Épisodes

  • Ep 388: RAM-Swapping on Raspberry Pi, Raindrops on Radar, and a Fine Mesh
    Sep 25 2026

    This week, Hackaday Editors Elliot Williams and Al Williams had a lot to talk about. From advice for a young hacker to using a laser to break into a microcontroller, there was plenty to cover from the week in Hackaday.

    From the "Point/Counter Point" department, there were dueling posts about how big a deal it is for Raspberry Pi to lock out RAM chip swapping. Ever want to do interactive debugging in MicroPython? For intellectual exercise, there's the physics of raindrops becoming a radar antenna. If you are a history buff, there was even news about World War I codebreaking.

    For the can't-miss articles, the big news was the issues with LoRa mesh communities possibly clashing with the FCC rules and how to make your computer take dictation.

    Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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    1 h et 14 min
  • Ep 387: Superhuman Clocks, CAN in USB-C, and the Joys of Bare Metal
    Sep 18 2026

    This week, Hackaday Editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi start the episode off by discussing the latest CircuitPython developments before covering some impressive reverse engineering efforts, the benefits of modeling your projects in 3D, and some of the most incredible timepieces that have ever graced the pages of Hackaday.

    You'll also hear about the fascinating potential of combing 3D and UV printing, Linux on the ESP32, and a virtual TV station that pulls from the Internet Archive. The episode wraps up with a Hackaday Europe double-feature: one talk extols the virtues of keeping things simple through bare metal development, while the other covers off-world hacks and fixes that will make you want to sign up for Space Camp.

    Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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    1 h et 10 min
  • Ep 386: Doomscroll Tamagotchis, Clavichords, and Vibrotrucks
    Sep 11 2026

    In this specially-numbered podcast episode that lines up quite nicely with our Retrocomputing Challenge, Elliot Williams and Kristina Panos met over surprisingly low-latency and loud beverages to bring you the best of the previous week's hacks.

    But first, the news. German company Isar Aerospace can now claim that they've launched the first spacecraft into orbit from Europe. Be sure to check out the in-link, where we reported on the building of the spaceport.

    In Hackaday news, the aforementioned Retrocomputing Contest had 64 entries at last check, which is just perfect for Episode 386. Will yours be the 65th?

    Supercon Ten tickets are selling out, and per Elliot, the talks have been chosen, pending approval by each submitter. Keep an eye on the blog for the official announcement!

    After reviewing the news, Elliot reached into the ol' Mailbag and found two missives, including another from [Vik Olliver] regarding the printing of LEGO. The other is from [Mendel Munkis], who has been enjoying Wikipedia offline since 2018, thanks to a 32-bit ARM9 processor. Then, it was on to the hacks.

    Check out the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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    47 min
  • Ep 385: 3D Printers with Lasers, Wicked RAM Prices, and Reverse Polish Notation
    Sep 4 2026

    As the calendar turns a leaf into September, Elliot Williams is joined by Jenny List for our weekly look at all things Hackaday.

    In the news, our retrocomputing competition is well under way, but there's plenty of time to get an entry in if you've got a cool old-style project to show us. And then Elliot's been chasing seismic surveyors in Munich, where they're looking for geothermal energy.

    In the stand-out hacks there's a discussion of smoothing 3D prints using frickin' lasers, the effect of unreasonably high RAM and storage prices on the single board computer ecosystem, and an unfortunate air conditioning system that's tricked into believing it's a hot day. Finally, we look in depth at PETG, and take a dive into reverse Polish notation.

    Check out the links over on Hackaday.

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    1 h et 9 min
  • Ep 384: OCR MOD Records, Magical PCBs, and the Gravity of Space Stations
    Aug 28 2026

    What did Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Al Williams read in Hackaday last week? Probably everything, but you can tune in and hear about their favorites on this week's podcast. They heard from lots of listeners this week, and also saw DIY projects running from a 3D-printed Stirling engine, to clogs, to LEDs.

    There are some over-the-top hacks like a refit for a decades-old watch to do tap-to-pay and a -- for lack of a better word -- a record player that optically reads MOD files. Want to emulate an iPod? Talk to Eliza? Print a hand-operated rail car? Hackaday is the place to read about it all.

    The can't miss articles included a talk from Hackaday Europe about making magical PCBs and a not-so-brief history of space stations starting in the 1800s.

    Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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    1 h et 7 min
  • Ep 383: QR Codes, Caving Gear, and the Old School Way to Learn Electronics
    Aug 21 2026

    In this week's episode, Hackaday Editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi start things off by getting excited about the recently announced 2026 Retrocomputing Challenge. From there the conversation will cover efforts to improve desktop 3D printing with lasers, an expensive grill with an ESP32 controller and an open source firmware, open source tools underground, and some impressive techniques to squeeze a bit more utility out of the common QR code.

    You'll also hear about turning PVC pipes into flat stock, old school Radio Shack electronic kits, and VR soldering demos. Stick around to the end of the episode learn about the latest developments in over-the-counter hearing aids and the 1-bit CPU that's enjoying an unexpected fandom nearly 50 years after its release.

    Check out the links if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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    1 h et 28 min
  • Ep 382: Glueballs, Borg Cubes, and Supersonic Trebuchets
    Aug 14 2026

    It's still hot on both sides of the Atlantic, but Kristina has a new secret weapon for staying cool without making noise. Will Elliot and the others follow suit? Time will tell.

    In Hackaday news, well, there's a lot of it. For starters, Supercon Ten tickets went on sale Thursday morning, but chances are good that by the time you read this, the early bird offering will be all pecked out. But, never fear! More tickets will be released soon enough.

    Don't want to buy a ticket, but still want to go? Submit a talk proposal that gets accepted, and you'll be welcomed in free of charge. Lucky for you, we just extended the deadline by two weeks to August 26th.

    After exhausting the news, Elliot reached into the ol' Mailbag and found a funny anecdote from [Vik Olliver]. (Funny in that it'll make you go 'hmm'.) A brief discussion about imperial vs. metric ensued, but then it was on to the hacks.

    Check out the links on Hackaday if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!

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    52 min
  • Ep 380: 3D Printing the Rainbow, IR and IP Camera Hacks, and Americium 241 on the Loose
    Jul 31 2026

    Elliot Williams and Al Williams got together to compare notes on the most interesting posts this week on the site. As usual, there are just too many choices, so you'll have to settle for just the few that can fit in a podcast. The guys were excited about 3D printing -- both FDM and SLA -- as well as a few camera projects. Ever wanted your own starship? They do, too, and you'll hear about it along with portable radar and more.

    Want to make flexible PCBs? Fill up a carbon dioxide tank? Or play Doom via regular expressions? Tune in, and you'll find out about those stories and more.

    Follow along with the links, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments! Better still, drop us a note in the mailbag, and you might hear your question on a future episode. You can record audio or send us a message, and one of the hosts will read it on your behalf.

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    1 h et 5 min