Pinecil

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, INFO SUBJECT TO CHANGE

• Pinecil Renders:

• Pinecil Prototype:

Specifications

• Dimensions: 170mm with solder tip or 98mm without solder tip x 12.8mm x 16.2mm
• Weight: 30g with solder tip, 20g without solder tip
• CPU: GD32VF103TB 32-bit RV32IMAC RISC-V “Bumblebee Core” @ 108 MHz
• Memory:
  • 128KB Flash
  • 32KB SRAM
• DC in (only one of the following at a time):
  • 12V- 24V DC5525 Barrel Jack
  • USB-C 12-20V PD
  • QC3.0
  • Recommend operating voltage 12-21V, maximum rating at 24V

Pinecil board information, schematics and certifications

• Pinecil breakout board:

• Pinecil mainboard schematic:
  • Pinecil mainboard schematic ver 1.0 20201120, this is production version schematic
  • Pinecil mainboard ver 1.0 PCB Component Placement Top PDF file
  • Pinecil mainboard ver 1.0 PCB Component Placement Bottom PDF file
  • Pinecil mainboard ver 1.0 PCB Component Placement Top Drawing file
  • Pinecil mainboard ver 1.0 PCB Component Placement Bottom Drawing file

• Pinecil breakout board schematic:
  • Pinecil breakout board schematic ver 1.0 20201005
  • Pinecil breakout board PCB layout ver 1.0

• Pinecil certifications:
  • Pinecil CE RED Certificate
  • Pinecil ROHS Certificate

Firmware Image Releases

• Pinecil production firmware 20201115, thanks to Ralimtek

Pinecil tips

• Default tip model TS-B2 accompany with Pinecil

• Tip set 1 (left) & 2 (right):

• Uses TS-100 compatible tips

Datasheets for components and peripherals

• GigaDevice RISC-V SoC information:
  • GigaDevice RISC-V GD32VF103TB SoC Datasheet V1.1
  • GigaDevice RISC-V GD32VF103TB SoC Usermanual V1.2
• Display Module information:
  • QUG 9616TSWCG02 Display Module Datasheet
• USB Type-C PD Controller information:
  • ON Semiconductor FUSB302 USB Type-C PD Controller Datasheet
• Sensor information:
  • Bosch BMA223 Acceleration Sensor Datasheet
  • Silicon Lab Si7210 Hall-Effect Magnetic Position Sensor Datasheet
  • Analog Device TMP36 Temparature Sensor Datasheet
• Power Regulator information:
  • Ricktek RT7272B 3A Switching Power Regulator Datasheet - on mainboard
  • LowPowerSemi LP6498B6F 1.2A Switching Power Regulator Datasheet - on breakout board
• Power MOSFET Switch information:
  • Chang Jiang CJQ7328 8A MOSFET Datasheet
• OP Amp information:
  • SGMicro SGM8557-1 Low Noise OP Amp Datasheet

Development efforts

	Project Homepage	Project Source	Implementations
Ralimtek	https://ralimtek.com	https://www.gitmemory.com/Ralim

How to update a firmware

(Method tested on Linux, should work on any OS where dfu-util works, instructions assumes you have dfu-util 0.9)

Warning: This potentially can brick your device. Do on your own risk!

Warning: Author of these instructions successfully dumped a firmware, bricked the device with a custom firmware and flashed stock dump back.

1. Enter an update mode. For that plug USB cable while holding *-* button (button, that's closest to USB-C port)
2. Make a firmware backup: dfu-util -d 28e9:0189 -a 0 -U ~/pinecil/internal.flash.stock -s 0x08000000
   1. 28e9:0189 -- USB Device ID (can be obtained from `lsusb` or `dfu-util -l` but in dfu-util output it might be hard to identify the Pinecil device)
   2. -a 0 -- selects what to flash. List of possible options can be obtained via `dfu-util -l`.
   3. `-U` -- specifies a mode. U is upload, which means that firmware will be downloaded and saved to file (yes, that's confusing, but it is what it is, feel free to verify that in a manual of your version of dfu-util). Command must be followed by a path to file where you want to save your firmware. dfu-util will refuse to dump firmware if you already have a file with that name.
   4. -s 0x08000000 -- specify the address in a flash from which dump will start. This can be obtained from `dfu-util -l`.
3. Flash a new firmware: dfu-util -d 28e9:0189 -a 0 -D ~/pinecil/internal.flash.stock -s 0x08000000:mass-erase:force
   1. -D -- is a mode to Download firmware to the device (yes, that's confusing, but you indeed Upload from device and Download to device with dfu-util). That should follow the file with the firmware Same stock one from (1) used here on purpose.
   2. -s 0x08000000:mass-erase:force -- specified the address where to flash the file. `:mass-erase:force` is required to force-erase flash before updating firmware, otherwise you might have unpredictable results.