nRF5 action!

[Nca78]

@neverdie it's this link, in the description on aliexpress you can see the internal PCB "module"
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Nordic-nRF52832-BLE-4-0-4-2-5-0-USB-UART-BLE-dongle-for-computer/420533_32862480389.html

[Toyman]

@nca78 Got it. So it's kinda Arduino Nano, but nrf52-based.

[NeverDie]

@nca78 said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:

@neverdie it's this link, in the description on aliexpress you can see the internal PCB "module"
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/tag-connect-llc/TC2030-CLIP/TC2030-CLIP-ND/2605371

? Plug of nails?

[Toyman]

@neverdie https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Nordic-nRF52832-BLE-4-0-4-2-5-0-USB-UART-BLE-dongle-for-computer/420533_32862480389.html

[NeverDie]

I dropped "Bluetooth" from the title of this thread because the thread instead evolved into the MySensors alternative to Bluetooth.

[alowhum]

How hard, or how much work, would it be to create a version of the MySensors gateway that works on one of those dongles?

[Toyman]

@alowhum my understaning, it should work out of the box

[alowhum]

Really? So something like:

• Upload gateway sketch to it (how?)
• Select "serial connection" in Domoticz?

[NeverDie]

@alowhum You'd still need a programmer

[Toyman]

@neverdie ...and some nifty soldering skills in order to connect to SWDIO/SWDCLK pads

[scalz]

i don't think you need extraordinary soldering skills, pads on bottom looks easy ;) (pretty sure these are the programming pads)

The right question, imho, would be: can you expect from this dongle the range you would expect from a gateway ?? regarding chip antenna performance and maybe its gnd counterpoise..

[Toyman]

@scalz said in nRF5 action!:

pretty sure these are the programming pads

they are even "labeled" on the x-ray picture below

[scalz]

@Toyman yep, this confirms what i said, not difficult to access.
I didn't read the description..just looking at the pcb layout was enough to tell me poor rf range + no basic usb spec design rules (latter point is maybe not the most critical for most of people, but it just shows 1) designer wasn't aware ?? 2) this is what you get for cheap money, whereas missing parts would have cost few cents..).
Just saying, because maybe this dongle can work well enough for some people.

[Toyman]

@scalz actually, it might be ideal as a REPEATER given the form-factor. You just insertt it into any cheap USB charger and voila.

[scalz]

@Toyman that's a valid point, sure. Here, I prefer to not have repeater as much as i can, else i switch to subghz ;)

[Jokgi]

This post is deleted!

[NeverDie]

@jokgi said in nRF5 action!:

@neverdie I would suggest holding off on purchasing a new nRF52840-PDK until the final silicon is released.

Oh! It's still not?

[Jokgi]

@scalz
I would be interested in any range testing in regard to this dongle. For ground it has whatever it is that it is plugged into. (PC, SBC, USB extention cable, etc) There will be a nRF52840 based dongle out soon. See picture above. This dongle will need to be programed over the SWD lines. No Segger on board this one..!

[scalz]

@Jokgi i'm not using usb dongle but it looks nice. (too bad 52840 is AQFN..)

[Omemanti]

@Nca78
Getting rid of the ground plains around the entire module hugely improved the range. Had to stap back to AAA batteries to fit on the board. But I'm happy with the way it's going (AA is still possible but not soldered on it just doesn't fit enough in the wall socket)