Time travel - selecting NRF5SDK v13 for S132(4.0.5) on NRF52810

[snoopy20]

I currently use NRF5SDK v17 with S112 supporting 0-2 peripherals, ideally using data extension (4.2). No encryption is used and I don't need any 5.0 features.

I now wish to support the same but supporting 1 observer. This requires shifting to the S132. Start the music...

I then began looking at which S132 softdevice will fit into the available free flash/ram and the latest to do so is v4.0.5.

According to the docs v4.0.5 will support multiple peripherals and a central. I can't see anything about observer but assume it's possible if it's just a scan without a connect (pray).

Rolling back code and refactoring to SDK v13 is quite a bit of work so I thought I'd ask before I begin whether there's any other solution. The only potential I could think of is that SDK v7 might support earlier softdevices through the NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION=7 definition, however I can find no documentation on whether this is true or how many revisions back may be supported.

Cheers!

[Hung Bui]

Hi Andrew, 

I am afraid that you can't use S132 v4.0.5. The only S132 version that we have tested and qualified for nRF52810 is v5.1.0 
See here: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/comp_matrix_nrf52810/page/COMP/nrf52810/nRF52810_ic_rev_sdk_sd_comp_matrix.html

Could you explain what you meant by "SDK v7 might support earlier softdevices " ?  What is SDK v7 ? Please don't get confused between  NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION=7 and nRF5 SDK v7. This NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION=7 is for S132 v7.x 

It's up to you  to try using S132 v5.1.0 in newer SDK but we haven't tested so we can't guarantee it would work. 

[snoopy20]

I may have to manually test 4.0.5 on the 810 then, I feel it will work as the hardware is 832 compatible. The 5.1.0 jumps in flash size and there's a minuscule amount left for Application space, not enough in my case.

Yes I wondered if setting NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION=4 might be possible but the release notes of any nrf5sdk always says it only supports the latest/matching softdevice. While I did by accident use v17 sdk with v6 softdevice without issue, the v4 softdevice has some noticeable differences like the lack of Observer event registration.

While softdevice is proprietary is it possible to get the source by NDA? If I had the latest code I could recompile it without a lot of the central code.

[snoopy20]

One more option, s132_nrf52_5.0.0-2.alpha is 132kb which will leave 5.9kb flash after every optimisation I can muster and should just be enough. I might as well test it as the v5 series is closer to the v6&7. Any chance you could supply the file?.. it's not on the website.

[Hung Bui]

Hi Andrew, 
No I don't think setting NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION=4 can help here. We didn't make the SDK to be backward compatible that much. I think only 6 and 7 is supported. 

It's not so clear to me on what you are planning but what you plan to test is only suitable for the testing purpose and not suitable for production as the combination is not tested and not qualified. You won't be able to release the product with Bluetooth certification. 

I attached here the S132 alpha as requested, but again they are not supposed for production. 
s132_nrf52_5.0.0-3.alpha.zip
s132_nrf52_5.0.0-2.alpha.zip

[snoopy20]

Thanks for the files!

After some hours I've put the project back to SDK14 and SD5.0.0-2 with 6.5Kb of flash left. That's just enough! The existing functionality is working.

I am mostly implemented with an observer but have a few questions and will create another thread.