Omega2 LTE just launched!

Lazar Demin

Great list of questions, I'll do my best to answer:

GPS Receiver Details & PPS Output

Correct, the LTE modem is connected to the Omega through USB. The GNSS receiver is built into the modem and communicates with the Omega using NMEA messages serially over USB.

Regarding the Omega's serial ports, the Omega2S module features 3 UARTs:

UART0 is used for the console and is connected to the USB-to-Serial chip -> USB-C port on the Omega2 LTE
UART1 is available and pinned out on the Expansion Header
UART2 is available. On the Omega2 LTE it can be accessed by running wires to the appropriate pins on the Omega2S module

The GNSS receiver does not offer a PPS output. Would it be possible to use the NMEA messages to run the NTP server?

Expansion Header

Agreed, not having a pin reference for the Expansion Header is unfriendly.
That's why on the production version, there will be a sticker on both sides of the Expansion Header providing a pin reference!

Unattended Operation

The Omega2S module does feature a Watchdog timer and a Hardware Reset pin, so unattended operation is definitely doable.

On the software side, it's possible to use OpenWRT's init.d process management daemon to run your program as a service, ensuring your code will restart if it happens to crash. Learn more about this in our blog post on running a program as a service.

Claude Robitaille

@Lazar-Demin said in Omega2 LTE just launched!:

Omega2S module does feature a Watchdog

When I wrote Omeage2s in meant the plural as I have many. Also I was under the impression that the Omega2S and Omega2S+ were simply repackaged regular Omega2/+. But I guess there are few additions.

The documentation indicates that the HW reset pin is only on the Omega2S+, not the Omegae2S. But this cell thing is stuff with the + variant so it is covred.

OTOH, the documentation does not talk about the watchdog. Can you point me in the right direction?

Yes, init.d can be a partial solution. But about init.d itself? (Issues are most of the time software bugs, but there is definitely other type of issues that could cause init.d to fail).

cas

@Lazar-Demin
Will there be any SMS or USSD libraries provided with the Omega2 LTE to take advantage of the GSM functionality?
Or do you have any suggestions for some open source ones that will be compatible with it?

György Farkas

@Douglas-Kryder Unofficial Omega2 LTE Expansion Header cheat sheet:

Official Onion Expansion Dock & Omega2 Pro Expansion Header:

György Farkas

Omega2-LTE

https://github.com/OnionIoT/Omega2-LTE

@Lazar-Demin Thank you very much indeed - especially for the Omega2-LTE/Hardware/R1.1/ files.

Please upload the missing PCB layer(s) - or at least the bottom layer - of the Omega2 Pro too.

Douglas Kryder

@György-Farkas another useful contribution, thank you. only problem i have now is my color printer died 2 months ago. but my b&w laser will be ok until i can afford color again.

Lazar Demin

SMS Messages

While the main intended use-case for the cellular connection is the use of high-speed mobile data, this is very likely possible by sending AT commands from the Omega to the cellular modem. I would recommend looking for the AT command reference for the EC25 cellular modem.

An alternative to sending SMS messages directly from the Omega2 LTE would be to use the data connection to communicate with an online service like Twilio to programatically send text messages.

Omega2 & Omega2S

Correct, the surface-mount Omega2S is a repackaged version of the through-hole Omega2. Think of it as a super-set of the through-hole version, check out our documentation for a full list of the differences between the two models.

Regarding the +/non-plus variants, it refers to the amount of memory and storage, no difference in the pinout.
The hardware reset pin is available on all of the models. Look for the pin labelled RST on the pin-out diagrams.

Watchdog & Unattended Operation

For more info on using the watchdog, please consult the MT7688 datasheet. There are 3 registers that control the watchdog's operation, you can configure them through the /dev/mem device, or using the devmem program. You'll also need to look at the GPIO1_MODE register to adjust the pin multiplexing so that the WDT signal is brought out to the pins.

You'll have to ask the OpenWRT developers about the stability of init.d
FWIW, we've never seen any major stability issues in our experience.

cas

@Lazar-Demin
Could you please advise which variant of the Quectel EC25 will be used in the global model?

From the pre-production images available it would seem that you are using EC25-A for the North American model, but I can't reliably determine which one you'll be using for the rest of the world, unless I have missed that item somewhere.

Also, the images location referenced in the Omega2-LTE github repo README doesn't currently exist.

If anyone is interested, here is the product page for the LTE module Quectel LTE Standard EC25 and there are a large number of documents available for download (after registration).

fossette

Hello!
I would like to know if the Omega2 LTE supports Videotron, a big wireless provider in Quebec, Canada. From, their support, I'm told:

LTE devices must support Band IV (1700 MHz) in LTE, as well as Band II or V in HSPA (850 MHz/1900 MHz)
Non LTE devices must support 1700 MHz / 2100 MHz in HSPA (3G/GSM)

https://support.videotron.com/residential/mobile/videotron-lte-network

Jonathan Rizzo

@Lazar-Demin said in Omega2 LTE just launched!:

The GNSS receiver does not offer a PPS output. Would it be possible to use the NMEA messages to run the NTP server?

Thanks for clarifying that. Yes, gpsd can communicate with the usb serial port to accept NMEA sentences and keep ntpd disciplined. I'm not sure if gpsd has been ported to OpenWRT MIPS but it definitely can be.

Another tiny question, can the GPS receiver be used if LTE is not utilized?

Lazar Demin

Modems

Correct, EC25-A modem for the North American model.
The Global model uses the Quectel EG25-G modem.

Images in Repo

Fixed! The images are now in the repo.

Wireless Carrier Support

To see which bands are supported by the two different models, check out the chart here:
https://www.crowdsupply.com/onion/omega2-lte#two-variants-for-global-compatibility

gpsd

It looks like gpsd has been ported to OpenWRT:

You'll probably have to enable the OpenWRT repos on your Omega2 LTE to install it.

See the guide in our documentation: http://docs.onion.io/omega2-docs/using-opkg.html#using-opkg-switch-to-lede-repos

GNSS with No LTE

Yes, it is possible to have the GNSS receiver and the LTE connection disabled. Just note that the modem will still likely fire up the LTE modem to use cell towers to assist in geo-location.

Aurélien Fi

Hello,

Is it possible to get schematics of Onion Omega2 LTE board ?

Regards,

Aurélien

György Farkas

@Aurélien-Fi Here you are!
Omega2-LTE/Hardware/R1.1/Omega2-LTE-v1.1-Schematic.pdf
(or - if you can - please scroll up and take a look at this post

Aurélien Fi

Thank you very much for the answer
We would like to make our own boards embedding an omega and a quectel EG25-G modem but it seems this modem is not available on mouser or farnell.
I'm afraid about the procurement of this component !!!

Regards,

Aurélien

Douglas Kryder

@Aurélien-Fi pine64 the single board computer maker is going to offer the pinephone in the next 6 months or so and it will use this modem. in posts from the devs i read that it usually works that you need to inquire to quectel.

Aurélien Fi

@Douglas-Kryder said in Omega2 LTE just launched!:

pinephone

@Douglas-Kryder thank you very much for the informations

TheMonkey King

I haven't heard anything from Onion or Crowd Supply. What is going on with shipments, please? I should have my order in hand or at least an explanation of the delay. I tried Crowd Supply but it's a black hole over there.

Please advise.

Thank you.

cas

@TheMonkey-King said in Omega2 LTE just launched!:

I haven't heard anything from Onion or Crowd Supply. What is going on with shipments, please? I should have my order in hand or at least an explanation of the delay. I tried Crowd Supply but it's a black hole over there.

Please advise.

Thank you.

Seems some have made it out to backers:

So I'm also wondering where in the world my O2 LTE's might be...
@Lazar-Demin - Are you able to provide an update on the current status for us?

Lazar Demin

@cas @TheMonkey-King
Thank you for your patience. I've been in touch with the Crowd Supply fulfillment team and have an update on the latest status:

Most of the orders shipped without issue
A small number of orders didn't ship due to fulfillment issues that went undetected
The fulfillment issues have now been cleared up and all affected orders are being prepared for shipment

cas

@Lazar-Demin

Thanks for the update and indeed, I did receive a "Your Crowd Supply order has shipped!" notification for my LTE's on 1 November.
Apologies, I meant to post a follow up about that, but have been somewhat distracted.