- Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:46 pm
#495
Lucky me got the old version without the programming pin. So I will have to order again.
- Fri Sep 12, 2014 3:25 pm
#497
Hey, it's already started
I don't have to peel off the PCB this time, it is just a 2-layer board that can almost be observed without a binocular
Regarding the components, there is not much to discover any more:
Beside the added LEDs, it is almost corresponding to the datahseet reference design, except there is no series resistor on SD_CLK, but its is not required given the small trace length.
There is no RF calibration required, so we are safe on this point, but my fear is that cheap manufacturers use a lower quality crystal with larger tolerance.
That's about it for the hardware, we are ready to have an open hardware schematic and layout done, if required.
As for the software, we have boot ROM dumps with all symbol names from the ROM LD script, we are now familiar with the SPI Flash memory layout and also have some memory dumps of it. Most of the static libraries are taken from FOSS projects, so they can easily be reconstructed, except for the specific Espressif 802.11 stack and PHY driver. We don't have the source for the AT-based firmware, but we do have one for the IoT demo and we are able to reconstruct it with the XCC closed-source compiler and flash it over the UART.
What we are still missing:
hackrid wrote:Squonk, let your magic begin
Hey, it's already started
I don't have to peel off the PCB this time, it is just a 2-layer board that can almost be observed without a binocular
Regarding the components, there is not much to discover any more:
- the ESP8266
- the 4Mbit (512MB) SPI Flash
- the 26 MHz/10ppm crystal with its 2 stray caps
- a single decoupling cap: grr, there should be another 10µF one, we may need to add it externally, and there is none on the SPI Flash chip (it is also the case in the reference design from the datasheet)
- 2 LEDs with limiting resistor, one is a power LED, the other one is a status LED, apparently connected to UTXD
- a PCB printed antenna with L/C/L Pi filter (2xL NM)
- the 12K bias resistor
Beside the added LEDs, it is almost corresponding to the datahseet reference design, except there is no series resistor on SD_CLK, but its is not required given the small trace length.
There is no RF calibration required, so we are safe on this point, but my fear is that cheap manufacturers use a lower quality crystal with larger tolerance.
That's about it for the hardware, we are ready to have an open hardware schematic and layout done, if required.
As for the software, we have boot ROM dumps with all symbol names from the ROM LD script, we are now familiar with the SPI Flash memory layout and also have some memory dumps of it. Most of the static libraries are taken from FOSS projects, so they can easily be reconstructed, except for the specific Espressif 802.11 stack and PHY driver. We don't have the source for the AT-based firmware, but we do have one for the IoT demo and we are able to reconstruct it with the XCC closed-source compiler and flash it over the UART.
What we are still missing:
- the source for the AT-based firmware from Espressif
- the source for the 802.11 stack and PHY driver from Espressif
- the source for the boot ROM from Espressif
- some information regarding the SoC detailed block diagram and memory layout, including OTP and/or ROM capabilities
- the source for the XCC compiler from Tensilica: they should split their licensed IPs for chip designers from software tools for users
- a manufacturer ready to produce FCC/IC/CE/RoHS-certified modules
- Sat Sep 13, 2014 5:22 am
#507
Just received the ones ordered on 29/08 from this AliExpress vendor:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Ultra-sm ... 76346.html
These are the ESP-04 SMD with all pins broken out to castellated pins, no built-in antenna, dimensions 15.0 x 12.0 mm, in lots of 5. You can get these for 3$/piece in QTY 25...
ESP-04 SMT ESP8266 Castellated Module
Squonk wrote:Just received my modules from Electrodragon, ordered 01/09: these are the new model with LEDs and GPIOs routed to header, yeah.
I did not receive the modules I ordered from AliExpress on 29/08 yet, but it's China snail mail, I am not worried.
Just received the ones ordered on 29/08 from this AliExpress vendor:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Ultra-sm ... 76346.html
These are the ESP-04 SMD with all pins broken out to castellated pins, no built-in antenna, dimensions 15.0 x 12.0 mm, in lots of 5. You can get these for 3$/piece in QTY 25...
