Getting started with nRF51922 and nRFgo - tutorial?

[Jason De Lorme]

Hi - I am completely lost and I'm really hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I'm simply trying to get started with the nRF51922 development kit and nRFgo Motherboard. When I plug in the nRFgo Motherboard with the nRFgo nRF6821 (nRF51922-QFAA development kit module) and launch nRFgo Studio I get a notification:

The firmware on board 0 is older than the current version. It should be updated to assure correct functionality. Do this by pressing the OK button

When I do so, it goes through an "updating" process, but then the Log says "Could not start the bootloader on the nRF6310 Please toggle power of board 0 to reset it". So I toggle power and I'm in a vicious cycle, it never allows me to connect.

If I click cancel instead of OK, I see Module - UNKNOWN MODULE under Board 0 in the nRFgo Studio "Device Manager".

I'm trying to follow the "Creating Applications with the Keil C51 C Compiler" tutorial, but I'm blocked by the step above. I'm not even sure if this where I need to go to start? My goal at this stage is simply to be able to write something like the canonical "Hello World" and program it onto the development module.

How do I get the nRFgo studio to see my nRF51922 development module?

Thank you!

[Bastiaan]

Today I tried the https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/index.php/how-to-restore-nrfgo-motherboard-firmware, but it did not work. The USB device reports "Device cannot start (Code 10), A request for the USB BOS descriptor failed"

[Stefan Birnir Sverrisson]

The nRF51922 development kit does not yet have its own SDK. Instead a zip file is provided with add-on to the nRF51822 SDK.

If any of the tools or documents mentioned below are locked on the website, try to remove the nRF6821 (nRF51922) product key and add it again on the MY KEYS page on www.nordicsemi.com

The following are the steps involved in installing and using the nRF51922 from scratch:

1. Unpack the nRFgo Starter kit, the nRF6700, contains 2x nRF6310 motherboards

2. Unpack the nRF6821 development kit, which contains PCA10022 module and PCA10000 USB dongle.

3. Download and install nRFgo Studio, available from www.nordicsemi.com

4. To get access to all required documents and tools, insert the product key that is on the front of the packaging of your kit to the MY KEYS page.

5. Follow the Quick Start guide in nRF51822 Developer Kit User Guide v1.3, chapter 3 in order to set up the kit, install Keil, install nRF51822 SDK and upgrade firmware on the nRF6310 board. Follow chapter 3 'Register, download and install' , section ‘Connect the hardware’ and section ‘Turn on and set the supply voltage’.

6. When you start nRFgo Studio you will be prompted to upgrade the firmware on the nRF6310 board. After that you you should be able to see the number on the nRF6310 board reflected in nRFgo Studio under ‘Motherboards’. Under that number the PCA10022 board (with integrated nRF51922 chip) is recognized as UNKNOWN MODULE. This is due to that the PCA10022 board is a new module and the current version of nRFgo Studio does not recognize it. Don’t worry, this should not prevent you from program and use the nRF51922 kit.

7. Copy the \sdk_nrf519_addon_v0.2.0-1.beta.zip\sdk_nrf519_addon_v0.2.0-1.beta\nrf51822\Include\ant_ds folder into the path \Nordic\nrf51822\Include\

8. Copy the \sdk_nrf519_addon_v0.2.0-1.beta.zip\sdk_nrf519_addon_v0.2.0-1.beta\nrf51822\Board\nrf6310\ant_ds folder into the path \Nordic\nrf51822\Board\nrf6310\

9. Open the \Nordic\nrf51822\Board\nrf6310\ant_ds\ble_ant_app_hrm\arm\ble_ant_hrm.uvproj file, which is a project file for Keil. Set which target to program in Keil by selecting Options for Target -> Utilities tab -> Settings -> Debug tab and make sure the serial number in the SN field matches the Segger chip serial number on the J-Link LITE CortexM board. If prompted for Target Device Settings, select manufacturer NordicSemi, Device nRF51822_xxAA. The application advertises for 3 minutes. If a connection isn’t made within this period, the application sets nRF51822 in System Off. To start advertising again press Button 0.

10. In order to connect to the nRF51922 device via BLE link, you must set up the USB dongle and the Master Control Panel. This proceidure is described in the nRF51822 Developer Kit User Guide v1.3, chapter 3, in sections ‘Compile, program, and run the heart rate monitor demo’, ‘Install the Master Control Panel and nRF51822 Development Dongle (PCA10000)’ and ‘Scan for available Bluetooth low energy devices’.

11. For debugging in Keil, follow chapter 7 in the nRRF51822 Developer Kit User Guide v1.3. Additional material is in Appendix A.

[Bastiaan]

Ok, so it seems my problem is that I don't have all parts required here. I have the nRFgo kit which included (2) nRF6310s and I also have the PCA10022 which has the nRF51922 chip, however I do not have the J-Link LITE CortexM board.

Is it possible to program the nRF51922 without the J-Link board?

[Guest]

Ok, so it seems my problem is that I don't have all parts required here. I have the nRFgo kit which included (2) nRF6310s and I also have the PCA10022 which has the nRF51922 chip, however I do not have the J-Link LITE CortexM board.

Is it possible to program the nRF51922 without the J-Link board?

[Stefan Birnir Sverrisson]

As you rightfully point out, you need a programmer to program the nRF51922. In order to use Nordic's Master Control Panel (BLE central tool for PC) you also need the PCA10000 which is a USB dongle with BLE firmware in order to connect to nRF51922 via BLE. If you do not have the PCA10000 you can still connect to your device by other means, i.e. by iPhone or other BLE enabled central devices.

In order to connect to your nRF51922 device via ANT, you need ANT enabled USB dongle, e.g. the nRF2779. You can then connect to the nRF51922 via ANT with a ANT PC tool available for download fromwww.thisisant.com. Some phones are also getting ANT support, so if you have one of those, you can connect directly to nRF51922 via ANT, i.e. without using a PC dongle and PC software, see list of phones at http://www.thisisant.com/consumer/ant-101/ant-in-phones

For owners of nRF51822 and nRF51422 development kits, a programmer is included in those kits, i.e. the J-Link Lite Cortex M programmer. So if you have either of those kits, you should be good to go to program the nRF51922 board. The nRF51422 includes a ANT enabled USB dongle and the nRF51822 includes BLE enabled USB dongle. However, if you only have the nRF6310 motherboard and the nRF51922 kit, then you need a programmer and preferably a USB dongle (for BLE, ANT or both). You should get in touch with your Nordic's sales representative in order to purchase those items.

As a further alternative to your nRF51922, please look at this thread: http://devzone.nordicsemi.com/index.php/nrf51922-1