Ever wished the spare ESP32 board in your parts bin could double as a hardware debugging tool?
That is the idea behind ESP32 Bit Pirate, firmware from a developer known as “Geo TP” that turns off-the-shelf Espressif boards into a Bus Pirate style multi-protocol workbench. Instead of buying dedicated debug gear, you flash the firmware onto boards you probably already own: the ESP32-S3-DevKitC, the M5Stack Cardputer, the M5Stick C Plus 2, the Atom S3 Lite, or a LILYGO T-Embed. You then get a serial console for poking at I2C, SPI, UART and other buses, the same job Ian Lesnet’s original Bus Pirate has done for years, without the custom PCB.
What is new in v1.7?
The August release adds a “Web Tools” mode. Connect the board to a WebUSB-capable browser like Chrome and you get in-browser programming, debugging, and analysis with zero software installed on your laptop. There is also a new LoRa mode built for Semtech’s SX1262 transceiver, so you can send and receive packets and even watch Meshtastic mesh traffic. The update pulls in two long-range boards, the Heltec Vision Master T190 and the WiFi LoRa 32 V4. Everything ships under the MIT license, with source and pre-built binaries on GitHub.
How would you wire it up?
Grab a supported board and check its pinout first. The SDA and SCL pins differ between an S3 DevKit and a Cardputer, so one wrong jumper leaves you staring at a silent bus. Flash the binary, open the USB serial console at 115200 baud, and start issuing mode commands. For LoRa work you need a board carrying an SX1262 radio, while the CC1101-equipped T-Embed handles sub-GHz instead. Mind your logic levels too: ESP32 GPIO runs at 3.3V, so a 5V target needs a level shifter or you risk frying a pin.
Try it this week
If you teach or study electronics, this is a cheap way to hand a whole robotics club a protocol analyzer without a per-seat budget. Pull the v1.7 binaries, flash a spare ESP32-S3, and finally decode that sensor you could never get talking. The full changelog and supported board list are in the original write-up at https://www.hackster.io/news/the-esp32-bit-pirate-project-gets-in-browser-web-app-support-lora-mode-and-promises-more-to-come-122b3a07d4e0
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ESP32 boards does ESP32 Bit Pirate support?
It runs on common off-the-shelf boards including the ESP32-S3-DevKitC, M5Stack Cardputer, M5Stick C Plus 2, Atom S3 Lite, and the LILYGO T-Embed line. The v1.7 release also added the Heltec Vision Master T190 and WiFi LoRa 32 V4 for long-range work.
What hardware does the new LoRa mode need?
LoRa mode targets Semtech’s SX1262 transceiver, so you need a board that carries that radio to send, receive, and analyze Meshtastic packets. Boards with a CC1101 instead cover sub-GHz protocols.
What will I learn if I build this?
You get hands-on practice with serial protocols like I2C, SPI, and UART, flashing firmware over USB, reading pinouts, and matching 3.3V logic levels. It is a solid, low-cost way to understand how embedded buses actually talk before you tackle a bigger thesis or robotics build.
