BT LE Continuous Transmit Test with bt_mfg_test, no observed tone output

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user_108962310
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I am having an issue with running bt_mfg_test on a 4343W radio.
I can build and flash the `bt_mfg_test` project, and invoke the control commands, but I cannot get the `set_tx_frequency_arm` mode to work.

For example, the `le_transmitter_test` does work, and I see "Received HCI event" at the command line, and I can see output on a spectrum analyzer.

Same for the simple commands, like `reset`.
But: when I run the `set_tx_frequency_arm` command, I the mbt.exe tool just returns without reporting even "Sending HCI command".

Note: I did have to make a patch to the BT mfg_test library to get the application to start correctly:

In bt_firmware_download, There is the code:

/* TODO : Eventually we will be using the patchram_download_baudrate variable from the platform file. */

/* update BT and host to switch to 3mbps */

if ( bt_host_update_baudrate( BAUDRATE_3MPBS ) == WICED_BT_SUCCESS )

{

    fast_download = WICED_TRUE;

}

I made this change because I was observing a breakpoint on failure to load BT firmware. Commenting that baud rate change out (and leaving it at 115200) solved that error.

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I don't actually know what BT silicone is included with the 4343W radio; is that in a table somewhere?

The versions issue with mbt is still not entirely clear.
If I use the mbt.exe that it in WICED-Studio-6.2\43xxx_Wi-Fi\tools\mbt\Win32\Release
the expected arguments do not match what you provided above, e.g. mbt.exe <action> <COM> <on|off> <freq> <power>

If I build the source (no exe provided) in WICED-Studio-6.2\wiced_tools\mbt.exe , then the arguments ARE as you showed above, and as described in the "Manufacturing Bluetooth Test Tool" document in WICED-Studio-6.2\Doc .


Consider this a bug report that a pre-compiled mbt.exe is missing from WICED-Studio-6.2\43xxx_Wi-Fi\tools\mbt\Win32\Release .

View solution in original post

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8 Replies
user_108962310
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mifo Again, pretty critical for me at the moment, since we have a device trying to pass presently.

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user_108962310
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Level 4
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Additional info:
I am trying the same bt_mfg_test app in SDK 6.2 now, with mbt.exe running in a windows VM, with the serial console passed through to it.
Now, I can get a response to the ... command, but still no RF output.

The command and response are:

.\mbt.exe set_tx_frequency_arm COM18 set_tx_frequency_arm 1 2450 13

Sending HCI Command:

0000 < 01 14 FC 07 01 02 00 00 00 00 00 >

Received HCI Event:

0000 < 04 0E 04 01 14 FC 00 >

Success

Notably, the value after "Sending HCI Command" does not change with changing parameters.

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Okey dokey, my workaround for this is that I had to write a python program that sends the intended byte sequence to the serial port, and that works. No clue what I was doing wrong above.

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Hi :

I used the same bt_mfg_test to have a test on the command with 4343WWCD1, seems no errors,  Actually, I didn't have a BLE test instument in my hand, will find one to have a try.

By the way I don't know the meaning from your command input "set_tx_frequency_arm 1 2450 13"   what is the meaning of the 13 character?

C:\WICED-Studio-6.2\wiced_tools\mbt\Win32>set MBT_TRANSPORT=COM19

C:\WICED-Studio-6.2\wiced_tools\mbt\Win32>mbt set_tx_frequency_arm 1 2402 1 2 3

MBT_TRANSPORT: COM19

DOWNLOAD_BAUDRATE: 115200 (default)

APPLICATION_BAUDRATE: 115200 (default)

Sending HCI Command:

0000 < 14 FC 07 00 02 01 02 08 03 00 >

Received HCI Event:

0000 < 0E 04 01 14 FC 00 >

Success

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That should be the power in dBm.

From the ReadMe.txt:

Usage: mbt set_tx_frequency_arm COMx <carrier on/off> <tx_frequency> <tx_power>

and:
WICED-Smart-SDK\Tools\mbt\win32> mbt set_tx_frequency_arm COM4 1 2402 3

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Okey dokey, as far as I can tell, the mbt.exe that is provided is some other or old one. And that there is no pre-built version of the current mbt.exe .

So, after installing Visual Studio and building it, and setting the environment variable as you do above, it does run as expected with the longer argument set, with tx_type and modulation type.

It might be fruitful to clean up the various versions of mbt, wmbt, source and compiled, for various platforms, scattered around the SDK. That was part of where I got confused.

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Hi Andrew:

      From Readme , MBT and WMBT are used for 2070X family of SoC bluetooth BR/EDR/BLE devices.

Since we are building the same test image , so the command should be used for 43XX family also, the difference is their patchrams has differences.   By the way can you test out the BT power after adjusting the command.   and it is better to reduce the power value less than 12,  I saw from 43438 spec,  Basic rate TX power is typical at 12 dbm.   

and from the doc, Manufacturing-Bluetooth-Test-Tool.pdf

tx_power = (–25 to +3) transmit power, in dBm

so this is the range for the test .

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I don't actually know what BT silicone is included with the 4343W radio; is that in a table somewhere?

The versions issue with mbt is still not entirely clear.
If I use the mbt.exe that it in WICED-Studio-6.2\43xxx_Wi-Fi\tools\mbt\Win32\Release
the expected arguments do not match what you provided above, e.g. mbt.exe <action> <COM> <on|off> <freq> <power>

If I build the source (no exe provided) in WICED-Studio-6.2\wiced_tools\mbt.exe , then the arguments ARE as you showed above, and as described in the "Manufacturing Bluetooth Test Tool" document in WICED-Studio-6.2\Doc .


Consider this a bug report that a pre-compiled mbt.exe is missing from WICED-Studio-6.2\43xxx_Wi-Fi\tools\mbt\Win32\Release .

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