Bootstrapping the RP2350 from UART: A Clever Port Expander Solution

Facing a project requiring numerous PWM channels, the author found a single RP2350 insufficient. The solution? Using a second RP2350 as a port expander, communicating via the UART bootloader. This avoids the complexities of managing different firmware versions on multiple chips. The article details the UART boot process, including unlocking, firmware transmission, and SRAM execution. It also covers embedding the RP2350's firmware within another microcontroller's and using RS-485 for robust long-distance communication. This clever hardware-software approach offers a novel solution for similar challenges.