CDEBYTE's new NRF24 modules are great! (and cheap)

[Yveaux]

@mfalkvidd from my own experience with ebyte modules I would say they are superior compared to the no-name ones.
The nrf signature (power, inverted ack bit, rf spectrum) compares to genuine nordic modules so the ebyte claim that they use original nordic modules looks to be valid.
Furthermore the red modules referred to by @alowhum are very small, have good build quality and a low power resonator which makes them a perfect fit for battery powered applications.

The mySensors community would profit from a supplier offering good radios at a decent price. IMHO Ebyte currently is the best (only?) supplier matching these criteria, so I would vote to only mention their modules in the build section.

Hopefully this will help (new) users to start using high quality modules and prevent a lot of frustration caused by poor quality hardware.

[alowhum]

@mfalkvidd Ah, I didn't realise they were already on the website. Great!

Perhaps you could also add these wonderful boards to the build page, and mention them as the preferred solution for beginners? I build everything with these now.

• No fiddling with 8 cables when you want to connect the radio
• Stable power for the radio
• No more soldering on extra 5v and ground pins to the nano

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Nano-328P-IO-Wireless-Sensor-Expansion-Board-for-XBEE-and-NRF24L01-Socket-for-arduino-Diy-Kit/32264665470.html

[skywatch]

I have many "CDEBYTE" modules, the red ones,smd ones and the pa/lna ones.
They all work very well, no problems at all (even the one that got 5V for 30 seconds by mistake ;-) ).

But as far as I can tell they don't claim that their boards contain nordic manufactured chips - they say that their designs are 'based on' original nordic chips, but not 'using' them per se.

Maybe they are just superior clones, but they are working well and cheap, so I am not too worried :)

[alowhum]

@skywatch I could have sworn that I read "imported chips" on their website the other day.

@mfalkvidd

I've also ordered this board:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Wireless-Rapspberry-Pie-Rpi-Shield-Board-For-Raspberry-Pi-Support-Zigbee-Xbee-NRF24L01-NRF24L01-RFM12B-D/32858434375.html

Once I've tested it I'll let you know. It might then also be useful to mention on the Raspberry Pi Controller page, ideally as the 'default' option.

[mfalkvidd]

@alowhum which "build page" are you referring to?

[skywatch]

@alowhum You may be correct on this as they have changed the photos and description in the last month or so - it now says components "Imported from Japan, USA & Germany" and then 'original nordic imported' - So that is clearer than it was before.

[sundberg84]

And for those who likes ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ebyte-E01-ML01D-100m-nRF24L01-2-4GHz-SPI-wireless-transmitter-receiver-module/191974998709?hash=item2cb29a02b5:g:gzcAAOSwKflZN7Al

[skywatch]

@sundberg84 That's nearly twice the price of ali!

FWIW I checked my orders, earlier this year they were $2.24each. They had the ML01D screen printed on them.

Now they are $1.42 each, they are a different colour red and have no screen printing on the back.

[mfalkvidd]

@skywatch using a smd capacitor like that is a clever and clean solution to placing the capacitor close to the chip. Thanks for sharing! I'll do that in the future instead of messing with the big electrolycic cans.

[skywatch]

@mfalkvidd Thank you! - If I had known I would have used one with better soldering for the photo It was just to show that the newer cheaper ones were not identical to the original ones they sold a few months ago.

I use either 1206 or 0805 ceramic multilayer capacitors, 47uF, 6.3V. All nrf's get this treatment before use. A jewellers eyepiece is good for checking the joints and I solder them by hand but it needs a pair of tweezers or fine pliers.

[sundberg84]

@mfalkvidd would be interesting which perform best, smd cheramic or electrolytic cap... now when you are thinking about a new oscilloscope ;)

[nitroburn]

There are two stores that manufacturer the same modules. Often the prices will differ between the two so you're best off comparing which one is less expensive. CDSNET

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/omg-a-few-cents/2798183_32807273986.html
store link: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/2798183

Same board, 2c less right now. It is too bad they no longer do their insane, I have no idea why they were so low, price sales anymore. Happened the same time as an EBates 10% back Not that I need any more of their products. I have way too many modules from them already (100s), but 75% off was hard to pass up. items quantities were limited but they seem to reset the sale so often I just placed a ton of orders whenever it let me. Many NRF52832 modules were acquired this way.

but if your already shopping AliExpress, I hope you're using eBates on top of that.
USA eBates (note, I use this from Canada if greater cashback before or after exchange. ie, both are 3% right now, but USD>CAD): http://bit.ly/eBatesDotCom
Canada eBates: http://bit.ly/eBatesDotCa
There are often 10% back offered.

[alowhum]

Too bad they're not so cheap anymore..

[skywatch]

@alowhum You are right! - That is some inflation they have in China! ;)

I got a load in August for $1.42 each. Now $3.50 - $3.89. What the .....?

[gohan]

at that price it is worth to switch to rfm69

[รอเรือ]

@alowhum said in CDEBYTE's new NRF24 modules are great! (and cheap):

I've also ordered a shielded version that I'm still waiting for.

Today, I've tried the unshielded one and the few that I've tried seem to work.

However, I haven't been able to make the shielded one work on a IO Shield for Arduino Nano. I've used antennas from older traditional NRF24L01+PA+LNA Antenna version. No way. I will try different decoupling-Capacitors tomorrow.

I feel I'm stuck in the NRF24-hell...

[Yveaux]

@รอเร-อ said in CDEBYTE's new NRF24 modules are great! (and cheap):

I haven't been able to make the shielded one work

What's the issue? Is the module not responding to arduino commands or are transmissions /receptions failing?

[รอเรือ]

@yveaux I'll investigate further today and report here afterwards. Thanks.

[รอเรือ]

@yveaux

I have spent 2 days trying to solve my various NRF24 related problems at my home.

What I'd like to achieve is to make my serial gateway using a NRF24-transciever with an external antenna to extends it's range.

CDEBYTE's new NRF24-transciever (the unshielded one) works in my serial gateway (built with a Nano IO Shield) and fed with USB power only. I can attach a separate power source if I want to but it seems to work well without it.

However, CDEBYTE's new shielded NRF24-transciever (Shielded nRF24L01 PA+LNA) refuses to work. I get only NACKs in the log even if I attach a separate power source. I've also tried just connecting my Nano board directly to the radio with cables (without the IO shield) just like in the Build a serial gateway demo. (I've tried all kind of power settings) I also tried to power the radio with a battery. Those NACKs are resilient indeed. Of course I've tried all kind of decouple capacitors and several combinations of electrolytic and ceramic ones... No way.

BUT, there is always a but isn't there? ... I have managed to get the CDEBYTE Shielded nRF24L01 PA+LNA to work stable on a battery powered node, a Pro Mini ATmega 328 (1.8V 1 MHz). I can't tell why that works while not working with the Nano.

My current working solution is using the "old" unshielded nRF24L01 PA+LNA mounted on the Nano IO Shield fed with usb power only. #define MY_RF24_PA_LEVEL RF24_PA_MAX While this seems to work (at least for the moment) I can not just switch to using the shielded radio.

So if someone succeeds using the CDEBYTE Shielded nRF24L01 PA+LNA connected to a Nano board I'm interested to hear how you made it work.

The thing is that everything that I have tried gives so random results that it's driving me crazy. Whatever seems to work one minute stops to work the next minute.

[skywatch]

@รอเร-อ I have been using the cdebyte shielded pa/lna for months now with a 5V pro mini and all is good with the radio module. I have a 47uF ceramic smd capacitor soldered across the nrf24 power pins on the reverse side of the board. I am running it with POWER=HIGH since it is the higher powered version I don't need to set it to MAX.

What current rating is the power source you are using? Maybe the voltage is dropping when it is sending data as there is not enough current available? Just a thought.

Also, try moving the position of the nrf slightly. Just a few cm can make quite a big difference. Finding a 'sweet spot' is often the solution, that's why on many modules I put the nrf in a separate tiny box so it can be positioned in a good place for best signal.

I can confirm that from my experience this is that this is a very frustrating and time consuming path!