Thingy 52 - Getting Started, Having Issues

[mtk38]

Hi,

I am just getting started with the thingy 52 and I need some guidance. I am a EE by profession so I feel a bit out of my league here. 

When I unwrapped my thingy I was able to pair it with my phone no problem. Since then I've messed around with flashing my own code and other examples but now on the app it can never locate the device. I assumed with the one given example in the thingy 52 SDK, it would be able to pair to the phone. Is this not true? What do I need to do to use the example (ble_app_thingy_s132_pca20020) and pair it to my phone?

My application is very simple, all I want to do is send motion data (accelerometer and gyrocope data) and one other external sensor via BLE to the app. I find the thingy SDK example to be pretty overwhelming for my skill set, is there a better place to start or at least what section of the app should I pay attention to? 

Thanks!

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

The Thingy code is very messy, not recommended for newbies.  I suggest you work your way up from the base nRF5_SDK.  There are many example n the SDK from simple to complex. https://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-Tools/Software/nRF5-SDK

Alternatively, there is a simpler firmware compatible with Thingy App.  This firmware is made for a different but a lot simpler to understand. Source and Eclipse based project here :

https://github.com/I-SYST/EHAL/tree/master/ARM/Nordic/exemples/BlueIOThingy

https://github.com/I-SYST/EHAL/tree/master/ARM/Nordic/nRF52/exemples/BlueIOThingy

It is made for this board : https://www.crowdsupply.com/i-syst/blyst-nano

[mtk38]

Nguyen, thanks for the information. So will the Thingy app only work with the base firmware that comes with the Thingy? Are any of the BLE examples compatible with the app? If not, how do I stream the data through a terminal on a computer to verify that BLE is working?

I'll have a look at the compatible firmware you mentioned. Will it work with the Thingy? 

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

The Thingy firmware works with Thingy App.  Other example from the SDK does not but works with other App.  Usually we use the App called nRFConnect to test the BLE firmware.  In order for you to able to modify and add other things to the Thingy firmware, you need first to understand how everything works piece by piece.  The SDK examples will give that.  Other resources are also available for getting started.  This blog shows you some simple way to write BLE firmware.  http://embeddedsoftdev.blogspot.com/2017/

The other compatible firmware does work with the Thingy App.  That is why I said compatible.  It used different sensor and send converted data to the Thingy App.  See this video www.youtube.com/watch

[mtk38]

Thanks. I am trying to stream data over nRFConnect, however something is not right. I followed the instructions in the SDK to first program the soft device. It says to use s132 V4.0.2 for the Thingy, however the link is broken and all that comes with the SDK is s132 V6.1.1, is this ok? I am using nRF Go Studio to do this and nothing is complaining when I program and verify, however something doesn't seem totally right. I can not see my device under the device manager area. I am not sure why.

Following the instructions once the softdevice is programmed, I am compiling and flashing ble_app_blinky_pca10040_s132 as recommended by the SDK. I realize my Thingy is using PCA20020, so what kind of incompatibility will this cause? 

Anyways, when I open nRFConnect it can not see the device. Attached are screen shots of both my nRF Go Studio and nRFConnect windows. Any help would be much appreciated. 

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

The thing firmware is old.  The latest SDK uses SD6.1.1 that is correct.  The nrfStudio is also very old and unsupported.  the new one is nrfjprog.  The different between boards are the I/O for led and buttons.  As for BLE it is the same.  You should see it in nRFConnect only you won't see the LED flashing.  You can also recompile the example for Thingy board.

[mtk38]

I have followed all the instructions to my knowledge, I am programming SD6.1.1, I am flashing the ble_app_blinky_c_pca10040_s132 example without any errors and still,I can not get nRF Connect to see my device. This is getting extremely frustrating and I expected more the SDK. Attached is my nRF Connect Screen. Any Ideas? 

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

You are running nRFConnect on PC right ? It needs a Nordic DK board for that.  Try the one on your phone or tablet

[mtk38]

Yes running on my PC. I am using the Thingy 52, that is the only nRF52 dev board I have. Is it not supported for nRFConnect? 

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

Nope, nRFConnect PC requires a Nordic DevKit board dedicated to it.  The NRF52840 Dongle can also be used for it.  You need a tool of 2 boards, one for your firmware (Thingy52) and one for the nRFConnect PC.  If you use nRFConnect on phone or Tablet then you don't need the second board.