Other programming options

[brohan]

Hi all,

Given the state of my Oak and Particle (See "Error Occurred While Flashing" post), is there another way to wirelessly program the Oak. I would rather not resort to programming by a serial cable. Would I need to run that Particle server on my own system, and hope for the best (given that folks think this is a particle bug)?

I assume that since my computer doesn't have a serial port, I can use the same method as I program my pfsense router, a USB to serial converter?

[PeterF]

If your USB to serial adapter is a 3.3v one (not a 5v one), then you should be fine. Otherwise you'll need some sort of level shifting for the TX line of the usb to serial adapter. CH340 3.3v usb to serial adapters go pretty cheap on eBay, so it's worth picking one of those up if you don't have one (and you won't have any FTDI driver issues).

We should be able to host a local particle server using spark-server, but I have yet to try it, and haven't heard anyone use try it yet either...

[DrJFM]

If you have a socketed UNO, the serial restore to factory can get you to firmware 1.0.5 fairly painlessly and should not be avoided too vigorously.  On a windows computer, the exe file esptool.exe works very painlessly.  You just get all the files from the Digistump download extracted into one folder, open an Admin Cmd Prompt window there and run the tool through your UNO to the OAK.

You do need to remove the microprocessor from the UNO.  The IDE will tell you the comm port to use for the now MCU-less UNO.  5 wires and two min later, you are done....

More details here: http://digistump.com/board/index.php/topic,2326.msg10935.html#msg10935 and the surrounding posts.  You can risk running it without any voltage divider between UNO and OAK or, with a couple common resistors, add additional safety.  Having more than one OAK, I did the former successfully, multiple times.  Once you get to 1.0.5, the OTA works well (again) and hopefully will not be broken by Spark/Particle (or Digistump for that matter).  It has been a frustrating couple weeks, but I do have my phone controlling my stereo in the basement via the OAK and the internet while I listen to my upstairs pair of speakers.  Considering the stereo is a mixed 3 to 25 year old system, that is not bad.  Running Blynk as well as the requisite Particle connection.

Cheers.
James

[brohan]

Thank you all for the responses.

How do I know what voltage my USB to serial is? I wouldn't mind trying that.

I don't have an Uno unfortunately, the Spark and Oak are my first forays into this world.

I received and email from Particle team that later next week they should release an update that will hopefully fix all of this, then I shall upgrade I suppose.

[PeterF]

If it doesn't say 3.3V, it is probably a 5V one. The older ones are generally 5v, it's only more recently that people have been after 3.3V compatible ones...