Blinky ESP32-S3 with Micropython

dev board ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1

chip ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N8R2

features blinky led esp32s3 micropython ampy

Before starting

Dependancies

Ensure the following dependancies are downloaded and available:

Buy the components

ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1-N8R2

Code

Download code blink.py

from machine import Pin
import time
led_pin = 5  # Default on-board RGB LED GPIO48 does not work

led = Pin(led_pin, Pin.OUT)
for i in range(10):
  led.on()
  time.sleep_ms(500)
  led.off()
  time.sleep_ms(500)
  print("Blink ", i+1)

Makefile

PYTHON_FILE=blink.py
BIN_FILENAME=GENERIC_S3-20220618-v1.19.1.bin
UPLOAD_PORT?=/dev/cu.usbmodem14*
SERIAL_PORT?=/dev/cu.usbserial-14*

.PHONY: help default upload log

default: upload

help: ## Show help message
	@awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*##"; printf "\nUsage:\n  make \033[36m\033[0m\n"} /^[$$()% 0-9a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?##/ { printf "  \033[36m%-15s\033[0m %s\n", $$1, $$2 } /^##@/ { printf "\n\033[1m%s\033[0m\n", substr($$0, 5) } ' $(MAKEFILE_LIST)

upload: ## Erase flash and then upload the micropython binary
	@echo "Ensure you plug in the board into the USB port"
	@ls /dev/cu.*
	esptool.py --chip esp32s3 --port $(UPLOAD_PORT) erase_flash
	esptool.py --chip esp32s3 --port $(UPLOAD_PORT) write_flash -z 0 $(BIN_FILENAME)

log: ## Access the serial monitor with ampy
	@ls /dev/cu.*
	@echo "Ensure you plug in the board into the UART port"
	ampy --port $(SERIAL_PORT) run $(PYTHON_FILE)

rollback:
	@ls /dev/cu.*
	@echo "Ensure you plug in the board into the UART port"
	esptool.py --port $(SERIAL_PORT) erase_flash
	@echo "Flash in ESP-IDF blinky"

Prototype

A photo of the actual setup.

Schematic

Wire up the hardware accordingly

Serial console

Serial output from the firmware.

Blinky ESP32-S3 with Micropython browser

Use GPIO5 to add a simple external LED

Description

LED

The default on-board RGB LED GPIO48 does not work with the blinky code. Hence, wire up a simple LED and resistor to GPIO5 of the board.

Upload Micropython binary

Plug in the board via the USB port to know the port number

 $ ls /dev/cu.*

 /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port  /dev/cu.usbmodem14101

Download the *.bin file for the board GENERIC_S3-20220618-v1.19.1.bin

Erase the entire flash

 $ esptool.py --chip esp32s3 --port /dev/cu.usbmodem14101 erase_flash

 esptool.py v4.3
 Serial port /dev/cu.usbmodem14101
 Connecting...
 Chip is ESP32-S3 (revision v0.1)
 Features: WiFi, BLE
 Crystal is 40MHz
 MAC: 7c:df:a1:e2:79:08
 Uploading stub...
 Running stub...
 Stub running...
 Erasing flash (this may take a while)...
 Chip erase completed successfully in 21.5s
 Hard resetting via RTS pin...

Flash the firmware starting at address 0

 $ esptool.py --chip esp32s3 --port /dev/cu.usbmodem14101 write_flash -z 0 GENERIC_S3-20220618-v1.19.1.bin

Access the Serial monitor with the Python code

Download ampy and ensure it is available
```
 ampy --help
```
Plug in the board through the UART port

Check the port number of the board

 ls /dev/cu.*

 /dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port  /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART  /dev/cu.usbserial-1410

Run the python script

 ampy --port /dev/cu.usbserial-1410 run blink.py

Rollback from Micropython to Arduino

Follow the rollback steps to erase the flash.
Flash in blinky with ESP-IDF.
Flash in blinky with Arduino.