💬 Sensebender Micro

Toyman

How difficult is to replace 0402 components with 0603 or 0804 components in Eagle? I am too old for 0402 soldering :-)))

tbowmo

@Toyman

Not that hard, but you'll probably need to redesign the board, to get room for the larger components.

Another option is to order the board pre-assembled from our partner, itead studio

martinhjelmare

I've tested to upload a sketch to the Sensebender Micro using platformio.

Put the following JSON into a json file in a folder named boards either in the MySensors library folder (your project in platformio), or somewhere else on the search path. Use the name of the json file in platformio.ini in the board setting. See for more info:
http://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/platforms/creating_board.html

Create a folder named boards in MySensors project folder.
Create a file in boards named sensebendermicro8MHz.json.

{
  "build": {
    "core": "arduino",
    "extra_flags": "-DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR -DARDUINO_AVR_PRO",
    "f_cpu": "8000000L",
    "mcu": "atmega328p",
    "variant": "standard"
  },
  "frameworks": [
    "arduino"
  ],
  "fuses": {
    "efuse": "0x06",
    "hfuse": "0xD2",
    "lfuse": "0xE2",
    "lock": "0x3F"
  },
  "name": "Sensebender Micro (3.3V, 8 MHz)",
  "upload": {
    "maximum_ram_size": 2048,
    "maximum_size": 30720,
    "protocol": "arduino",
    "require_upload_port": true,
    "speed": 57600
  },
  "url": "https://github.com/mysensors/SensebenderMicro",
  "vendor": "MySensors"
}

Add an env in platformio.ini.

[env:sensebendermicro8MHz]
platform = atmelavr
framework = arduino
board = sensebendermicro8MHz
lib_deps = MySensors

Compile sketch.
Upload sketch.

I think I've got the settings correct, but it was the first time I did this. But it's tested and works as far as I can see.

Should we add a JSON file to one of the mysensors repos on github?

marceltrapman

I have a bunch of W25X40CLSNIG-ND lying around.
They have the same size and same layout as far as I can see.

Is my thinking correct that I should be able to simply replace the AT25DF512C-SSHN-B, change the sketch and use it?

tbowmo

@marceltrapman

If it's a jedec compatible flash, then you should be able to swap.. But what is the usecase of a larger flash? You can't execute code in the external flash.. So for OTA you still only have a bit under 32Kbyte usefull space..

marceltrapman

@tbowmo no case at all, just that I have them and otherwise probably won't use them..

Michiel van der Wulp

To reprogram the sketch in a sensbender micro, wich processor frequency do I choose?

After choosing Board "Sensebender Micro", the menu in Arduino 1.6.12 has choice Processor "Atmega328 8MHz" and "Atmega328 1MHz".
My code seems to be executed equally fine with both settings.
But the Arduino Serial Monitor not:

If I choose the 1MHz version, the Serial monitor only produces garbage, whatever setting I choose for baud (in the sketch and in the serial monitor UI).

If I choose the 8MHz version, the serial monitor works fine.

I am confused. The Sensebender is a 1MHz device, isn't it? Is it able to run on 8MHz too?

tbowmo

@Michiel-van-der-Wulp

No, it runs at 8Mhz. It is asleep most of the time, so running at 8Mhz is actually more battery conserving, than running at 1Mhz (in theory), as shown in calculations over in this post. This is due to the shorter time powered on, when running at 8Mhz, compared to running at 1Mhz.

Michiel van der Wulp

OK, I understand.
My confusion was caused by the second sentence at https://www.mysensors.org/hardware/micro : "... it operates at 1Mhz ..."
That's a mistake then?

tbowmo

@Michiel-van-der-Wulp

Yes, sorry that was a false statement. I have modified the description, so that it now states that the Micro is running at 8Mhz.

marceltrapman

I am thinking of expanding the Sensebender Micro and learn Kicad in the process.

Unfortunately every attempt to convert from Eagle to Kicad failed.

Is there a Kicad version available or did any of you manage to convert the project?

tbowmo

@marceltrapman

There is no kicad project available for the Sensebender Micro, I tried to convert it myself, but didn't succeed with it either.

blacey

@tbowmo said in 💬 Sensebender Micro:

@marceltrapman

There is no kicad project available for the Sensebender Micro, I tried to convert it myself, but didn't succeed with it either.

I haven't tried this Eagle->KiCAD convertor myself but it might do the trick or at least reduce a lot of the manual labor to convert...

There's even a tutorial video.

tbowmo

@blacey

thanks for finding that tutorial.. Might give it a spin, and see if I can convert the sensebender micro to kicad

marceltrapman

@blacey I tried that one but for some reason a dialog pops up that I can not click away anymore :(
Complaining about files in a wrong place without giving more info.

blacey

@marceltrapman The author updated his repo within the past few days so you could open an issue on his GitHub repo to see if he can help...

tbowmo

@marceltrapman

Just tried the scripts from the url that @blacey mentioned above on the sensebender micro eagle files.. And got a semi working thing in kicad..

And it seems that at least the forward annotation from schematics to pcb is working like it should..

marceltrapman

@tbowmo Nice, I will try again (probably sunday or so)...

meddie

Hey together,
i have a question, because i have some capacity troubles. I used the example sketch from sensebender micro that meassures the temperature and humidity but i have additional activated the signing and encryption and now i got over the availible space 109%.
use anybody from you all the features? what i have to do?
thank you

nldroid

Re: 💬 Sensebender Micro
I'm trying to flash the sketch to the sensebender micro using the Arduio IDE.

I bought the sensebender micro with the suggested FTDI programmer.

I connected the programmer to the sensebender and plugged in the USB cable.

My windows 7 installation finds the device and installs the driver as USB Serial Port (COM3). The driver is from FTDI. The hardware device id is: FTDIBUS\COMPORT&VID_0403&PID_6001

In the Arduino IDE, i've selected Board: Sensebender Micro, Processor: Atmega 328 8Mhz, Port: COM3.

I tried using USBasp, made a clone with the right hardware id's and tried that. I tried AVRIsp Mk II.

Whatever i try, avrdude.exe tells me it can't find the device:

C:\Program Files (x86)\arduino-1.8.1\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\arduino-1.8.1\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -cRF232RL -Pusb -Uflash:w:C:\Users\rob\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_955073/SensebenderMicro.ino.hex:i 

avrdude: Version 6.3, compiled on Dec 16 2016 at 13:33:19
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "C:\Program Files (x86)\arduino-1.8.1\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : usb
         Using Programmer              : RF232RL
avrdude: Warning: cannot open USB device: Function not implemented
avrdude: error: could not find USB device with vid=0x403 pid=0x6001

avrdude done.  Thank you.

the selected serial port 
 does not exist or your board is not connected

Anyone knows what's wrong?

💬 Sensebender Micro

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