nRF Connect for Desktop - Programmer v3.0.4 support for nRF9160 using other USB chips

[Achim Kraus]

I'm developing currently with the nRF9160 feather , which uses a CP2102 for USB.

That works quite well, especially it enables to add different sensors, which isn't that easy with a Thingy:91. Using a nRF9160-DK for that requires a larger form-factor.

Flashing firmware for the Arm33 works quite well over USB using the zephyr tools. Also using a jlink works.

But using nRF Connect for Desktop and a USB connection seems to be refused (or not considered by Nordic).

According pc-nrfconnect-programmer devices.ts the Programmer App filters on the USB ids.

Would it be possible to add a checkbox to make other USB serials also available?

That would make it easier to update the modem-firmware over USB without jlink.

[Achim Kraus]

I tired it now with

    // Add this line
    usb: true,

only. The result is the same. 

Unsupported device. The detected device could not be recognized as neither JLink device nor Nordic USB device.
Please make sure J-Link Software and nrf-udev are installed. See https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/pc-nrfconnect-launcher/#macos-and-linux

[Achim Kraus]

Let me add:

For me this looks now, that supporting only "Nordic" devices is by intention. Though the nRF9160 has no own USB interface, it's supported indirect. Here Nordic filters for their own USB (secondary) devices.

Usually I would not ask to change that, it's simply Nordic's decision.

But in my experience of the past two years, I can only say, that the feather-nRF9160 is the device, I was always missing. The Thingy:91 is great, if it can be used for the application "out of the box". The nRF9160-DK is great to develop an application also with additional custom sensors and actors. But, if such a "prototype" is going "in to the wild", my experience with the feather is great. It relaxes also Nordic from trying to add an extension interface to the Thingy:91.

With that, I like to recommend to consider to support the nRF9160 also via other USB controllers, not only Nordic ones.

[Jared]

Hi Achim,

For now, I think we need to wait for this feature to be added in a future release for nRF Connect for Desktop Programmer app. 

The developers are aware of this feature request. 

regards

Jared 

[Achim Kraus]

Why ever, now the Programmer (both v3.0.4 and v3.0.8) refuses a nRF5340-DK, when a TC2030-CTX debug header is used!

"Unsupported device. The detected device could not be recognized as neither JLink device nor Nordic USB device."

Flashing works with other tools (e.g. "Visual Studio").

For me this smells, that this checks are not a that good idea. It makes it very complicated to use.

Edit:

Really strange!

If I use a nRF5340-DK with the TC2030-CTX debug header, it requires a Nordic device to be connected when starting the nRF5340-DK. Using a nRF9160-DK, this seems to be not required, it works with that debug header.

All in all:

I guess, it's better to NOT use the Programmer as long as Nordic insist in that check. It takes me about 4 hours yesterday and to be frank, I' pretty closed to change the modem manufacturer because of those repeating wastes of time. 

[Jared]

Hi,

Achim Kraus said:

If I use a nRF5340-DK with the TC2030-CTX debug header, it requires a Nordic device to be connected when starting the nRF5340-DK.

I'm not sure I understood you correctly, it requires you to debug a Nordic device when you use a TC2030-CTX debug header? 

Are you still trying to program the nRF9160 feather?

regards

Jared