M5Stack PaperMono: Pinout, Arduino Setup and PaperS3 Differences
M5Stack PaperMono pinout and Arduino setup, with PaperMono-Lite and PaperS3 differences, display-driver cautions, power control, microSD and troubleshooting.
ESP32-S3 USB Not Detected: Boot Mode and Upload Recovery
Fix an ESP32-S3 that is not detected over USB. Covers native USB vs USB-UART, BOOT/RESET recovery, ROM download mode, Arduino USB CDC settings, GPIO19/20 conflicts, drivers, cables and boot loops.
ESP32-S3 Flash and PSRAM: N8R8 vs N16R8 and Correct Settings
ESP32-S3 N8R8 vs N16R8 explained: flash and PSRAM sizes, QIO vs OPI, correct Arduino IDE and PlatformIO settings, diagnostics and common boot errors.
Best ESP32 for Bluetooth Proxy: C3 vs C6 vs S3 vs ESP32
Quick Summary (TL;DR):For a dedicated Home Assistant Bluetooth Proxy in 2026, the ESP32-C3 is the best-value Wi-Fi proxy: it is cheap, tiny, widely available, has Bluetooth 5 LE, 400 KB SRAM and more than enough CPU for continuous BLE scanning…
DIY Home Assistant Voice Assistant with ESP32-S3 & ESPHome
Quick Summary (TL;DR):You can build a proper Home Assistant voice assistant satellite with ESP32-S3 + ESPHome using an I²S microphone such as the INMP441 and an I²S amplifier such as the MAX98357A. The ESP32-S3 listens for an on-device wake word…
ESP32-P4 vs ESP32-S3: Which Should You Use for Displays & Cameras?
Quick Summary (TL;DR):The ESP32-S3 and ESP32-P4 can both run displays, cameras, LVGL and embedded AI workloads, but they are aimed at very different ceilings. The ESP32-S3 is the better all-in-one wireless MCU: dual-core Xtensa LX7 up to 240 MHz, 512…
DIY Home Assistant Voice Assistant with ESP32-S3 & ESPHome
Quick Summary (TL;DR):You can build a proper Home Assistant voice assistant satellite with ESP32-S3 + ESPHome using an I²S microphone such as the INMP441 and an I²S amplifier such as the MAX98357A. The ESP32-S3 listens for an on-device wake word…
ESP32-S31 vs ESP32-S3: Is the S31 the New S3?
Quick Summary (TL;DR):The ESP32-S31 is the real next-generation successor to the ESP32-S3, but that does not mean every S3 project should immediately migrate. The S31 moves from dual-core Xtensa LX7 at 240 MHz to dual-core 32-bit RISC-V at up to…
Best ESP32 for Home Assistant: S3 vs C3 vs C6 vs C5
Quick Summary (TL;DR):For most new Home Assistant + ESPHome projects in 2026, the ESP32-C6 is the best default choice: it is inexpensive, mature, supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE and IEEE 802.15.4 for Zigbee/Thread, and has enough CPU and…