fri3d_2026: workaround Fri3dCamp/badge_2026_fw/issues/3

ThomasFarstrike · ThomasFarstrike · commit 16c11e7229b7 · 2026-04-25T09:03:13.000+02:00
Ignore the sporadic wrong version numer (0, 255, 15).

This risks not updating the firmware when it should be updated,
or not installing the firmware when it should be installed
(if it also happens on empty CH32 chips).

Perhaps resetting the board and trying again would avoid those
risks, but auto resets, especially when the root cause isn't
understood, come with their own risks. They might trigger a reset
loop, if the issue keeps occurring. And they obfuscate the problem.
diff --git a/internal_filesystem/lib/drivers/fri3d/expander.py b/internal_filesystem/lib/drivers/fri3d/expander.py
@@ -131,7 +131,9 @@ def install_firmware_if_needed(
         latest_version: tuple[int, int, int],
         progress_cb=None,
         success_cb=None,
-    ) -> bool:
+        warning_cb=None,
+        failure_cb=None
+    ) -> bool: # Returns True if expander_i2c needs to be re-initialized
         # Check expander firmware version and if none or too low: install latest
         try:
             time.sleep_ms(10) # desparate attempt to try avoid sporadic version misreads like (0, 255, 15) maybe Fri3dCamp/badge_2026_fw/issues/2
@@ -140,21 +142,26 @@ def install_firmware_if_needed(
         except Exception as e:
             print("Could not check CH32 firmware version, assuming 0.0.0")
             current_version = (0, 0, 0)
-        if latest_version > current_version:
-            print(f"CH32 firmware is lower than latest {latest_version} so updating...")
-            try:
-                self.install_firmware(filename, progress_cb)
-                if success_cb:
-                    success_cb()
-            except Exception as e:
-                print(f"CH32 firmware install got exception: {e}")
-                import sys
-                sys.print_exception(e)
-                return False
-            try:
-                current_version = self.version
-                print(f"After install, current_version of CH32 firmware: {current_version}")
-            except Exception as e:
-                print("Could not check CH32 firmware version after install, many things, including LCD RESET, won't work!")
-            return True
-        return False
+        if current_version == (0, 255, 15): # basically 00FFF0
+            if warning_cb:
+                warning_cb("CH32 firmware version (0,255,15) bug - assuming latest version!")
+            return False
+        if latest_version <= current_version:
+            print(f"CH32 firmware {latest_version} <= {current_version} so not updating it")
+            return False
+        print(f"CH32 firmware {latest_version} > {current_version} so updating it")
+        try:
+            self.install_firmware(filename, progress_cb)
+            if success_cb:
+                success_cb()
+        except Exception as e:
+            if failure_cb:
+                failure_cb(e)
+            return True # re-initialize expander_i2c, even if the install failed, just in case
+        print("Firmware installed, checking new version")
+        try:
+            current_version = self.version
+            print(f"After install, new current_version of CH32 firmware: {current_version}")
+        except Exception as e:
+            print("Could not check CH32 firmware version after install, many things, including LCD RESET, won't work!")
+        return True
diff --git a/internal_filesystem/lib/mpos/board/fri3d_2026.py b/internal_filesystem/lib/mpos/board/fri3d_2026.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 LightsManager.init(neopixel_pin=12)
 LightsManager.set_led_num(5)
 # Set left LED red
-LightsManager.set_led(4, 255, 0, 0)
+LightsManager.set_led(4, 21, 96, 67)
 LightsManager.write()
 
 # Avoid excessive prints here because it slows down if the serial connects during printing?!
@@ -85,15 +85,32 @@ def progress(msg, pct):
     LightsManager.set_led(lednr, *color)
     LightsManager.write()
 
+def warning(msg):
+    LightsManager.set_led(3, 96, 58, 21)
+    LightsManager.write()
+    time.sleep(2)
+    if msg:
+        print(msg)
+
+def failure(e):
+    LightsManager.set_led(2, 96, 21, 21)
+    LightsManager.write()
+    time.sleep(5)
+    if e:
+        print(f"CH32 firmware install failed because exception: {e}")
+        import sys
+        sys.print_exception(e)
+
 # CH32 coprocessor / IO expander
 from drivers.fri3d.expander import Expander
 expander_i2c = I2C(1, sda=Pin(39), scl=Pin(42), freq=400000)
 expander = Expander(i2c_bus=expander_i2c)
-expander.wait_for_normal_mode(min_uptime_ms=1500) # 1000 should be enough but gets version (0, 255, 15) every so often...
+expander.wait_for_normal_mode(min_uptime_ms=1000)
 if expander.install_firmware_if_needed(
         "/builtin/firmware/fri3d_2026/coprocessor_1.2.1.fw", (1, 2, 1), progress_cb=progress,
-        success_cb=lambda: (LightsManager.set_all(0, 255, 0), LightsManager.write())):
-    print("Firmware was installed, re-initializing expander_i2c")
+        success_cb=lambda: (LightsManager.set_all(21, 96, 67), LightsManager.write()),
+        warning_cb=warning, failure_cb=failure):
+    print("Re-initializing expander_i2c")
     expander_i2c = I2C(1, sda=Pin(39), scl=Pin(42), freq=400000)
     expander = Expander(i2c_bus=expander_i2c)
 
@@ -356,8 +373,9 @@ def startup_wow_effect():
         time.sleep_ms(500)
 
         fade_steps = 80
+        max_brightness = 128 # instead of 255 because that's too bright
         for step in range(fade_steps):
-            level = int(255 * (fade_steps - 1 - step) / (fade_steps - 1))
+            level = int(max_brightness * (fade_steps - 1 - step) / (fade_steps - 1))
             LightsManager.set_all(level, level, level)
             LightsManager.write()
             time.sleep_ms(20)
