Hello,
We are currently manufacturing products using the nRF52840 with the nRF5 SDK. We are planning to develop new products using the nRF Connect SDK and are currently assessing the scope of work.
1. Can we continue to use the current bootloader?
2. If we use the nRF Connect SDK but still need Bluetooth functionality, do we need to use it with the SoftDevice?
Thank you.
Hi,
1. Can we continue to use the current bootloader?
Yes. See One bootloader to rule them all for some previous discussion on this.
2. If we use the nRF Connect SDK but still need Bluetooth functionality, do we need to use it with the SoftDevice?
Yes and no. The nRF Connect SDK has its own softdevice. But if you want BLE functionality in the nRF5 Bootloader, you will need the old SoftDevice in addition to the nRF Connect SDK application (which contains a softdevice controller).
Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik
Yes. See One bootloader to rule them all for some previous discussion on this.
I read the mentioned post and have a few questions. Is BLE DFU available in nrf-connect-sdk? Originally in nRF5 SDK, when the application receives a DFU signal, it transitions to the bootloader to proceed with DFU. Does nrf-connect sdk follow the same process? Also, it seems that there are several supported bootloaders (nRF5 SDK boot, MCUBoot, MCUmgr, etc.). What does Nordic officially recommend?
Currently, we have modified the nrfutil-pc to add a few parameters to the init packet for our nRF5 SDK bootloader. Which bootloader should we use to continue using this utility? From my understanding, using nRF5 SDK Boot would require additional Softdevice flash size, is this correct? If so, does it mean that the application and bootloader would separately occupy flash sizes for their respective BLE softdevices, thereby reducing the available flash size? If this is the case, is there a setting to standardize the softdevice as in nRF5 SDK?
_maibi said:Is BLE DFU available in nrf-connect-sdk?
Yes and no.
In the nRF Connect SDK, we support BLE DFU in the application, but not in the bootloader. nRF Connect SDK BLE DFU also supports MCUboot and not the nRF5 bootloader.
However, if you run the nRF5 bootloader, and has the nRF5 softdevice still installed on the device, you should still be able to use nRF5 bootloader BLE DFU.
_maibi said:Originally in nRF5 SDK, when the application receives a DFU signal, it transitions to the bootloader to proceed with DFU. Does nrf-connect sdk follow the same process?
Since nRF Connect SDK BLE DFU is in the app by default, it does not follow the same process.
If you plan to run the nRF5 bootloader with the nRF Connect SDK, you must implement the signal to the bootloader manually. This should be straight-forward to do.
_maibi said:Also, it seems that there are several supported bootloaders (nRF5 SDK boot, MCUBoot, MCUmgr, etc.). What does Nordic officially recommend?
We have this intro course on bootloaders in the nRF Connect SDK over at https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf-connect-sdk-intermediate/lessons/lesson-8-bootloaders-and-dfu-fota/, which I wrote.
So we officially recommend MCUboot if you want a bootloader for the nRF Connect SDK.
However, it is a bit complicated to update the bootloader from the nRF5 bootloader to MCUboot over DFU (while doing it over programming is fine).
So if you plan to upgrade your SDK version over DFU, I think I personally would recommend that you stick with the nRF5 bootloader.
_maibi said:Which bootloader should we use to continue using this utility?
The utility you refer to will only work for the nRF5 bootloader.
_maibi said:rom my understanding, using nRF5 SDK Boot would require additional Softdevice flash size, is this correct?
Yes and no.
The Softdevice will require extra space.
However for MCUboot and BLE DFU from the app, you need two slots for the application, also taking up extra space.
So you need extra space for either solution, but in two different ways.
_maibi said:If this is the case, is there a setting to standardize the softdevice as in nRF5 SDK?
No, we do not support this in the nRF Connect SDK
_maibi said:Is BLE DFU available in nrf-connect-sdk?
Yes and no.
In the nRF Connect SDK, we support BLE DFU in the application, but not in the bootloader. nRF Connect SDK BLE DFU also supports MCUboot and not the nRF5 bootloader.
However, if you run the nRF5 bootloader, and has the nRF5 softdevice still installed on the device, you should still be able to use nRF5 bootloader BLE DFU.
_maibi said:Originally in nRF5 SDK, when the application receives a DFU signal, it transitions to the bootloader to proceed with DFU. Does nrf-connect sdk follow the same process?
Since nRF Connect SDK BLE DFU is in the app by default, it does not follow the same process.
If you plan to run the nRF5 bootloader with the nRF Connect SDK, you must implement the signal to the bootloader manually. This should be straight-forward to do.
_maibi said:Also, it seems that there are several supported bootloaders (nRF5 SDK boot, MCUBoot, MCUmgr, etc.). What does Nordic officially recommend?
We have this intro course on bootloaders in the nRF Connect SDK over at https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf-connect-sdk-intermediate/lessons/lesson-8-bootloaders-and-dfu-fota/, which I wrote.
So we officially recommend MCUboot if you want a bootloader for the nRF Connect SDK.
However, it is a bit complicated to update the bootloader from the nRF5 bootloader to MCUboot over DFU (while doing it over programming is fine).
So if you plan to upgrade your SDK version over DFU, I think I personally would recommend that you stick with the nRF5 bootloader.
_maibi said:Which bootloader should we use to continue using this utility?
The utility you refer to will only work for the nRF5 bootloader.
_maibi said:rom my understanding, using nRF5 SDK Boot would require additional Softdevice flash size, is this correct?
Yes and no.
The Softdevice will require extra space.
However for MCUboot and BLE DFU from the app, you need two slots for the application, also taking up extra space.
So you need extra space for either solution, but in two different ways.
_maibi said:If this is the case, is there a setting to standardize the softdevice as in nRF5 SDK?
No, we do not support this in the nRF Connect SDK
