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POST 3 What is in the box... Red Pitaya STEMlab 125-14 PRO Gen 2 Starter Kit

colporteur

I've discovered that the documentation is significantly behind the product supplied for this RoadTest. I would have liked to provide the resource I discovered that my fellow RoadTester could use and not have to visit the dead end rabbit warrens that I have traveled.

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It appears this is the unit used for the documentation. Notice next to the RJ45 connector the narrow silver case of a USB-A socket.

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We are provided this unit. Note the USB is not present.

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In addition, the kit comes with a QSPI eMCC module. It mates with the E3 connector on the board. This module promises to eliminate the need for the SD card, if it only worked!

I've discovered the firmware for this module has changed (as promised in documentation). I have been unsuccessful in trying to load the OS to this module in the current firmware version because of the watchdog timer. It reboots the OS when it fails to get a proper response. It has to be disabled to load the OS (through a USB port that doesn't exist) into the module. A github dev version I found appears to fix the issue.

The documentation is for the board I don't have so even if I solve the watchdog timer issue my board doesn't have the USB-A port to move the OS.

After backing out of the last warren run that ended in a dead end, I've sent an email to Red Pitaya support for assistance.

My intent was to get a stable Pitaya platform to pursue SDR objectives. A self contained bootable Pitaya I felt was a reasonable starting point. That would give me a chance to explore the setup and then investigate SDR. That setup part is proving to be a bit of a challenge.

Getting the OS working was a struggle. I'm going to park the module boot option until I get a response from support.

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  • colporteur said:
    through a USB port that doesn't exist

    Aren't you supposed to use the USB C console port on the back on the Gen 2 versions ?

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Yes, the documentation talks about using the CON port which is one of the three USB-C connectors on the underside.

    It also warns about that watchdog and has the following suggestion:

    Two options are available to disable the watchdog:

    Option 1 — Edit the E3 module firmware (currently supported)

    Modify the E3 module firmware source code to disable the watchdog timer check, then re-flash the STM32 microcontroller on the QSPI eMMC module before proceeding with the eMMC flashing steps.

    Refer to the E3 QSPI eMMC module software guide for instructions on building and programming the E3 firmware.

    Option 2 — Send the watchdog disable command via I2C (available in a future OS version)

    A future Red Pitaya OS version will include support for sending a watchdog disable command to the E3 module via I2C before rebooting into U-boot. When this feature is available, the firmware modification in Option 1 will no longer be required.

    Refer to the E3 I2C controller utility for information about I2C commands supported by the E3 module.

    Option 2 is apparently out of the equation, so one must reflash the STM32 controller on the eMMC module, as described here: https://redpitaya.readthedocs.io/en/latest/developerGuide/software/system_development/e3_software/QSPI_eMMC_sw/QSPI_eMMC_software.html#e3-qspi-emmc-module-sw

    But honestly, this feels like quite a daunting task as its first requirement is to have access to a ST-Link/V2 programmer which is not something that I have here anyway.

    I believe I'll do one very long post for this review, but this one thing that is starting to come through in my early testing: It's not a simple device and the learning curve is quite steep.

  • in reply to obones
    obones said:
    Option 2 is apparently out of the equation

    The changelog appears to show that e3_i2c tools were added under 2.07-43:

    New Tools: Introduced updater_tool, profiles_tool, e3_led_controller, and e3_i2c tools.

    so option 2 may now be an option.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    You have more gray matter in this area than myself BD. Through all my efforts the watchdog timer starts after approx 7 seconds. Even if I was to get it to stop, I'm not sure I can load the eMCC module. The latest response from an email I sent to tech support has encourage me to look at other objectives.

  • in reply to obones

    I guess this is what they are referring to ?
    "...Modify the E3 module firmware source code to disable the watchdog timer check..."

    imagehttps://github.com/RedPitaya/RedPitaya-Examples/blob/main/E3_source_code/QSPI_eMMC_code.ino

  • in reply to obones

    I just received a reply from tech support regarding this. I'm going to post the questions I submitted via email and their response in another post. I'm not holding out but want to confirm some things first and capture some content. That and my questions were lengthy and I don't want to run this thread longer.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Ah boy, this documentation is a maze in and of itself.
    So, yes, connecting to the SSH console works (user/password are in yet another page deep down in the developer's guide)

    Then, sure, I can do that:

    root@rp-f0f9ca:~# e3_i2c_controller -r -v
    HW ID = 0x01
    Data = 0x02 - PWR_ON

    but that does not help much, and the documentation for the E3 module is not giving more information either about a watchdog so I guess it's not there yet.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    The new tool I found but the firmware on the module doesn't support it. According to the github dev tree I found firmware v1.1 released in Sept. will disable the watchdog timer. That still doesn't address how to have the eMCC module appear as a drive for balenaetcher to use. I've emailed tech support and will post their response.

    Working on this might have to be a community event. As each participant discovers something, it is shared to avoid duplication.

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  • in reply to beacon_dave

    The new tool I found but the firmware on the module doesn't support it. According to the github dev tree I found firmware v1.1 released in Sept. will disable the watchdog timer. That still doesn't address how to have the eMCC module appear as a drive for balenaetcher to use. I've emailed tech support and will post their response.

    Working on this might have to be a community event. As each participant discovers something, it is shared to avoid duplication.

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