LimeNET-micro fails to start up?

Projects LimeNET
1

Hey all. I received my LimeNET-Micro and it does not appear to be working.

I have a v2.1 Micro with the rPi compute stick installed. I have flashed a microSD card with the latest raspbian. I have a keyboard connected to the USB port and a monitor on the HDMI port. On application of power, no signal on HDMI, keyboard doesn’t respond. I’m powering using USB. LED6 and LED1 are solid green. LED3 is flashing red/green, LED5 is red, and LED2 and 4 are off. What do these indicators mean? I’m powering off a 1A USB charger brick. That doesn’t meet the 2-3A figure I read. Would these indicators represent a low-voltage condition? Thanks.

2

1A is not sufficient and even then questionable quality power supplies will often be rated at less than what is printed on them. Documentation states 2-3A and I’d probably recommend 2.5A or more.

Personally, I always power via the DC barrel connector or Ethernet. For the DC connector you need to move J27 to pins 3+4. Then use a high quality DC power supply with a 5.5/2.1mm connector. Alternatively, if you had an active PoE switch you could use this instead, with J27 set to pins 1+2.

3

Thanks. I’ve now tried it with a 2A supply, and a 2.5A…same behavior. Does anyone know what the flashing LED3 means? I’d like to get this RMAed, as it’s not working.

4

https://wiki.myriadrf.org/LimeNET-Micro_v2.1_hardware_description#Board_status

@Zack, anything else to suggest?

5

You need to flash on module eMMC CM3 8MB not micro SD
// all in case you are using RPI delivered with LimeNET micro
in case you are using CM3 lite -> than micro SD is used

6

Okay, thanks. I"ll give that a try with an rPI as host and see how it goes. The way I read the instructions was, “Flash eMMC or use SD card.”

7

Just follow:
https://wiki.myriadrf.org/Getting_Started_with_the_LimeNET-Micro

1.2 Flashing eMMC or uSD card

To flash eMMC or uSD card with latest Raspbian image please follow these steps:

  1. Download Raspbian image file by following this [link] or [link]
  2. Choose how the board will be powered by mounting a jumper on J27 header.
  3. Mount “USB boot”(J14) and unmount “EXT USB”(J18) jumpers.
  4. Insert CM3 module into J13 socket (or CM3(L) module into J13 and uSD card into J16 slot).
    5. Flash Raspbian image by following this guide [link].
  5. Remove “USB boot”(J14) jumper and reapply power. LimeNET-Micro should now boot to newly installed Raspbian image.1.2

For further explanation please google: SD on CM3 module on Raspberry Pi Forums

PS @andrewback you owe me a beer :wink:

8

Hey all,
So there is a bit of confusion. The “Getting started” text says jumper J14, however the Flashing the eMMC text refers to J4, which on the Lime board is a micro header in a different location. I jumpered J14 on the Lime, made sure J18 is NOT jumpered, plugged in my rPI to the micro USB port and attempted to run rpiboot. It’s stuck at “Waiting for BCM2835/6/7/2711…” I did not jumper J4 on the Lime board. Thoughts?

9

Only J14 is in game. SD slot must be empty.

Did you test your board on PC with J18 closed without CM3 ?
In that case you must be able to use it in way similar to Lime mini.

https://wiki.myriadrf.org/images/thumb/3/3d/LimeNET-Micro_top_side_components_and_connectors.png/1500px-LimeNET-Micro_top_side_components_and_connectors.png

Here using Balena Etcher on W10 for programing of LimeNET and SD

10

When I jumper J18 and remove J14, and connect from MicroUSB to my Mac, I do see it in my USB enumeration:

Product ID: 0x601f
Vendor ID: 0x0403 (Future Technology Devices International Limited)
Version: 0.00
Serial Number: 0059A0C01C91ED
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Lime Micro
Location ID: 0x14635000 / 24
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 388
Extra Operating Current (mA): 0

However, I want to use the onboard rPI computemodule and eMMC as they’re supposed to be used.

11

Good, now:
Download from here https://www.balena.io/etcher/
Mac version…
Prepare less than 8 MB size of SD image,
than check what balena see with J18 open and J14 closed.
CM3 must be on LimeNET socket!

12

Aha…
16G rpi Compute Module…

41%20PM
41%20PM1824×1184 187 KB

13

I’m assuming if I’ve gotten this far I can go ahead and flash the compute module. Is Etcher basically doing what rpiboot on the rPi is supposed to be doing?

14

yes
You are lucky, mine is 8MB only…
For me SdrPlay SD image was the best way,
you with 16MB do not need to free some space.
Just add Lime related SW and you are ready to go.

15

Thanks for all the help, 9a!

1 Like
16

Is this something I need to be concerned about?

root@limemicro:/home/mikec# LimeQuickTest 
[ TESTING STARTED ]
->Start time: Tue Apr 21 16:48:52 2020


[ Clock Network Test ]
->REF clock test
  Test results: 14180; 33401; 52622 - PASSED
->ADF4002 Test
  Result: 10 - PASSED
->VCTCXO test
  Results : 5154148 (min); 5154170 (max) - PASSED
->Clock Network Test PASSED

[ FPGA EEPROM Test ]
->Read EEPROM
->Read data: 00 00 00 13 0C 13 03
->FPGA EEPROM Test FAILED

[ LMS7002M Test ]
->Perform Registers Test
->External Reset line test
  Reg 0x20: Write value 0xFFFD, Read value 0xFFFD
  Reg 0x20: value after reset 0x0FFFF
->LMS7002M Test PASSED

[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Testing using internal LMS7002M loopback
->Run Tests (TX_1-> LNA_H):
  CH0 (SXR=1800.0MHz, SXT=1802.0MHz): Result:(-12.3 dBFS, 2.00 MHz) - PASSED
->Run Tests (TX_2 -> LNA_L):
  CH0 (SXR=750.0MHz, SXT=752.0MHz): Result:(-12.0 dBFS, 2.00 MHz) - PASSED
->RF Loopback Test PASSED

=> Board tests FAILED <=

Elapsed time: 3.39 seconds
17

Not good sign, here is mine:

18

Can someone on the Lime Micro team verify that a failed board message is grounds for an RMA? Crowd Supply won’t start one until I get verification here. Thanks.

19

How can I contact someone from the Lime Microsystems team about this bad board? I really would like to get this replaced so I can get started on my projects. Thanks.

20

Hello @Aaplmike,

There is something wrong with communication between FPGA and EEPROM, connected to it. Currently we do not use it hence board functionality is not affected.
Get in touch with CS for RMA.