Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

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tonynsx
 
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Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by tonynsx »

I have a Feather Huzzah ESP8266 that I'm trying to install Micropython on, but I keep getting gibberish characters, and the ESP8266 becomes unresponsive. Any idea?

I asked this question in micropython.org and they couldn't help me. Please click on the link for screenshots and troubleshoots steps taken so far without success.

https://forum.micropython.org/viewtopic ... 16&t=10675

Thanks,

Tony

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tonynsx
 
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Re: Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by tonynsx »

The only conclusion I've come up with is that the laptop usb is not somehow providing enough volt?

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tonynsx
 
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Re: Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by tonynsx »

Can someone please take a look asap? I'm trying to do this before I leave on a project. Thanks

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adafruit_support_carter
 
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Re: Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

FWIW, just did a quick test and seemed to work OK.

Erased flash:

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esptool.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 erase_flash
Then uploaded firmware:

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esptool.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 --baud 460800 write_flash --flash_size=detect 0 esp8266-20210418-v1.15.bin
Rebooted and connected with screen (I'm on linux):

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screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200
and get expected REPL:

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>>> 
MPY: soft reboot
MicroPython v1.15 on 2021-04-18; ESP module with ESP8266
Type "help()" for more information.
>>> print("hello world")
hello world
>>> 
This was using a Feather ESP8266.

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tonynsx
 
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Re: Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by tonynsx »

That's what I did, except I'm on Windows 10, COM5

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esptool.py --port com5 erase_flash

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esptool.py --port com5 --baud 460800 write_flash --flash_size=detect 0 esp8266-20210418-v1.15.bin
May be its a Windows issue

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MarksBench
 
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Re: Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by MarksBench »

Hello!

I know very little about the ESP8266 or the Huzzah, but I took a look through the MicroPython thread you linked and have a couple of thoughts...

- You mentioned you were going to test it on another laptop but didn't mention whether you'd had the chance to yet or not. Have you been able to duplicate the problem with another computer?

- Do you have any other USB devices plugged in at the same time as the ESP?

- Does it always get to or slightly past the SoftAP point?

Code: Select all

mode : softAP(62:01:94:70:բT▒▒V▒ZuV▒j▒
▒▒U▒QU▒▒▒UB▒▒ZUP▒▒▒R▒UUT▒▒▒UT▒U▒▒-U▒▒U▒V▒▒▒V▒▒tס▒T▒▒▒▒Z▒+▒j▒
▒▒U▒QU▒▒▒UB▒▒ZUP▒▒▒RbUU▒▒▒▒UT▒U▒uZU▒▒U▒V▒▒▒▒▒▒tס▒▒
Depending on the configuration, turning on the wifi and bluetooth on an ESP32 can double the current consumption in a very short time. If that's what's happening on your ESP8266, maybe it's pulling more power than your laptop can provide, or is causing a momentary sag that's enough to scramble the ESP. I may be wrong but I don't think the ESP8266 has brownout detection so it won't reboot itself if power drops enough to scramble RAM contents.

If you don't have access to another computer to test it with, can you get your hands on a powered USB hub? That could help sort out whether the power is the problem.

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tonynsx
 
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Re: Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 Micropython garbage chars

Post by tonynsx »

I haven't gotten a chance to test it on another laptop, but I'll update my status once I'm done.

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