Andino X1: BaseBoard Setup

This version was sold until November 2022. Successor for all versions is the variant X1 Pico!

This page provides setup information for the Andino X1 base board. For documentation on a specific Andino X1 configuration and setup documentation for extensions, refer to the product-specific setup documentation.

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Automatic installation (recommended)

Important: It is now possible to set up all Andino boards using our Andinopy setup script.

This will automatically configure hardware settings, download necessary overlays and optionally also installs the Andinopy library / TCP stack and Node-Red. You will not need to follow this baseboard setup documentation when using the setup script.

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Manual installation

For specific installations, for example if you want to use a custom firmware version for the Arduino microcontroller in combination with custom Raspberry Py hardware, it might be necessary to do a manual installation of the X1 software. To do so, follow this tutorial

Enable UART as /dev/ttyAMA0 or /dev/serial0

First, edit boot/config.txt

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

add this at the end of the file..

enable_uart=1
dtoverlay=disable-bt
dtoverlay=miniuart-bt

Save and quit.

Disable Console on /dev/serial0

sudo nano /boot/cmdline.txt

Remove “console=… (cut between ~~)

dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 ~~console=serial0,115200 console=tty1~~ root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 .....

Reboot the Raspberry Pi.

sudo reboot

Reboot and test

As a testing tool, minicom is used. Install minicom, then enter setup:

sudo apt-get install minicom
sudo minicom --setup

Navigate Serial Port Setup, then Hardware Flow to No, set Device to /dev/ttyAMA0 or /dev/serial0, set BPS to 38400

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| A - Serial Device : /dev/ttyAMA0                                      |
| B - Lockfile Location : /var/lock                                     |
| C - Callin Program :                                                  |
| D - Callout Program :                                                 |
| E - Bps/Par/Bits : 38400 8N1                                          |
| F - Hardware Flow Control : No                                        |
| G - Software Flow Control : No                                        |
|                                                                       |
| Change which setting?                                                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
 | Screen and keyboard      |
 | Save setup as dfl        |
 | Save setup as..          |
 | Exit                     |
 | Exit from Minicom        |
 +--------------------------+

Add the Driver for the RTC DS3231

The RTC usually comes pre-installed on the Andino board. However, if you have removed the RTC and want to re-install it, please note to skip the first pin. The RTC starts at PIN 2 (3.3 Volt). Otherwise the RTC will be destroyed.

For the software installation, we need to enable I2C and add the Module the RTC DS3231. To do so, first edit the /boot/config.txt:

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Here, uncomment dtparam=i2c_arm=on and add the dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,ds3231:

dtparam=i2c_arm=on
#dtparam=i2s=on
#dtparam=spi=on
dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,ds3231

Reboot the Pi. Then, edit the file /etc/modules and check if the line

i2c-dev

is present. If not, add it to the end of the file. Save and quit, then reboot once again.

I2C should now be enabled. Next, we need to install some more software, including some utilities for the RTC. To do so, execute the following commands:

sudo -s
chmod +x /etc/rc.local 
apt-get install -y i2c-tools
apt-get purge -y fake-hwclock 
apt-get remove fake-hwclock -y 
dpkg --purge fake-hwclock 
rm -f /etc/adjtime. 
cp /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Berlin /etc/localtime
ln -s /home/pi/bin/ntp2hwclock.sh /etc/cron.hourly/ntp2hwclock
sudo reboot now

Afterwards, reboot to test this RTC

i2cdetect -y 1

     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  a  b  c  d  e  f
00:          -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
20: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
30: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
40: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
50: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 68 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
pi@raspberrypi:~ $

hwchwclock -w
hwclock -r

The RTC software is now installed and ready for use.

Optional: This Python script sets the NTP Time to the HWClock as long a NTP connection can established. Place this script at /home/pi/bin/ntp2hwclock.sh (for example, see above)

#!/bin/bash
# Location of logfile
LOGFILE="/usr/local/oeebox/etc/log/ntp.log"
if [ ! -f $LOGFILE ]; then
  touch $LOGFILE
fi
# Set the maximum allowed difference in seconds between Hw-Clock and Sys-Clock
maxDiffSec="2"
msgNoConnection="No connection to time-server"
msgConnection="Connection to time-server"
# Check for NTP connection
if ( ntpq -p | grep -q "^*"  ); then
        echo $msgConnection >> $LOGFILE
        echo "---------------------------------"  >> $LOGFILE
        secHwClock=$(sudo hwclock --debug | grep "^Hw clock time" | awk '{print $(NF-3)}')
        echo "HwClock: $secHwClock sec" >> $LOGFILE
        secSysClock=$(date +"%s")
        echo "SysClock: $secSysClock sec" >> $LOGFILE
        echo "---------------------------------" >> $LOGFILE
        secDiff=$(($secHwClock-$secSysClock))
        # Compute absolute value
        if ( echo $secDiff | grep -q "-" ); then
            secDiff=$(echo $secDiff | cut -d "-" -f 2)
        fi
        echo "Difference: $secDiff sec" >> $LOGFILE
        msgDiff="HwClock difference: $secDiff sec"
        if [ "$secDiff" -gt "$maxDiffSec" ] ; then
                echo "---------------------------------" >> $LOGFILE
                echo "The difference between Hw- and Sys-Clock is more than $maxDiffSec sec." >> $LOGFILE
                echo "Hw-Clock will be updated" >> $LOGFILE
                # Update hwclock from system clock
                sudo hwclock -w
                msgDiff="$msgDiff --> HW-Clock updated." >> $LOGFILE
        fi
        if !(awk '/./{line=$0} END{print line}' $LOGFILE | grep -q "$msgConnection") || [ "$secDiff" -gt "$maxDiffSec" ]; then
                echo $(date)": "$msgConnection". "$msgDiff >> $LOGFILE
        fi
else
        # No NTP connection
        echo $msgNoConnection
        if !(awk '/./{line=$0} END{print line}' $LOGFILE | grep -q "$msgNoConnection"); then
                echo $(date)": $msgNoConnection" >> $LOGFILE
        fi
fi

Digital Input and relay outputs:

Input pin wiring

Pin definition

#define IN_1       7 // PD7  
#define IN_1_PORT  PIND
#define IN_1_PIN   7

#define IN_2       6 // PD6
#define IN_2_PORT  PIND
#define IN_2_PIN   6

#define OUT_1     14 // PC0 analog 0  
#define OUT_2     15 // PC1 analog 1  

void setup() 
{
    pinMode(IN_1,INPUT);   
    digitalWrite(IN_1, HIGH); // activate pull up resistor      
    pinMode(IN_2,INPUT);   
    digitalWrite(IN_2, HIGH); // activate pull up resistor  
    pinMode(OUT_1,OUTPUT);  
    pinMode(OUT_2,OUTPUT);  
}

    digitalWrite(OUT_1, 1);
    digitalWrite(OUT_1, 0);
    digitalWrite(OUT_2, 1);
    digitalWrite(OUT_2, 0);
    if( bitRead( IN_1_PORT, IN_1_PIN ) )

Andino X1 firmware customization

The Andino X1 already comes with a firmware for the microcontroller pre-installed. However, if you want to update the board firmware or program a custom firmware, this can be done using the Arduino IDE.

Setup of the Arduino IDE for Andino X1

First, download and install the Arduino IDE for your platform. Install the software, then USB Mini-B cable to connect the Andino X1 to your PC before opening it.

Settings for Version with ATMega168

These settings only have to be applied to older boards (pre-201903xx). All later versions use the ATMega328 settings.

Settings for Version > 201903xxx (ATMega328)

These are the correct settings for all new devices.

The port also has to be configured. To find the correct one, try unplugging and replugging the USB cable and check for a difference in which ports show up.

After having configured the settings, you can proceed by installing the Andino X1 firmware.

Default Andino X1 firmware

The default Andino X1 firmware can count impulses from the digital inputs, display the input states, switch or pulse relays and read temperature data from DS18B20 temperature sensors. Count stops are cyclically sent to the Raspberry. The digital inputs are additionally de-bounced.

This firmware and its correct configuration is also a prerequisite for using the Andino X1 Node-Red node to integrate digital inputs, temperature data and relay control into Node-Red flows.

More information on the firmware can be found at: Standard Andino X1 Firmware.

The default UART Settings for the firmware are 38400 / 8 / n / 1

Program your own Firmware

Programming your own firmware for the Andino X1 is roughly equivalent to programming firmware for an Arduino board. The following steps have to be followed:

1. Install the Aruino IDE on your PC.
2. Set the Arduino IDE to the correct board, voltage and frequency
3. Set the Jumper of the Andino to the USB configuration (see image below)
4. Program the Firmware and test it
5. Set the Jumper back to the Raspberry Pi mode

    {...

Pinout of the Extension Slot