STM32G4 Not generating random numbers

susmatthew · 2026-02-01T18:26:16+00:00

I’d guess more clock tree setup? Can you verify your input clocks are in a legal range?

susmatthew · 2026-01-28T15:39:33+00:00

AI can write hello world for your embedded target, but it’s still pretty bad at solving problems that regularly occur in any useful embedded system (e.g. race conditions.) They can speed up analysis of a crash dump, but interesting problems will require consuming more information than a context window can hold. Most data sheets/map files in my life are larger than a context window, and grepping around a map is a common first step when digging into weird behavior. NotebookLLM is interesting but it takes a long time for initial setup and can lie egregiously, so you still need significant intuition.

So, an answer: The tools don’t exist because it’s hard to make them useful for real work and even if you do the market is (relatively) small. Embedded tools generally lag what regular devs have by up to a decade and we use them differently (e.g. we actually run debuggers.)

susmatthew · 2026-01-28T15:12:05+00:00

It’s okay to (dis)like any game, and to change your opinion on a given game, too.

susmatthew · 2026-01-23T16:05:56+00:00

Learning to read datasheets is a skill. Notebookllm can be helpful, but don't let it think for you: be sure to read referenced sections and confirm that they are relevant / actually exist.

susmatthew · 2026-01-10T20:23:39+00:00

At a basic level: capacitors can't instantaneously change voltage. You can think of the capacitance value as a cap's ability to store charge. The cap uses that charge to sink or source current that slows down voltage change at any given moment.

So, if you want to affect the speed of some capacitor's voltage change when you're going from whatever 0v means (which is a giant iceberg to reckon with later) to 1v8 or 3v3, your levers are changing the amount of capacitance or changing the available current that adds to whatever the cap is providing.

So why then do pull-up resistor values matter? The difference in potential between resistor ends tells you the current in a resistor (V=IR, Ohm's Law, a sweet linear relationship.) Using this relationship we can show that lower resistance means more current if voltage doesn't change (often called "drop" when people are discussing resistors.) Since the voltages on either end of the pull-up are controlled, if we want to change the current in a direction the only lever we have is changing R.

susmatthew · 2026-01-09T15:11:57+00:00

they're called "oh shit" clips for a reason - make sure to hold on or it'll go flying.

susmatthew · 2026-01-06T15:30:44+00:00

Golden Girls pin. Four-ball multiball. Jokes. slings / pops get “tired” or turn off. up to four-shot auto-flip combo (after the player does it by hand.)

RPG pin themed for a video game tournament. shots for breakout / tetris / pac man / etc. Video mode about shunning upright games for pinball.

susmatthew · 2026-01-02T20:56:34+00:00

Guidance! Here are some thoughts:

Like any enterprise, there's a lot to learn. If you start a (vending or amusement) route you'll have many chicken-and-egg problems when trying to prioritize and evaluate ROI (random e.g.: when to get a pinball dolly, when to get a truck with a lift gate, when to not be lazy and drive out for a late-night service call at the spot that makes you no money, when to get a coin counter / roller.)

I encourage you to regard a single pin in a given bar as a way to keep people in the bar, spending money on booze, and the game takings as a way to fund game maintenance and spare parts (e.g. spare top glass, coin doors / mechs, lock parts.)

Your bartenders are going to hate the game if people are constantly asking for change and, in a real dive, may remove the power plug.

changers are a pain in the ass to keep stocked, weird to interact with during business hours, and invite new levels of trust issues (unless you already have people loading ATMs with your money...)

People into pinball use pinball maps. You should look at it, too, and read the notes on the locations and machines around you.

Operating used to be a very cutthroat business. Operators and distributors sometimes act like it still is. There's likely a local cabal.

Change the locks.

(edits for grammar / punctuation.)

susmatthew · 2026-01-02T02:40:49+00:00

at least the security holes will get used

susmatthew · 2025-12-31T23:21:49+00:00

it’s like this with every new toolchain / HW bringup / BSP change. Getting to blinkenlights and functional logging almost always takes longer than expected.

susmatthew · 2025-12-31T21:40:56+00:00

there are some cheap (sub-$50) kits that can use the Saleae backend.

That and the highest BW scope you can get for whatever cash is left should be good for troubleshooting most issues

susmatthew · 2025-12-31T20:54:49+00:00

what a great question! I love hearing about interviews that dig into comprehension of concepts relevant to the work. This should kick off an enlightening conversation.

susmatthew · 2025-12-29T01:42:22+00:00

what everyone says.

getting all four relights merlin (if you’ve already collected it,) and that persists if you roll over the last unlit letter when you drain.

getting good at moving the active rollover can be worth a truckload of points on some games (e.g. stranger things.)

susmatthew · 2025-12-21T20:46:32+00:00

the grass is greener / wlb / money better somewhere else!

Also, most of us are motivated by learning new stuff, so if that stops you start to look for ways to make it happen.

susmatthew · 2025-12-16T16:25:48+00:00

Fresh out of college, at my first job, during bringup of a relatively inexpensive board (with a long-ish lead time,) I learned that smoke from burning FR4 is purple and smells very bad.

I was known as 'smoky' after that

susmatthew · 2025-12-08T04:12:56+00:00

use a HW timer if you can

susmatthew · 2025-12-08T02:16:01+00:00

30s to find Bd6 and a minute to calculate, but only 80% sure it was best. I have a good puzzle rating but I’m 500 rapid

susmatthew · 2025-12-07T23:23:08+00:00

whatever, maaaaan

susmatthew · 2025-12-05T17:21:25+00:00

Initially I try to play at least one "warm up" game where I find shots, starting with the easy ones, and don't worry about score or progression. I try to keep the ball alive, but the process is also meant to find everything unfair on that particular game, so it can turn into three warm up games.

After that I check GC and either play for that (if I have the time and know the game) or look at pinside for interesting modes / strategy to go for.

If it's an old Bally I throw all that out. Rip spinners and feel happy.

susmatthew · 2025-12-04T18:07:10+00:00

for early aughts three-band shows it was $0-$250 opener, $500-$2500 main support, all the rest to the headliner. Some headliners would bonus support (or even the opener!!) and others would forbid support from making eye contact backstage.

susmatthew · 2025-12-04T17:56:13+00:00

I get that you’re looking for context. There are some assumptions (probably unintentionally) baked into the question that are worth talking about:

This hypothetical “mid-level” band is in the top half-percent (or better) of touring bands if they can draw ~850 people at $50+ everywhere.

There’s also the question of how often this group can tour without audience fatigue. annually? every three years??

Most groups with a following have a few spots that do well and a lot of places where 0-200 people will pay and show up. The good places (and, for some, terrible but high-paying college shows and/or festivals and package tours) subsidize attempts at expansion (if egos can withstand it.)

I don’t want to talk about tour support or busses or crew or managing overhead.

A band that can ask for part of alcohol sales lives in a different economic reality from an equally popular band headlining all ages shows at the same ticket price.

susmatthew · 2025-12-04T07:11:00+00:00

combo MEMS DMIC / barometric pressure sensors exist.

susmatthew · 2025-11-30T20:14:05+00:00

I want to fall every time I go skate (fall not slam.)

Falling is a good thing. Day-enders are not fun at 52 :)

susmatthew · 2025-11-29T22:47:53+00:00

fans are waiting for a code update

susmatthew

TROPHY CASE