Confused about xiao 52840 ble sense versions 1.0 vs 2.6.1 - what is the bootloader?

fe7565 · May 23, 2022, 4:28am

I have a couple of XIAO BLE SENSE on the way, but was reading up on the two versions and confused. There is version 1.0 which works with (comes with?) the Adafruit bootloader and version 2.6.1 which works (comes with?) with the NANO 33 BLE Sense mbed bootloader. Which bootloader is loaded by default?

And can you swap out bootloaders fairly easily: for example want to have Adafruit’s n52840 bootloader vs mbed’s BLE 33 Sense bootloader.

Citric · May 26, 2022, 1:21am

This is our factory firmware.

github.com

0hotpotman0/BLE_52840_Core/blob/main/bootloader/Seeed_XIAO_nRF52840_Sense/Seeed_XIAO_nRF52840_Sense_bootloader-0.6.1_s140_7.3.0.hex

:04000003F000AE1942
:020000040000FA
:1000000000040020810A000015070000610A0000BA
:100010001F07000029070000330700000000000050
:10002000000000000000000000000000A50A000021
:100030003D070000000000004707000051070000D6
:100040005B070000650700006F07000079070000EC
:10005000830700008D07000097070000A10700003C
:10006000AB070000B5070000BF070000C90700008C
:10007000D3070000DD070000E7070000F1070000DC
:10008000FB070000050800000F0800001908000029
:10009000230800002D080000370800004108000078
:1000A0004B080000550800005F08000069080000C8
:1000B000730800007D080000870800009108000018
:1000C0009B080000A5080000AF080000B908000068
:1000D000C3080000CD080000D7080000E1080000B8
:1000E000EB080000F5080000FF0800000909000007
:1000F000130900001D090000270900003109000054
:100100003B0900001FB500F003F88DE80F001FBD8C
:1001100000F0ACBC40F6FC7108684FF01022401CA7

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fe7565 · May 26, 2022, 2:15am

Thank you very much.

PJ_Glasso · November 30, 2022, 1:27am

I was also confused after I started looking into it further. Why are there two different ones?
Did you ever come across a proper explanation or faq on it? Was it just longevity or progress with the hardware ?
I have more than 10 pcs of the nRF52480 BLE Sense and probably 10 as many others. I’m sold on the footprint and battery powered ability. BLE & IMU and deep sleep being very good features. Needs the RTC though IMO.
TIA
GL

Citric · November 30, 2022, 1:32am

The main reason for having two versions is that one version is based on Arduino development, and this version is compatible with most of Arduino’s libraries and programs. The other version is available for users with TinyML needs. Why not make one version? According to the opinion provided by the R&D department, there is no way for these two to coexist well, so split into two versions for release.

PJ_Glasso · November 30, 2022, 1:37am

Well there you Go, Thank you. I did NOT know that.
GL