Firmware¶

Some hardware drivers require firmware files that cannot be bundled with this server due to licensing restrictions.

Which devices need firmware?¶

Devices that require firmware upload on connection include:

Kingst LA2016 / LA1016 / LA5016
Saleae Logic16
fx2lafw-based analyzers (many low-cost USB logic analyzers)

Devices that do not need firmware:

The demo virtual driver (always works)
Protocol-only analysis (decoding from files)
Some standalone instruments (SCPI multimeters, oscilloscopes)

Checking firmware status¶

Use the check_firmware_status tool to verify firmware availability:

Tool: check_firmware_status

This reports which firmware directories exist and what files are present, helping diagnose device detection issues.

Providing firmware (Docker)¶

Mount your firmware directory into the container:

docker run -i --rm --privileged \
  -v /path/to/sigrok-firmware:/usr/local/share/sigrok-firmware:ro \
  sigrok-mcp-server

Where to get firmware¶

See the sigrok wiki on firmware for extraction instructions for your specific device. Each device has different firmware sources and extraction methods.

Note

Firmware files are typically extracted from vendor software installers. The sigrok wiki provides step-by-step instructions for each supported device.