Omega2 LTE just launched!
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We're very excited to announce that the Omega2 LTE is now available for pre-order on Crowd Supply!
Explore cellular IoT with a high speed 4G LTE data connection, GNSS global positioning, WiFi networking, and a Linux environment.
Learn more and pre-order at https://www.crowdsupply.com/onion/omega2-lte
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Any hope for a PPS output from the GPS receiver? The Quectel website requires a login to see the modem datasheet. Any hope for an OpenWRT PPS driver via an unused GPIO? I really love the Omega, but software support other than standard OpenWRT packages and high level language interpreters like Python is really lacking. I'm looking for GPS with accessible 1PPS and integration with ntpd and audio capture at 48 or 96kHz. From my understanding there is only one serial port and that is used for the console, so the only way to interface GPS would be a USB serial port adapter, unless this modem provides NMEA output via a built in USB to serial port adapter.
Does the modem connect via USB of some sort?
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@Lazar-Demin just noticed that there is no expansion header pin reference at all printed on the board. bad choice, imo. very unfriendly. is onion planning on printing up a small cheat sheet reference card that slips over the header to provide info? if not, another bad choice.
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@Douglas-Kryder said:
@Lazar-Demin just noticed that there is no expansion header pin reference at all printed on the board.
Ooh, good catch!
Also, since there's no longer a diagonal corner to act as a visual guide, the expansions are at risk of being installed in an incorrect orientation by those new to the board.
And, since the expansion header is so close to the edge, when inserted, the expansions are bound to overlap the edge of the board underneath, so enclosures will have to be designed accordingly.
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@Lazar-Demin said in Omega2 LTE just launched!:
A question - why is the global version $19 more expensive? I'm not asking to whinge, I'd just like to know what the difference is between the boards..
slán
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@chris-Ó-Luanaigh asked:
A question - why is the global version $19 more expensive?
I'd expect that the chip in the global model that supports all the additional bands is more expensive.
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Any hope for support of 100% unattended operation? By that I mean that the device always recovers from any kind of HW and SW issues? I have had Omega2s stop working where only a power cycle would recover (the reset input is process by software so if somehow the OS goes away the reset never performs), Also, my own code could stop working itself (yes, it is possible to add a lot of safeguard, monitoring functions, etc.).
I real production grade unattended operation capable product need to have a watchdog. Here, the only solution due to lack of hard reset on the Omega, is to have the watchdog perform a power cycle should it timeout. Is there anything of that nature on this module?
Also, I am looking at the MAX16998 to drive a MOSFET on the ground return of the omega. But is there a simpler solution? Any suggestions?
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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.
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@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).
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@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?
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@Douglas-Kryder Unofficial Omega2 LTE Expansion Header cheat sheet:
Official Onion Expansion Dock & Omega2 Pro Expansion Header:
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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.
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@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.
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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 labelledRSTon 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/memdevice, or using thedevmemprogram. You'll also need to look at theGPIO1_MODEregister 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.
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@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).
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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
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@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?
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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-compatibilitygpsd
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.
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Hello,
Is it possible to get schematics of Onion Omega2 LTE board ?
Regards,
Aurélien
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@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
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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
