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Basics: Project 070q

Project name: ESP8266 ESP-12E module - Uploading MicroPython firmware

Tags: ESP, ESP8266, WI FI module, ESP-12E, Ai Thinker, AI-Cloud, SOC, GPIO, General Purpose Input Output, System On a Chip, IOT, internet of things, FTDI232, FTDI 232, LoLin NODEMCU V3, NODEMCU, V3, Development Board with USB-to-Serial Onboard, NodeMCU DevKit, Uploading MicroPython firmware, flashing, uPyCraft IDE

In this project, you need these parts :

1. ESP8266 ESP-12E module with micro USB cable 1pc

2. uPyCraft IDE (you can download and read more about it here)

General

We will learn how to flash MicroPython firmware to ESP8266 ESP-12E module using the uPyCraft IDE software. It works on Windows, Linux Ubintu and Mac OS X.

TX - transmit pin. GPIO pin

RX  - receive pin.  GPIO pin

3V3 (or 3V or 3.3V) - power supply pin (3-3.6V). 

GND ( or G) - ground pin.

RST - reset pin. Keep it on high (3.3V) for normal operation. Put it on 0V to reset the chip.

EN - Chip enable. Keep it on high (3.3V) for normal operation.

Vin - External power supply 5VDC.

D0-D8 - GPIO (General Purpose Input Output) pins 

D5-D8 - SPI interface

D1-D2– I²C/TWI Interface

SC (or CMD) - (Chip Select) - the pin that the master can use to enable and disable specific devices. GPIO pin

SO (or SDO) - Master In Slave Out (MISO) - SPI communication. The Slave line for sending data to the master. GPIO pin

SK (or CLK) - SCK (Serial Clock) - SPI communication.The clock pulses which synchronize data transmission generated by the master. GPIO pin

S1 (or SD1) - Master Out/Slave In (MOSI). SPI communication. The Master line for sending data to the peripherals. GPIO pin

S2 (or SD2) - GPIO pin

S3 (or SD3) - GPIO pin

VU (or VUSB) - external power 5VDC.

A0 - ADC output.

RSV - reserved

Step by Step instruction

1. Firmware for ESP8266 boards

esp8266-20190529-v1.11.bin (latest)

esp8266-20190125-v1.10.bin 

esp8266-20180511-v1.9.4.bin

esp8266-20171101-v1.9.3.bin 

esp8266-20170823-v1.9.2.bin 

esp8266-20170612-v1.9.1.bin 

esp8266-20170526-v1.9.bin 

esp8266-20170108-v1.8.7.bin 

if you’re using a different board (like a PyBoard, WiPy, or other), go to MicroPython Downloads page and download the right firmware for your board.

2. Downloading and flashing the MicroPython firmware

1. Go to micropython.org website and download the latest version of MicroPython firmware.
2. Open uPyCraft IDE. Double-click uPyCraft_V1.1.exe file. A new window opens with the uPyCraft IDE software.
3. 
4. Plug the ESP8266 ESP-12E module to your PC and wait for the drivers to install (or install manually any that might be required).
5. Go to Tools -> Serial and select your ESP8266 ESP-12E module COM port (in our case it’s COM5). If you don’t see the COM Port, you need to install the ESP32 CP210x USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers , check your USB cable too (it should be data cable).
6. 
7. Go to Tools -> Board. We are using ESP8266 ESP-12E module, so make sure you select esp8266 option.
8. 
9. Go to Tools -> BurnFirmware menu to flash your ESP8266 ESP-12E module with MicroPython.
10. 
11. Select all these options to flash the ESP32 board:
    board: esp32
    burn_addr: 0x1000
    erase_flash: yes
    com: COMX (in our case it’s COM5)
    Firmware: Select “Users” and choose the ESP32 .bin file downloaded earlier
    Select all these options to flash the ESP8266 ESP-12E module - board: esp8266, burn_addr: 0x0, erase_flash: yes, com: COMX (in our case it’s COM8).
12. Firmware Choose: Select Users and choose the latest esp8266-20180511-v1.9.4.bin file downloaded earlier by pressing Choose button and navigating to the Downloads folder.
13. Press Open button.
14. 
15. 
16. Hold down the ESP8266 ESP-12E module on-board Flash button and press ok button in the Burn firmware window.
17. When the EraseFlash process begins, you can release the Flash button. After a few seconds, the firmware will be flashed into your ESP8266 ESP-12E module.
18. 
    
19. 
    
20. Press the ESP8266 ESP-12E module on-board RST button to reboot it.
21. If the EraseFlash bar doesn’t move and you see an error message saying erase false, it means that your ESP8266 ESP-12E module wasn’t in flashing mode. You need to repeat all the steps described earlier and hold Boot/Flash button again to ensure that your ESP8266 ESP-12E module goes into flashing mode.
22. 
    

Summary

We have learnt how to flash MicroPython firmware to ESP8266 ESP-12E module using the uPyCraft IDE software.

Libraries

• None

Sketch

• None