Alternative firmware

[acalatrava]

I just created an alternative firmware that is compatible with both nRF51 and nRF52 platforms. It's using the Softdevice S130/S132 2.0.0 from Nordic SDK11.

I already tried it on this modules:

• E104-BT5032A board from EBYTE which can be purchased here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000538644215.html
• "AliExpress beacon" which can be purchased here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32826502025.html

More info here:
https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/tree/main/apps/openhaystack-alternative

[mowtschan]

@acalatrava could you share the "howto" flash E104-BT5032A board?
did you use a special board, adapter or just STLinkV2?

[junleus]

I build openhaystack-alternative_s130.bin replaced public_key and using STLinkv2 to flash into an NRF51822 which you had tested. the module consumes 2.6ma, but there are no advertisements.

please advise, thank you.

[acalatrava]

Please note that you need to flash the SoftDevice too. You can generate a full bin file by issuing make build, the bin will be at the compiled directory.

Can you share your consume after that? I don’t have the tools to measure it.

[acalatrava]

@mowtschan I used a JLink-compatible adapter, however you should be able to use the STLinkV2 too. I think it should work if you just issue make && make e104install, this will use nrfjprog to flash the firmware which I think it should work with STLinkV2 too.

[junleus]

@acalatrava with softdevice nrf51_firmware.bin Size around 3.1MB, how to flash into nrf51 chipset?

for openhaystack firmware standby 860uA, and sent advertisements will consume 960uA.

[acalatrava]

You’re right. I think the problem is that those are not actually bin files but hex ones. I’m not at the computer atm so please try to rename it and flash it that way.

[junleus]

the bin comes with the public key, but hex one doesn't have a public key.

[acalatrava]

Both bin and hex files are actually the same firmware on a different format. You can’t see the key on the bin file with a simple editor since the firmware is encoded in hexadecimal format (that’s why the file is bigger) instead of binary.

So you can replace the key on the source file, compile, merge it with the SoftDevice and flash the resulting hex file (the compiled file appears as bin but it’s actually a hex file).

I’ll try to fix this naming issue when I’m at home.

[junleus]

@acalatrava can you confirm that compiled nrf51_firmware.bin size is 3.1MB?

I try to flash with ST-LINK v2 but seem to run out of space.

[acalatrava]

No, it’s not a bin file but a hex one. You should try to rename it to hex and then either flash it with nrfjprog (not sure if you can use it with stlink) or convert it to bin (I think there is a hex2bin.pay tool somewhere)

…

@acalatrava <https://github.com/acalatrava> can you confirm that compiled nrf51_firmware.bin size is 3.1MB? I try to flash with ST-LINK v2 but seem to run out of space. [image: image] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/37057723/117548362-7465c700-afe9-11eb-9aaa-1a81d571b593.png> — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#57 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACA3W4OGPOTNPJLK2VI5QT3TMVZPRANCNFSM44JSW4NQ> .

[junleus]

finally, I manual merge softdevice hex file got 324kb size hex, flashed with STLINK v2, and keep consume 5uA, so no advertisements yet. I flashed back into openhaystack firmware and got advertisements again. I think need way hex2bin then.

appreciate.

mergehex -m s130_nrf51_2.0.0_softdevice.hex openhaystack-alternative_s130.hex -o softdevice.hex

[jaekim24]

how long did your nRF52 chip last with the coin cell battery @acalatrava

[junleus]

I use objcopy cmd in Linux can convert hex to a bin, as the same way compiled an example s130-beacon apps it is running, but openhaystack-alternative doesn't run at all.

[acalatrava]

@junleus I can confirm that something is broken with the nRF51 since it isn’t working on mine either. I’ll try to check what I broke, but since I have it working on another nRF51 for 7 days now it shouldn’t be hard to find.

@jaekim24 I still didn’t put a coin cell on my module but since it’s working for more than 7 days on my nRF51 and the battery is still at 2.96V I expect a very long duration.

[jaekim24]

what kind of battery did you use the on nRF51 @acalatrava

[acalatrava]

I just published the fixed firmware http://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/
This one should work fine on a nRF51 module (tested!)

@junleus please test it and tell me how much it consume. Also, how are you measuring it?

@jaekim24 I'm using this module https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32826502025.html with a CR2032 cell coin battery. Battery still at 2.96V :)

[junleus]

@acalatrava

• I used a multimeter with dc amps to measure.
• I git clone your repository again, compiled new firmware, ether your and mine does not send the advertisements.
• Can you use the LightBlue app to scan the nRF51? when your iPhone beside the nRF51, the signal should be less than 30db.

[acalatrava]

Yes, I can confirm mine is working. In fact it appears on OpenHaystack app. Can you try with the compiled one from the releases?

https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/releases/download/0.1/nrf51_firmware.bin

[mowtschan]

@junleus unfortunately on my iPhone I'm unable to find my nrf51 but with the Macbook it works, I can even see exactly which device is mine:

1. copy adv. key:

2. run command and see from byte 7 which public key has your device(just 3-4bytes would be enough):

3. On mac I'm using BlueSee tool (https://apps.apple.com/de/app/bluesee-ble-debugger/id1336679524?mt=12):

[junleus]

@acalatrava
I flash that one too, no luck.

there are a little bit different of mine chip.

@mowtschan
I am using multimeter measure the power consume, the chip keep 5uA, so I pretty sure no advertisements send. seem keep sleeping.

[acalatrava]

I’m pretty sure it’s working. The thing is that the advertisement is set every 5 seconds. Sometimes on the iPhone won’t appear after 10 or even 20 seconds. Probably you are seeing 5uA because most of the time is sleeping :)

try changing the advertisement interval or try this app which seems to work better to see the device on iPhone
https://apps.apple.com/es/app/ebeacon-ble-scanner/id730279939

[junleus]

@mowtschan
what kind of chipset you are using? I used the same way of compiled the s130-beacon app, running well.

my chipset info
Info : nRF51822-QFAA(build code: H2) 256kB Flash, 16kB RAM
and
Info : nRF51822-QFAA(build code: H0) 256kB Flash, 16kB RAM

[mowtschan]

@junleus I bought it by AliExpress here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33061215469.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dgqLbvo
P.S.: just to clarify: I’m using original firmware from openhaystack.

[acalatrava]

@junleus if the s130-beacon is working then my firmware should work too. Did you try to change the advertising interval? Try to change it to 100, that way you should see it on the light blue app or similar
https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/blob/eef0a6b81e405b79027f0cf450c3e4b3322a76b3/apps/openhaystack-alternative/main.c#L10

by the way, your board is the same as mine! So...

[junleus]

I ordered 2 nRF52832, will test it then.

[acalatrava]

Which modules did you order?

you should try the firmware on the nRF51 during the day and check if the location is being updated on the app

[junleus]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081GYNM2G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jaekim24]

@junleus I bought the same one and it arrived today!

[jaekim24]

im trying to flash the nRF52 but idk where to connect my VCC port from my J-Link debugger to the nRF52 module and also which ground am I supposed to connect to on the nRF52 module

[sebi5361]

Average Power Consumption (in uA @ 3V)

I compared the power consumption of my Holyiot YJ-14001 BLE module (nRF51822) with different settings:

Low-Frequency Oscillator / Internal Power Supply Regulator	LDO (Default)	DC/DC
Internal RC Circuit (Default)	9.21	9.64
External 32.768 kHz Crystal	7.60	7.98

Note: to enable the DC/DC regulator I added line sd_power_dcdc_mode_set(1); before the while loop in main.c. This could be done as the Holyiot YJ-14001 BLE module is populated with the proper LC components required to enable this feature (see Nordic InfoCenter for explanations). I don't know about the official AliExpress beacon. Contrary to what I read, switching the regulator from LDO to DC/DC didn't improve power consumption.

TLDR

The lowest power consumption was obtained enabling the external 32.768 kHz crystal together with the LDO regulator.

Current Measurement Screenshots

Below are screenshots of the measurements made using my NORDIC Power Profiler Kit II for the different settings.
Note the spikes due to clock calibrations here and there (see explanations from the Nordic DevZone) when selecting the internal RC oscillator.

N51-RC-LDO

N51-XTAL-LDO

N51-RC-DCDC

N51-XTAL-DCDC

[sebi5361]

An additional comment:
Not all AliExpress beacons are populated with the low frequency external crystal.

Check it out before enabling the external low-frequency 32.768 kHz crystal.

[junleus]

I checked this before, per the beacon do not need the 32k crystal.so all beacon device will not have this 32k crystal.

[sebi5361]

Note the 4s interval spikes due to the clock calibration involved when using the internal low-frequency RC oscillator (see figure N51-RC-LDO blue rectangles) (orange rectangles correspond to 5s interval broadcasting spikes):

Those spikes are responsible for the extra average power consumption compared to enabling the external low-frequency 32.768kHz crystal (9.21uA vs 7.60uA).

[Furtivo360]

Hi all! Good stuff in here, thanks for all your good work! 💯 👍
QQ: I am not really sure if I've done the right thing.

I've copied the main.c content from this file:

moved inside the openhaystack-main folder of the openhaystack application (see blow), pasted the "modded low power" main.c script inside the original one and saved.

Is my understanding correct that whenever I will now generate the FW from the screen here below, the .bin will now be a modded one with the low power consumpiton feature?

Note: I've checked the shasum between the first original .bin firmware and the second modded .bin file and I can see 2 different ashes, this would make me think that I may be right...

Please let me know if I am doing it correctly or if I am completely on the wrong way :)

Thanks!

Deo

[Sn0wfreezeDev]

Hi @Furtivo360,

Please follow @acalatrava's Readme to compile the firmware and install it on your device. It does not work to move it into the OpenHaystack app since the installation is more involved here.

Kind regards
Alexander

[mearsy]

Hi @Furtivo360,

Please follow @acalatrava's Readme to compile the firmware and install it on your device. It does not work to move it into the OpenHaystack app since the installation is more involved here.

Kind regards Alexander

I just bought one of these for testing

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32826502025.html

My question is, @acalatrava provides precompiled NRF51 firmware at

https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/tree/main/apps/openhaystack-alternative/compiled

So I moved it into the app as such Openhaystack --> Contents --> NRF.

NRF folder only seemed to contain firmware for NRF52 so I renamed the format on my file to NRF51_NRF51822.openHayStack.hex.

First thing I noted. His compiled firmware seemed big at 2.2mb vs the 500k for the existing ones

Second question. Do I have the naming format correct. i.e will Openhaystack detect the device as being a NRF51822 and pick up and use the new firmware.

Finally the most important newbie question. How to program it. Am I correct in assuming just connecting the STlink V2 up to the correct pins, I will be able to flash the device directly from the Openhaystack app with the option "Deploy NRF device"?

Apologies for the N00b questions.

[igormak]

I just created an alternative firmware that is compatible with both nRF51 and nRF52 platforms. It's using the Softdevice S130/S132 2.0.0 from Nordic SDK11.

I already tried it on this modules:

• E104-BT5032A board from EBYTE which can be purchased here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000538644215.html
• "AliExpress beacon" which can be purchased here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32826502025.html

More info here: https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/tree/main/apps/openhaystack-alternative

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

[SergeKZ]

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

did you find a solution?

[jaekim24]

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

did you find a solution?

I made this guide idk if it still works, but give it a try! I used the nRF52__ chip . https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lYstdm9G9HqyQjmxhz5JeDIKgajz7qRh4d1rxbnaFtY/edit?usp=sharing

[igormak]

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

did you find a solution?

No, I never managed to build for nRF52810

[igormak]

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

did you find a solution?

I made this guide idk if it still works, but give it a try! I used the nRF52__ chip . https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lYstdm9G9HqyQjmxhz5JeDIKgajz7qRh4d1rxbnaFtY/edit?usp=sharing

Are different softdevices used for nRF52832 and nRF52810?

[SergeKZ]

I made this guide idk if it still works, but give it a try! I used the nRF52__ chip . https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lYstdm9G9HqyQjmxhz5JeDIKgajz7qRh4d1rxbnaFtY/edit?usp=sharing

this manual is not suitable for NRF52810

[SergeKZ]

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

did you find a solution?

No, I never managed to build for nRF52810

there are ideal beacons on aliexpress with NRF52810, but there is no firmware =(

[SergeKZ]

I just created an alternative firmware that is compatible with both nRF51 and nRF52 platforms. It's using the Softdevice S130/S132 2.0.0 from Nordic SDK11.

I already tried it on this modules:

• E104-BT5032A board from EBYTE which can be purchased here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000538644215.html
• "AliExpress beacon" which can be purchased here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32826502025.html

More info here: https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack-firmware/tree/main/apps/openhaystack-alternative

tell me what you need to change in your firmware to compile under nrf52810

[Itheras]

How to build firmware for nRF52810?

did you find a solution?

No, I never managed to build for nRF52810

there are ideal beacons on aliexpress with NRF52810, but there is no firmware =(

I am testing a firmware for nrf52810. will share soon.

[SergeKZ]

I am testing a firmware for nrf52810. will share soon

@Itheras thanks I will test the power consumption and share the results

[Itheras]

@SergeKZ try this use it like this. NRF_MODEL=nrf52810 ADV_KEY=base64advkey make patch
removed the bin will upload source soon.

[SergeKZ]

will upload source soon.

@Itheras how is the progress?

[SergeKZ]

@Itheras do you need help?

[malmeloo]

@Itheras your firmware works wonderfully, could you please release the source code for it?

[malmeloo]

Thanks! 🙂

[edemusmax]

@Itheras your firmware works wonderfully, could you please release the source code for it?

Same! Can you please share source code? Thanks!

[acalatrava]

This works on nRF52810

https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack_moko

[malmeloo]

Alternatively, I found openhaystack-zephyr to work quite well, but I'm not sure about the power consumption. I probably also still have @Itheras's source code somewhere, but the repository appears to be gone, and they probably deleted it for a reason (?).

[edemusmax]

Alternatively, I found openhaystack-zephyr to work quite well, but I'm not sure about the power consumption. I probably also still have @Itheras's source code somewhere, but the repository appears to be gone, and they probably deleted it for a reason (?).

I also made it work with Zephyr, but wanted to take advantage of the optimizations that this fw has. I'm a little unsure how to flash the board with an STLink concerning the M1 repo, but I'll have a look. If we can incorporate the board library, which from Zephyr was the nrfdk_nrf52810, I would be much obliged!

[edemusmax]

This works on nRF52810

https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack_moko

Terrific, I'll have a closer look. On cursory inspection, do you need the nrf dev kit to flash the M1?

[acalatrava]

This works on nRF52810
https://github.com/acalatrava/openhaystack_moko

Terrific, I'll have a closer look. On cursory inspection, do you need the nrf dev kit to flash the M1?

Moko M1 have the SWDIO/CLK, VCC and GND pins exposed so you just need a regular jlink programmer

[pix]

I made "yet another firmware" for supporting nRF52810 using S112 softdevice : https://github.com/pix/heystack-nrf5x