RE: Fanstel BC832 (nRF52832 module) Dev Kit not detected over USB.

Mike W — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 21:23:50 GMT

Here's what I found out from the schematic and datasheets:

The board is not detected because its USB controller has no coprocessor and is no control in the pre-loaded FW of the eval module. It's just there in case the user wants to implement it.

This particular eval kit is more of a breakout board. Unlike the nRF52 DK, no SWD programmer is built into the Fanstel module.

It includes useful hardware peripherals like any breakout board, for example a SiLabs CP2102 UART/USB converter properly connected to a mini-USB port. To use it requires loading a USB stack onto the device and setting it to communicate with those ports. It also has reset and another pushbutton, a slider switch, a few LEDs, and EPROM with a 128 bit EPROM for storing an ID if desired. There are pads to solder a battery if desired.

Fanstel does supply their eval modules preloaded with a nifty BT range test feature, but does not enable OTA updates with this initial firmware.

Hope this helps others if they'd like to use these modules. I will say that the quality seems first-rate.