This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

CC3100: Upgrade to CC3100SDK 1.3.0 and SimpleLink Studio

Part Number: CC3100
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: , , CC31XXEMUBOOST, UNIFLASH, CC3120BOOST, CC3120, CC3120SIMPLESTUDIO, CC3200

Good day,

I have been evaluating the CC3100 possibilities with CC3100Boost and CC31XXEMUBOST to integrate it into company device with MSP430 MCU. 
I've started year ago with CC3100SDK 1.X.X. I can not recover currently, I have only my reworked project template with part of it. The Driver had version:

#define SL_DRIVER_VERSION   "1.0.1.6"

And I'm using files of SimpleLink Studio:

$ md5sum *
8315b563cd3579fa457bc311287b67f3 *ftd2xx.h
a794957c0b8f0f45bd8354ea2ec24cfc *ftd2xx.lib
5af2d10adde696d213c0bfa625676a2b *libSimpleLinkStudio.a
b25a2c7dec1280536884710b4d3aea19 *SimpleLinkStudio.lib
0824dcf6e3fa4dc93fa9207ac7e7b5f7 *slosi.h
16ffbcabc13e49f75a8f175d3297e0d1 *slstudio.h
7345fa5c3a4ec2af32bb24c1bc8bb4d4 *user.h

I had break while developing, and now want to move to the last CC3100SDK 1.3.0 before continuing. I've found out that there is no samples with SimpleLink Studio as it is described in CC3100 Getting Started Guide. Also a lot of links lead to the SDK 1.3.0 for getting the last Service Pack, but I can not find any on the page and inside SDK.

While resolving this I've found that now SimpleLink Studio has been moved to the separate page, but for CC3100 the page suggests me to download CC3100SDK 0.5.1. This SDK looks more close to that I used, but with driver version "0.0.5.1".

Currently, I've just copied files of SimpleLink Driver "1.0.1.11". I have not updated the SimpleLink Studio files. In general overview examples are working. But I've faced with undocumented behavior and firstly I wants ensure that my device/software configuration is vanilla.

Questions:

1. Is there compatibility table\notes with  SimpleLink Driver version, SimpleLink Studio, version, CC3100-version and appropriate service pack? At least the official latest versions.

2. Where is the latest service pack for CC3100 for latest SimpleLink driver from CC3100SDK 1.3.0?

Definitions (to ensure that I undersand right):


SimpleLink (a.k.a SimpleLink Driver) - the driver for controlling CC3100 by SPI interface. Its hardware-independent code is placed C:\TI\CC3100SDK_1.3.0\cc3100-sdk\simplelink

SimpleLink Studio - the porting of SimpleLink Driver on Windows OS (I've worked with windows 7/8/10) to test examples with CC3100BOOST+CC31XXEMUBOOST+(PC as MCU) configuration.

Service Pack - CC3100 firmware. Closed TI binary, updating with UniFlash 3.4 (for CC3100)

Details:

Hardware: CC31XXEMUBOOST Rev 3.0, CC3100BOOST Rev 4.0 with CC3100R1

Output of sl_DevGet:

CHIP 67108864
MAC 31.1.5.0.2
PHY 1.0.3.37
NWP 2.10.0.0
ROM 13107
HOST 1.0.1.11

Get Versoion operation output from UniFlash 3.4 (I guess I'm doing somehing wrong here):

There are COM ports 4,5,6,7. I've used 7, and result was only if I press the RST button while process operation:

[05:58:53] INFO: > Executing Operation: Connect
[05:58:55] INFO: setting break signal
[05:58:57] INFO: detecting FTDI for device reset
[05:59:01] INFO: connection succeeded
[05:59:01] INFO: getting storage list
[05:59:11] INFO: > Executing Operation: GetVersion
[05:59:11] INFO: reading version info
[05:59:21] ERROR: No ACK
[05:59:21] ERROR: Error, version response should be 28 bytes, device is sending 126
[05:59:21] INFO: > Bootloader version: 189.0.0.2
[05:59:21] INFO: > NWP version: 184.0.0.0
[05:59:21] INFO: > MAC version: 248.0.2.227
[05:59:21] INFO: > PHY version: 31.0.3.3
[05:59:21] INFO: > Chipset version: 17
[05:59:21] INFO: > Executing Operation: Disconnect
[05:59:31] Operation GetVersion returned. 
  • Hi Suhoy,

    If you want to use SimpleLink Studio, then you will need to use CC3100 SDK version 1.2.0. The newest version of the CC3100 is 1.3.0, but that doesn't have support for SimpleLink Studio, which is why you didn't find any Visual Studio projects in that version of the SDK. Host driver version 1.0.1.6 corresponds to CC3100 SDK version 1.2.0, so you were most likely working off of that SDK version before.

    If you are using SDK version 1.2.0, then it uses host driver version 1.0.1.6 which is compatible with servicepack version 2.7.0.0.
    This is different from the latest SDK (v. 1.3.0) which uses host driver version 1.0.1.11 and is compatible with servicepack version 2.9.0.0.
    You can the servicepack downloads at www.ti.com/.../

    The hardware to use with all versions is the setup you have with the CC3100BOOST and the CC31XXEMUBOOST.
    The definitions you have are correct. One comment is that you can also control the CC3100 over UART, and not just over SPI.

    As for using Uniflash 3.4 with the CC3100, I find that the 3rd COM port among the 4 COM ports enumerated by the EMUBOOST (port 6 in your case) is generally the correct port to use. If you select the correct COM port, you shouldn't need to toggle reset manually to get the CC3100 connected to Uniflash.

    On another note, if you want to evaluate the CC3100 I recommend using it with an MSP430 launchpad. This is since not only is SimpleLink Studio not supported on the latest release of the CC3100 SDK, using a Windows PC as the host for the CC3100 is an unrealistic use case. Let me know if you need more clarification or have further questions.

    Regards,
    Michael
  • Hello Mechael,

    Thank you for so fast reply. Ow, it looks I was confused that from CC3100SDK page (http://www.ti.com/tool/CC3100SDK) it redirects to SDK Download page (http://www.ti.com/tool/download/CC3100SDK/). And I ignored last one, because I expected only SDK download link, so because of it  I could not find the Service Packs.

    I have collected the versions which are suggested from download pages, but they are not fully correspond with your information:

    • with SDK1.2.0, there is suggested to download ServicePack 1.0.1.11-2.10.0.0, not 2.7.0.0 . (the driver is 1.0.1.6 [ok])
    • with SDK 1.3.0, there are suggested download ServicePack 1.0.1.11-2.10.0.0 or 1.0.1.13-2.11.0.1, not 2.9.0.0 (the driver 1.0.1.11 [ok])

    But on the Main Wiki page information are according with your (ServicePack 1.0.1.11-2.9.0.0).

    Do I need to find the 2.7.0.0/2.9.0.0 Service Packs? (I remember that there was some page on Wiki with legacy SDK/ServicePacks, but I can not find it now)

    Another question: I see that Service pack has name: X.X.X.X-B.B.B.B. I guess that X.X.X.X is SL_DRIVER_VERSION for this ServicePack,
    while B.B.B.B - the version of firmware for this ServicePack (so your 2.9.0.0 and 2.7.0.0 is exactly B.B.B.B). Correct?

    And in the end of ServicePack readme.txt there is example of output of sl_DevGet. According to this I have ServicePack 1.0.1.11-2.10.0.0.

    I see that NWP and B.B.B.B are the same. Is it coincidence? (Or NWP version =ServicePack version?). As I remember NWP - NetWork Proccessor.


    Thanks for Uniflash hint about 3d port. Yes now it works without problem and print only Bootloader version:

    [06:31:04] Begin GetVersion operation.
    [06:31:04] INFO: > Executing Operation: Connect
    [06:31:06] INFO: setting break signal
    [06:31:07] INFO: detecting FTDI for device reset
    [06:31:08] INFO: connection succeeded
    [06:31:08] INFO: getting storage list
    [06:31:08] INFO: > Executing Operation: GetVersion
    [06:31:08] INFO: reading version info
    [06:31:08] INFO: > Bootloader version: 2.0.4.0
    [06:31:08] INFO: > Executing Operation: Disconnect
    [06:31:08] Operation GetVersion returned. 


    About using MSP430 launchpad. I've already connected the CC3100Boost with my MSP430 device and ported the SimpleLink Driver to it. I just faced with absence of Passive Scan and creating proof-of-concept with CC31XXEMUBOOST looks more convenient. 


    While it has not become a production. I've got the CC3120Boost, and I'm planning to migrate to this. But I have not found time to dig into the migration. I will explore Migration Guide from SIMPLELINK-SDK-WIFI-PLUGIN. I'm only confused that it's called "SDK WiFi plugin".. Can I treat it as SDK for CC3120?

    And it looks that if I will use the CC3120BOOST+CC31XXBOOST,  I need to download the CC3120SIMPLESTUDIO. But eventually int the SIMPLELINK-SDK-WIFI-PLUGIN there SimpleLink Driver version of "3.0.1.41" while CC3120SIMPLESTUDIO contains the "2.0.1.15" driver... And source code of SimpleLink driver looks more mixed with example-projects.


  • Hi,

    For the servicepack versions corresponding to the SDKs, you will want to use the servicepack where X.X.X.X is your SL host driver version as shown in simplelink.h within your SDK. The numbering there is indeed meant to indicate which host driver version that servicepack was built for and compatible with. Thus, for SDK version 1.20 you want the servicepack version 1.0.1.6-2.7.0.0. You are correct in that B.B.B.B is the actual version of the NWP firmware.

    For the CC3120, the plugin that you have linked to is the CC3120 equivalent to the CC3100 SDK. One key difference is that as it is a plugin it needs a full SimpleLink SDK installed as well to work correctly. For the CC3120 this would be the MSP432P4 or MSP432E4 SDK. As you have noted, there isn't support for Visual Studio in the plugin, as it is designed to work with TI's other SimpleLink products. The CC3120SIMPLESTUDIO download that you have doesn't use the latest host driver, and so I suggest that for your proof of concepts you should use either an MSP430 (if using a CC3100) or an MSP432 (if using a CC3120) so that you have the latest host driver available. Something else you could try would be to use the CC3200 or the CC3220 for your proof of concept. This part has an MCU on the same chip as the NWP, so that you can make self-contained demos with just one device.

    Regards,
    Michael
  • Thanks for clarification

    With this I've handled to google the download link of 1.0.1.6-2.7.0.0 servicepack. I fount it on the forum.

    Currently, the trying other MCUs is a quite expensive in mean of time. But I will take it into consideration in the next time