12b1daefd8:eb7bd9fa-e29d-47e6-834e-398167309312:btntext=Login&btnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.element14.com%2Flogin%3FReturnUrl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcommunity.element14.com%252Fmembers-area%252Ff%252Fforum%252F56494%252Fit-s-the-holidays-if-someone-gave-you-the-gift-of-unlimited-budget-for-one-project-what-would-you-build-we-are-asking-e14-in-our-join-share-win-competition&btntype=primary&btnsize=large&target=samewindow&id=&classes=&onclickcode=&dataName1=&dataVal1=&dataName2=&dataVal2=]
2. Leave a comment or reply below!

Comments should include constructive discussion on the episode's topics (for example, spending the first hour of your day on deep / focused work instead of checking emails, meta-cognition, how to deal with uncertainty), or useful feedback that helps improve future podcasts.

The Community team will select the best 5 comments to each win an Arduino Uno Q 4GB! Plus, an additional sixth comment will be selected to receive a Raspberry Pi 400 as [mention:193ac2434c814a24b46635a2210baec1:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] generously donated his prize from a previous episode to be awarded to another community member.

[embed:ad4490ac-0ce8-4f2d-a04c-9285646d5689:962867ca-640f-44c5-a977-48858987aa97:text=Learn%20More&style=link&farnell=4808384&newark=59AM1210&cpc=&avnetemea=&avnetema=&avnetasia=&comoverride=&cmpoverride=&AreaInteracted=rte-content&bom=]

Terms and Conditions
[View:/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/81/Episode-5-Top-Tech-Voices-Podcast-28th-April-_2D00_-Terms-_2600_-Conditions.pdf:640:360]

RE: Top Tech Voices Podcast S2 E5: Work-Tech Life Balance

jelektro — Sat, 16 May 2026 00:32:30 GMT

One idea from this episode that really stayed with me was the shift from "goal-based thinking" to "experimental thinking". The suggestion to spend the first hour of the day on deep work instead of immediately checking emails feels especially relevant in a world where constant notifications fragment our attention before we've even started thinking clearly.
The conversation about uncertainty was probably the strongest part of the episode. Reframing uncertainty from something threatening into something worth exploring feels like a healthier and more sustainable mindset, especially for people working in tech or creative industries where change is constant.
I also liked the discussion around metacognition and treating emotions as useful data instead of distractions. The 'plus - minus - next' reflection system sounds like a practical way to notice patterns in energy, motivation, and focus over time without becoming overly rigid or obsessed with productivity metrics.
For future episodes, it would be interesting to hear more concrete real-world examples of tiny experiments people have tried successfully at work or in their personal lives, especially cases where the experiment initially failed but still led to useful insights.

RE: What is your favorite road test on element14?

robogary — Fri, 15 May 2026 21:16:21 GMT

My favorite will always be the next road test.

What is your favorite road test on element14?

dougw — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:35:56 GMT

What is your favorite road test on element14? Either one you did or one someone else did.

Or what road test would you most like to see on this forum?

You can find all the road test blogs here:

(+) RoadTest Reviews - element14 Community

This link shows how many views and likes each review received. It can be a bit misleading if the review blog is a summary of a series of other blogs that each had separate views and likes.

One of my motives for asking this question is to discover if I missed any great road tests, so be sure to include a link.

RE: What is your favorite road test on element14?

kmikemoo — Fri, 15 May 2026 21:12:27 GMT

Sorry, dougw . There's too much to choose from. I went back through much of the list, but I can't say that any one of them is my favorite. It did remind me of how disappointed I was in a couple of the devices. 😂

RE: What is your favorite road test on element14?

embeddedguy — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:40:45 GMT

Difficult to answer cause in this case some of the road test will win because they are very expensive products maybe and reading their review is like a pleasure in itself.

But if I exclude it and then if I also exclude the old road-test like before (< 2025) then Uno Q is best, also the upcoming road test of CM5 and FPGA board is interesting.

RE: I'm Yasmina and I just joined the party!

AngelSoto — Thu, 14 May 2026 21:54:00 GMT

Very interesting profile!
I’m sure you’ll find plenty of interesting topics and inspiring people in this community

I'm Yasmina and I just joined the party!

YasminaCodes — Sat, 09 May 2026 12:09:45 GMT

Hello! I’ve just joined this community and wanted to properly introduce myself.

Nice to meet you all! I’m Yasmina, and I work as a software and data engineer.

You might be wondering what I’m doing here if my current work seems a bit far from electronics. In a way, I’m actually returning to my roots, since my background is in industrial electronics and automation.

Right now, I’m finishing my master’s degree in HPC and working on quantum computing for HPC-related projects. But the deeper I go into these fields, the more I feel like I want to get back into low-level projects where I can put the “engineering” part of my degree to work. That’s exactly what brought me here.

I’m really looking forward to participating more and engaging with everything this community has to offer.

By the way, I also create content about technology on social media, so hopefully I’ll be able to share some of what I learn here with the wider tech community too.

Alejandro, Embedded Systems and Hardware Acceleration Enthusiast

afernandez — Tue, 05 May 2026 12:09:49 GMT

My name is Alejandro, and I’m excited to join the element14 Community.

I’m an embedded systems and software engineer with a strong interest in hardware design, digital electronics, FPGA/RTL development, and embedded Linux. I enjoy working close to the hardware, understanding how systems behave at a low level, and building projects that combine software, electronics, and real-world applications.

Some of the areas I’m especially interested in are embedded C/C++, FreeRTOS, Linux drivers, SystemVerilog, hardware accelerators, sensors, communication buses, and edge computing.

I’m looking forward to learning from the community, sharing my projects, asking technical questions, and contributing whenever I can.

Thanks for having me here!

RE: Alejandro, Embedded Systems and Hardware Acceleration Enthusiast

AngelSoto — Thu, 14 May 2026 21:52:37 GMT

Glad to see you here 😊
I think this community is going to be a great fit for your curiosity, technical interests, and constant eagerness to learn.

RE: open-source microcontroller IDE

Moussa1492 — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:02:25 GMT

When finished, it would include:

project explorer and code editor
Arduino/AVR and STM32 build/upload support
GDB/OpenOCD debugging
registers, memory, stack, breakpoints, tracepoints
serial monitor and serial plotter
coverage and static analysis tools
QEMU/Renode simulation scenarios
AI-assisted explanation of compiler/debug errors
FaultLens: a module that explains Cortex-M HardFault/BusFault/UsageFault reports using .elf, GDB logs, fault registers and stacked PC

open-source microcontroller IDE

Moussa1492 — Mon, 11 May 2026 07:35:08 GMT

Hi everyone,

I’m building an open-source desktop IDE for microcontroller learning and prototyping, mainly focused on Arduino and STM32.

The goal is not to replace professional tools like STM32CubeIDE, PlatformIO, Keil or IAR, but to provide a simpler learning-oriented workflow for students, technicians and training centers.

Current / planned features:
- Arduino and STM32 project creation
- Build / upload workflow
- Serial monitor and serial plotter
- STM32 debug with GDB/OpenOCD
- Register / memory / stack views
- Basic SVD peripheral view
- Static analysis with cppcheck / MISRA-light
- Coverage reports
- Crash / HardFault reporting
- Power profiling demo via UART/SWO-style events
- QEMU/Renode simulation experiments

I’m looking for honest feedback:
1. Would such a tool be useful for education or training?
2. Which feature would be most valuable?
3. What would make you trust or not trust this kind of tool?
4. Would it be better as a VS Code extension, standalone IDE, or educational toolkit?
5. What pain points do you have with current embedded IDEs?

I’m not trying to promote a paid product here. I’m trying to validate whether this project should continue as an open-source educational tool or pivot toward a smaller specialized utility.

Thanks for any critical feedback.

RE: open-source microcontroller IDE

Moussa1492 — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:02:00 GMT

I am working on an a software that supports arduino and STM32 ( and other microcontroller )

When finished, it would include:

project explorer and code editor
Arduino/AVR and STM32 build/upload support
GDB/OpenOCD debugging
registers, memory, stack, breakpoints, tracepoints
serial monitor and serial plotter
coverage and static analysis tools
QEMU/Renode simulation scenarios
AI-assisted explanation of compiler/debug errors
FaultLens: a module that explains Cortex-M HardFault/BusFault/UsageFault reports using .elf, GDB logs, fault registers and stacked PC

RE: open-source microcontroller IDE

Moussa1492 — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:00:19 GMT

tthis is the intrface
now i am finishing it
iI made it in 9 sprint ( actually in sprint 6)

Sprint	Theme
Sprint 1	Core IDE foundation: Qt UI, editor, project explorer, file management
Sprint 2	Build/upload support: Arduino/AVR, STM32, Makefile/toolchain integration
Sprint 3	Simulation and test scenarios: QEMU/Renode, UART scenarios, automated tests
Sprint 4	Productivity tools: Git, diff viewer, serial plotter, UI/workspace improvements
Sprint 5	Measurements, coverage, OTA/DFU, static analysis, crash reporting
Sprint 6	Advanced debugging: tracepoints, SWO/ITM, reverse debug, live registers history
Sprint 7	Board/toolchain catalog, profiles, plugin structure, multi-board architecture
Sprint 8	AI assistance: explain compiler errors, debug logs, code suggestions, guided help
Sprint 9	Stabilization, packaging, documentation, QA, public release preparation

RE: Learning FPGA

veluv01 — Wed, 13 May 2026 16:09:45 GMT

Since you're getting into FPGA's as an software engineer, I assume you're familiar with C/C++; I highly recommend the HLS based approach for configuring the FPGA using Vitis Unified IDE.(AMD FPGA tools)

AMD provides good docs for HLS based design flow

https://docs.amd.com/r/en-US/ug1399-vitis-hls/Introduction

https://docs.amd.com/r/en-US/ug1399-vitis-hls/HLS-Programmers-Guide

HLS based approach saves you a lot of time and you can just use the ILA IP to debug the design instead of using the Logic Analyser.

For the FPGA....I would suggest going with NEXYS 4, the documentation is good and it's PL got an Ethernet PHY with RMII ; perfect for you.

Here's a best video reference for the FPGA and Ethernet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78tkdc6Lq_8

Learning FPGA

danielpgleason — Mon, 04 May 2026 18:30:35 GMT

Does anyone know of any good learning resources about how to start learning FPGA? I've been a software engineer for several years and the FPGA world is quite new to me. I'm trying to implement RMII but have been struggling a lot. I purchased a logic analyzer but I don't know what I'm looking at. I need something that will tell me how to properly understand and read datasheets, know how to debug signals, how to understand what VHDL is good and what is bad. How to read RTL generations..Etc

I'm starting from the beginning. Any resources or materials are greatly appreciated.

RE: Learning FPGA

Moussa1492 — Wed, 13 May 2026 08:43:28 GMT

A good path would be:

1. Start with FPGA fundamentals

For a software engineer, the biggest mindset shift is:

VHDL/Verilog is not “code that runs.”
It describes hardware that exists all the time.

Good beginner resources:

Resource	Why it helps
Nandland FPGA / VHDL / Verilog tutorials	Very beginner-friendly, especially if you are coming from software. It has FPGA-101, VHDL, and Verilog sections. (Nandland)
VHDLwhiz Basic VHDL Course	Good if you want VHDL specifically. It starts in simulation, so you can learn without fighting hardware first. (VHDLwhiz)
MIT 6.111 Introductory Digital Systems Lab	More academic, but excellent for understanding digital systems, timing, state machines, and hardware design thinking.
Digilent FPGA digital design materials	Good if you use common dev boards like Basys, Nexys, Arty, etc. Their material focuses on hands-on FPGA projects. (Digilent)

Start with small designs:

LED blink
button debounce
counter
UART transmitter
UART receiver
FIFO
simple SPI master
simple packet parser

Do not start with Ethernet.

2. Learn simulation before hardware debugging

Before using a logic analyzer, learn to use a simulator:

GHDL / Questa / ModelSim for VHDL
Verilator / Icarus / Questa for Verilog/SystemVerilog
GTKWave for waveform viewing

You should be able to answer:

What signal changed?
On which clock edge?
Was reset active?
Was this register updated now or next cycle?
Is this combinational or sequential logic?

A very good FPGA workflow is:

Write RTL
↓
Write testbench
↓
Simulate
↓
Check waveforms
↓
Synthesize
↓
Check RTL/netlist schematic
↓
Constrain timing
↓
Program FPGA
↓
Debug with internal logic analyzer

For “how to read RTL generation,” use the vendor schematic/netlist viewer after synthesis. In Vivado, for example, design analysis is specifically meant to inspect optimized netlists and timing results. (Xilinx)

3. Learn what “good RTL” means

Good FPGA RTL usually means:

-- Good mental model
one clock
synchronous reset or controlled reset
registered outputs
clear state machines
no accidental latches
no gated clocks
no random delays
clean clock-domain crossing

Bad beginner RTL usually has:

multiple unrelated clocks everywhere
using delays like wait for 10 ns in synthesizable logic
incomplete if/case statements causing latches
combinational feedback
gated clocks
async signals used directly
ignoring timing constraints

Clock-domain crossing is especially important. Xilinx-style HDL guidelines warn against asynchronous design techniques and recommend proper methods such as FIFOs when crossing clock domains. (Wiki des Electroniciens du CNRS)

For timing and CDC, read:

Topic	Resource
Clock-domain crossing	01signal CDC articles (01signal)
Timing closure	01signal timing closure series (01signal)
Debug/formal later	ZipCPU tutorials — very good after you know the basics, especially for debugging and formal verification. (ZipCPU)

4. For RMII specifically: learn the interface first

RMII is not just “some pins.” It is a synchronous interface around a 50 MHz reference clock.

Typical RMII signals:

Signal	Direction	Meaning
`REF_CLK`	clock	50 MHz reference clock
`TX_EN`	MAC → PHY	transmit data valid
`TXD[1:0]`	MAC → PHY	2-bit transmit data
`CRS_DV`	PHY → MAC	carrier sense / receive data valid
`RXD[1:0]`	PHY → MAC	2-bit receive data
`RX_ER`	PHY → MAC	receive error, sometimes optional
`MDC/MDIO`	management	PHY register access

Microchip’s KSZ8081 datasheet states that REF_CLK is a continuous 50 MHz clock used as the timing reference for TXEN, TXD[1:0], CRS_DV, RXD[1:0], and RX_ER. (Microchip)

So the first question is not “is my VHDL correct?” The first questions are:

Is the PHY strapped into RMII mode?
Is the 50 MHz REF_CLK present?
Who generates REF_CLK: FPGA, PHY, or oscillator?
Can I read the PHY ID over MDIO?
Does the PHY report link up?
Is reset released correctly?
Are the I/O voltages correct?

TI’s DP83848 RMII application note also says RMII mode requires a 50 MHz external CMOS oscillator source and correct strap configuration at reset. (Texas Instruments)

5. Your logic analyzer may not be enough

RMII runs at 50 MHz. If your logic analyzer is a cheap 24 MHz or 50 MHz USB analyzer, it will not reliably show RMII data.

For RMII, use:

External logic analyzer:
- reset
- strap pins
- MDC/MDIO
- link LEDs
- slow control signals

FPGA internal logic analyzer:
- RMII RXD/TXD
- TX_EN
- CRS_DV
- state machines
- FIFOs
- packet parser signals

For Xilinx, use ILA.
For Intel/Altera, use SignalTap.
For Lattice, use the available internal debug flow depending on the toolchain.

A practical RMII capture should trigger on:

TX_EN rising edge
or
CRS_DV rising edge

Then inspect:

REF_CLK stable at 50 MHz
TX_EN high during transmit frame
TXD[1:0] changing only relative to REF_CLK
CRS_DV high during received frame
RXD[1:0] changing during CRS_DV

6. Debug RMII in layers

Do not debug the whole Ethernet stack at once.

Use this order:

Layer 1 — PHY alive

Check:

PHY reset pin
PHY clock
PHY straps
PHY address
MDIO read works
PHY ID registers readable
link status readable

If MDIO does not work, stop. Do not debug RMII yet.

Layer 2 — transmit only

Make FPGA send a simple Ethernet frame repeatedly.

Look for:

TX_EN goes high
TXD[1:0] toggles
PHY shows activity
PC/Wireshark sees something

Layer 3 — receive only

Send broadcast traffic from a PC:

ARP
ping
broadcast packet

Look for:

CRS_DV goes high
RXD[1:0] toggles
your RX state machine detects preamble/SFD

Layer 4 — MAC framing

Only after the electrical/interface side works, worry about:

preamble
SFD
destination MAC
source MAC
EtherType
payload
CRC/FCS
inter-frame gap

7. Suggested learning order for your case

Given that you are already trying RMII, I would follow this path:

Week 1:
Learn VHDL simulation, clocked processes, testbenches, GTKWave.

Week 2:
Build UART TX/RX in simulation and on FPGA.

Week 3:
Learn FIFOs, valid/ready handshakes, simple packet streams.

Week 4:
Read PHY datasheet carefully: reset, straps, clocking, MDIO, RMII timing.

Week 5:
Implement MDIO read/write first.

Week 6:
Implement RMII TX only.

Week 7:
Implement RMII RX only.

Week 8:
Build a minimal Ethernet MAC: ARP or UDP only.

Best immediate advice

For your RMII struggle, focus on these three things first:

Can you read the PHY ID over MDIO?
If no, your hardware/configuration is not ready.
Is REF_CLK definitely correct?
RMII depends on a continuous 50 MHz clock. Wrong clock source or wrong PHY strap will break everything.
Use internal FPGA logic analyzer, not only external LA.
RMII is fast enough that many hobby logic analyzers will mislead you.

A very good first goal is:

Read PHY ID over MDIO
↓
Confirm link up
↓
Transmit one repeated raw Ethernet frame
↓
See it in Wireshark

Once that works, then build RX and higher-level protocol handling.

RE: Learning FPGA

michaelkellett — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:46:53 GMT

Beware !

This package from Elektor features VHDPlus not VHDL - please checkout VHDPlus very carefully before you go that route.

If you want a cheap start there is plenty of free material on the web and you can buy some very low cost hardware for Altera chips from Aliexpress.

RE: What do they mean? Product marketing.

Gough Lui — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:45:04 GMT

Here's my own personal take on things:

Alternatives - other options that you can "swap in" directly.

Similar products - products that share one or more common trait(s) in some way.

Associated products - products that have some relation to the product you are viewing. They could perhaps extend its functionality, products commonly used in concert with the product being viewed, be alternative products from the same vendor or category.

Recommended products - products that the vendor wants to promote. Whether they work together or are guaranteed to be relevant is unknown.

Recently viewed - any product I viewed recently (a product viewing history).

People also viewed - products that other shoppers looked at before/after looking at the product that I'm currently looking at.

Compatible products - products that can be used together or in some products, could be direct replacements (depends on context).

Accessories - products designed to be used with the product I'm looking at to extend its functionality or capabilities.

- Gough

What do they mean? Product marketing.

colporteur — Thu, 07 May 2026 14:23:43 GMT

I recently did a survey, that asked me to use my understanding of a list of terms to make product decisions.

At the end of the survey the marketer provided their definition of the terms and asked if my decisions would have changed.

I discovered I had a bias. If you the marketer understood how I defined a term, they could change my behaviour.

The exercise is for you to match the terms in column A with the meaning in column B. What do the terms mean to you? SPOILER ALERT the answer key is included.

	A	B
A1	Alternatives	Products you have looked at during your recent browsing.
A2	Similar products	Products that other customers looked at when viewing this item.
A3	Associated products	Products designed to work with the one you’re viewing.
A4	Recommended products	Optional add ons that complement or enhance the product.
A5	Recently viewed	Products that are related, but not necessarily similar or compatible.
A6	People also viewed	Products suggested based on relevance, popularity, or suitability.
A7	Compatible products	Products that can be used instead of the one you’re viewing, offering a similar purpose or function.
A8	Accessories	Products that share key characteristics but may differ in features, specifications, or brand.

I would be interested in your feedback after you complete the exercise.

Below is the matching order for the definitions in column B.

A5
A6
A7
A8
A3
A4
A1
A2

RE: Learning FPGA

geralds — Tue, 12 May 2026 21:59:40 GMT

Hi,

For example: you can try this kind of FPGA.

https://www.elektor.de/products/fpga-programming-and-hardware-essentials

This is a cheap tool and, in this book will be explained the essentials of FPGAs.

RE: open-source microcontroller IDE

DAB — Tue, 12 May 2026 19:49:11 GMT

If I have time I would like to help test your IDE.

I suffer from ADD issues, so it would be good for me to see if your approach can help.

RE: open-source microcontroller IDE

Jan Cumps — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:01:19 GMT

[quote userid="521631" url="~/members-area/f/forum/56934/open-source-microcontroller-ide/235543"]what do you mean by arduino IDE version 2[/quote]

Getting Started with Arduino IDE 2

RE: What do they mean? Product marketing.

Alanta Lee — Tue, 12 May 2026 15:54:35 GMT

Thank you! As not everyone is up for a conversation, it's nice to use open questions to get their thoughts. Still tricky to get answers but it works for the most part