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Arduino, Adafruit and Particle.io all use the nRF52840 SOC but none of them can be programmed through USB and the NRF Connect for Desktop

rocksetta

I have 3 Nordic nrf52840 USB dongles, several Particle Mesh Argons and have ordered an Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense and have found the Adafruit Feather nRF52840 Express. All of these boards use the Nordic nRF 52840 SOC but the last three cannot be programmed using the "NRF Connect for Desktop".

I would like to be able to program these boards with one consistent method and the NRF Connect For Desktop would be the best approach. I get that it is not Nordic's responsibility to spend time to connect these products, but perhaps they could direct me to some possible solutions. Each of these boards have different strengths: The Nordic board is inexpensive, the Nano 33 BLE Sense has many sensors on board, the Particle Argon has built in Wifi, the Adafruit board allows CircuitPython. 

If anyone can connect these boards, it would be the technicians at Nordic. Does anyone have any suggestions? I can generate a .hex file but how do I get it onto the boards. Is there any bootloaders that might work on all three? Can that bootloader be loaded using only the USB connection? I do not want to use a JTAG connection.

The advantage to Nordic is that a large BLE network could have many Nordic boards, but could also have some of these specialty boards when needed. Being able to switch between the different platforms would also be very useful.

  • 0 in reply to Samir

    Yes the Particle Debugger is an amazing device. Very easy to use with the Particle boards. With the Nordic nRF52840 USB dongle you just have to use three wires. SWDCLK, SWDIO and GND. With Arduino the locations are a bit more confusing and connecting is a bit harder. The nice thing with the Particle Debugger is that .hex files are windows drag and drop. Seriously, once the Debugger is connected to your computer and the Nordic USB Dongle has it's own power, a window pops up that you drag your .hex file onto. The window disappears then another window shows up. If the new window has a FAIL.txt file it did not work. No Fail.txt file and it worked. Very easy.

    Can load full .hex file programs or just load a bootloader.hex, either way fairly amazing. I can load the Arduino bootloader onto the Nordic board or load the Nordic bootloader onto the Arduino or Particle boards.

  • 0 in reply to rocksetta
    • While the ConnectTag cable is probably the easiest option, another method compared with soldering to the pads on the above dongle, is using 50 mill pitch pogo pins aka SLC (spring loaded connectors) in your own test fixture/jig PCB.  Mill-Max has these in a dizzying array of configurations, including in thru hole and surface mount.  Here are but a few examples: 1x4 thru hole assembly (PN: 854-22-004-10-001101 or for right angle 854-22-004-20-001101), solder cup (PN: 854-22-004-10-003101). Right angle SMD (PN: 854-22-004-40-001101).  They also have 2x5 assemblies, if the four jtag pins you need are not together in the same row or the ConnectTag ribbon cable is less than ideal.  Thanks for all the great info rocksetta and Jorgen ! :-D
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