The Bootloader

Paul Cutler and Tod Kurt

A monthly podcast loading you up with news, project updates and product talk from the CircuitPython and maker communities. Hosted by Tod Kurt and Paul Cutler.

  1. 22 AUG

    CircuitPython Day 2025

    This episode is a replay of The Bootloader’s live CircuitPython Day 2025 show from August 15th, 2025 hosted on Adafruit’s YouTube channel. The episode has been lightly edited. Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky. 00:00 Intro 00:26 Welcome 1:02 Thank you Anne Barela Subscribe to the Python on Hardware newsletter 1:46 CircuitPython Fonts CircuitPython fonts repository with circup instructions CircuitPython BDF & PCF font Learn Guide CircuitPython font code shown 6:57 CircuitPython v2 extension for VS Code CircuitPython VS Code extension v1 by Joe Devivo CircuitPython v2 for VS Code by Will Merkens CircuitPython v2 for VS Code source code 11:40 Fruit Jam USB Host MIDI Tester Fruit Jam USB Host MIDI Tester Fruit Jam Portable MIDI Synth Fruit Jam USB Gamepad Demo 15:52 Fruitris Cooper Dalrymple’s homepage Fruitris on Adafruit Playground Fruitris GitHub repository Fruitris blog post Fruitris demo on Show & Tell Cooper on The CircuitPython Show May 5th, 2025 19:37 CircuitPython Workflows https://docs.circuitpython.org/en/latest/docs/workflows.html https://code.circuitpython.org/

    25 min

  2. 4 AUG

    Drop the beat - with guest John Park

    In this episode, Tod and Paul welcome John Park to the show. They discuss a floppy disk MIDI boombox, live-coding music, RP2350 as a mini-computer, and more. Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky. Show Notes 00:00 Intro Joséphine Wolf Oberholtzer, creator and maintainer of Supriya 00:54 Floppy Disk Midi Boomboxes (John #1) Vintage: Roland MT-80S Roland MT-300S Yamaha MDP-10 DIY: MIDI Blaster by Luke.the.maker and build instructions and pre-built MT-420 by Jonas Bengtson 9:04 AlgoRave (Tod #1) DJ_Dave: Instagram reels: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL0P-2WusOO/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIKC6D6SpQM/ TikTok YouTube livestreams Strudel Originally mentioned in Bootloader Episode 2 back in Oct 2022 Awesome livecoding list 14:00 The RP2350 Mini-Computers are here Adafruit Fruit Jam Olimex RP2350pc 18:39 CyberBricks 24:28 KiCad cli and diff viewer kicad-cli Tod’s visual diff shell script 28:56 Commodore 64 Ultimate 31:48 Wrap-up

    32 min

  3. 7 JUL

    The rant and the love letter

    Tod and Paul discuss a MIDI chip, an epic rant, a love letter, and more. Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky. 00:00 Welcome 00:17 SAM2695 General MIDI chip Seeed XIAO MIDI M5stack w/ speaker M5stack w/ MIDI in/out DIYElectroMusic articles SAM2695 datahsheet Tod demo on Adafruit Show-n-Tell 3:51 Supercollider and Supriya Supercollider synth engine Supriya Python API Supriya subreddit 5:47 The STM32 rant 12:18 A love letter to embedded engineering Prof. V. Hunter Adams’ November 2023 lecture, “Why I love building things with microcontrollers.” 16:10 Alternate music keyboard layouts 20:09 Spintronics 22:47 Wrap-up

    23 min

  4. 2 JUN

    Rated PG for Language

    Paul and Tod discuss tariffs, desoldering tricks, a classic arcade game, and more. Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky. Follow Paul on Mastodon or Bluesky. Follow Tod on Mastodon or Bluesky. For detailed show notes and transcripts, visit TheBootloader.net Show Notes 00:00 Welcome 00:17 Tarriffs are Bullshit 6:00 Desoldering Tricks 10:21 Philips Fixables 12:45 Resurrecting Sinistar 15:36 Kiwix 17:56 Euroknob 21:40 Wrap-up

    22 min

  5. 5 MAY

    I'm Afraid it's TRMNL

    Welcome to a new episode! Tod and Paul chat about woodworking, MP3 players, a CircuitPython synthio tutorial, and more. Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky. 00:00 Intro 00:12 Hyperwood 2:34 Synology NAS devices 7:27 TRMNL WiFi ePaper display 11:29 Rockbox 4.0 Paul incorrectly stated 2022 as the year of the first Rockbox release. It’s 2002 and we regret the error. 13:02 CircuitPython synthio tutorial 16:05 mobygratis 18:13 Wrap-up

    19 min

  6. 7 APR

    Welcome Andy Piper

    Andy Piper joins Tod and Paul and they discuss an open source laptop, 3D printing filament detection, synths, and more. Visit Andy’s homepage Check out TheBootloader.net for detailed show notes and transcript. Follow us on social media: Andy Piper on Mastodon or Bluesky Paul Cutler on Mastodon or Bluesky Tod Kurt on Mastodon or Bluesky 00:00 Intro 00:59 Glance app 5:33 Soundfonts, General MIDI, and a ROMpler 11:55 OpenSpool and SpoolEase 15:39 MNT Pocket Reform 21:55 DIYR Design Lamps and Speaker 25:20 Podcast Later 28:22 Wrap-up

    29 min

  7. 3 MAR

    Welcome Brent Rubell

    Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky and join our newsletter Check out TheBootlader.net for detailed show notes, links, and transcript. Brent Rubell of Adafruit Industries joins Tod and Paul. They discuss the Wippersnapper IoT firmware, Arduino libraries, microcontrollers as mini-computers, and more. Show Notes 00:00 Welcome 00:27 Wippersnapper’s new offline mode Wippersnapper Learn Guide 5:36 rp2040 speed update Hackster coverage 9:19 Microcontrollers as mini-computers [SlimeDeck[(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnwPmoWMGqk) *Adafruit Fruit Jam 14:14 Obsidian note taking app 17:44 Arduino library bots fosstodon.org/@arduinoLibs @ArduinoLibs.bsky.social Maintaner: @tobozo 20:48 3D Printed records Instructables page Amanda Ghassaei’s home page 26:01 Wrap-up

    26 min

  8. 3 FEB

    Bamboozled

    Paul and Tod discuss drama in the world of 3D printing, oscilloscope music, inventory management for makers, and more. Follow the show on Mastodon or Bluesky and sign up for ad-free, spam-free, tracking-free monthly newsletter. Show Notes bamboozle: To deceive or dupe; hoodwink. synonym: deceive. 00:00 Welcome 00:14 Drama in the world of 3D printing Bambu Firmware Update Introducing New Authorization Control System The Verge coverage 8:36 Oscilloscope music Tutorials and how-to links Oscilloscope Music 13:00 ucritair 15:50 Buchla and friends 19:02 Inventory management for makers 22:14 Wrap-up

    23 min
See All (26)

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About

A monthly podcast loading you up with news, project updates and product talk from the CircuitPython and maker communities. Hosted by Tod Kurt and Paul Cutler.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Cutler and Tod Kurt
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    The Bootloader

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