Pre production nRF52832 flashing

[JAC]

Hi,

I'm moving from the nRF52 DK to using the nRF52832

https://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data%20Sheets/Fanstel%20PDFs/BC832_V2.01_Dec-2017.pdf

It can be hand soldered.

If I order this and connect up a battery, can you tell me if there is already a Nordic system flashed on it.

And if this is the case, do you think it would then be possible to do an OTA  upload of an application using the nRF Connect nordic mobile application over bluetooth?

All this would get around having the flash the chip setting up JTAG connections and JLink

Any thoughts on this would be most useful.

Many thanks,

John A.

[ketiljo]

The device is blank when delivered from the factory. In order to connect to is, you need to flash with some firmware. This can either be done after soldering by Jlink via the SWD interface (SWDIO, SWCLK and GND) or in a socket before soldering. 

[JAC]

Very many thanks for your reply. I still have a few questions.

can you tell me what a socket is and how I can get one? Is there one for this chip?

I'm using the BC832 which contains the nRF52820

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/fanstel-corp/BT832/1914-1013-1-ND/8323666

You seem to say I only need three pins (SWDIO, SWCLK and GND).

From the Segger website it looks as though I need 6 pins (VTref, nRESET, GND, SWDIO, SWCLK and SWO).

https://www.segger.com/products/debug-probes/j-link/accessories/adapters/6-pin-needle-adapter/

Which one is the SWO? Is it not needed?

However, if I wish to use JTAG, it says I have to used the 10-pin needle adapter.

I take it that JTAG is not an absolute requirement in order to flash the chip?

[Mojo]

SWD is the jtag interface. So yes you need a jtag.  SWO and nRESET pins are not require to flash the chip.

You connect the require pins to the jtag.  It doesn't matter what type of connector as long as you can wire it to your jtag.

You use the Jlink or the IDAP-Link for that purpose.

[ketiljo]

You can only program the chip with the SWD interface, JTAG is not supported.

It doesn't sound very practical to program the complete module before it's mounted. The needle adapter will be a better choice. 

You only need SWDIO and SWCLK and GND. Depending on the type of programmer, VTref may be needed to set the logic level of the programmer to the same as the device. Reset is optional and SWO is not used. 

[Mojo]

jtag has became a generic for the probe whether it operates in jtag interface or SWD interface.  A CMSIS-DAP can work with both interface.  So yes it's jtag operating in SWD mode.  Other MCU such as NXP or STM32 can support both mode.  nRF5x only supports SWD mode.  The IDAP-Link is the only low cost CMSIS-DAP debug jtag that supports both mode that I know.  All the other CMSIS-DAP jtag only supports SWD.

SWD is invented by ARM and they call it jtag as well https://developer.arm.com/architectures/cpu-architecture/debug-visibility-and-trace/coresight-architecture/serial-wire-debug

[ketiljo]

No, SWD is not JTAG. Read the link again, they say SWD replaces the 5-pin JTAG port. JTAG is a industry standard with 4 or 5 signalling pins. http://infocenter.arm.com/help/topic/com.arm.doc.ddi0314h/Chddgbee.html. At best, you can say JTAG in SWD mode, but don't confuse it with JTAG.