Silicon Labs ERF32BG29 & ERF32MG29 Development Boards

Silicon Labs ERF32BG29 and ERF32MG29 Development Boards help developers profile energy usage, debug applications, and analyze wireless network behavior. An EFR32xG29 Gecko Wireless System-on-Chip (SoC) is featured on a radio board that plugs directly into a Wireless Starter Kit (Wireless STK) Mainboard or a Wireless Pro Kit Mainboard. The mainboards feature several tools for easy evaluation and development of wireless applications. An onboard J-Link debugger enables programming and debugging on the target device over USB or Ethernet. The Advanced Energy Monitor (AEM) offers real-time current and voltage monitoring. A virtual COM port interface (VCOM) provides a straightforward serial port connection via USB or Ethernet. The Packet Trace Interface (PTI) offers invaluable debug information about transmitted and received packets in wireless links. All debug functionality, including AEM, VCOM, and PTI, can also be used towards external target hardware instead of the attached radio board. To further enhance usability, the mainboard contains sensors and peripherals that demonstrate some of the many capabilities of the EFR32xG29. The mainboard also has a 20-pin EXP header that can be used for connecting EXP boards to the kit or for easy connection to I/Os on the radio board target IC.

A Wireless Starter Kit consists of one or more mainboards and radio boards that plug into the mainboard. Different radio boards are available, each featuring different Silicon Labs devices with different operating frequency bands. Because the mainboards are designed to work with different radio boards, the actual pin mapping from a device pin to a mainboard feature is done on the radio board. This means that each radio board has its own pin mapping to the Wireless STK features, such as buttons, LEDs, the display, the EXP header, and the breakout pads. Because pin mapping is different for every radio board, consult the correct User Guides to show the kit features in the context of the radio board plugged in.

The EFR32xG29 DC-DC Buck (BRD4412A) or Boost (BRD4413A and BRD4420A) Radio Boards can be used with either a Wireless Starter Kit Mainboard (BRD4001A) or a Wireless Pro Kit Mainboard (BRD4002A). The Wireless Pro Kit Mainboard is the successor to the Wireless Starter Kit Mainboard, which comes with some improvements and added features, including increased AEM measurement range and sample rate, variable VMCU voltage, a joystick, a logic analyzer, and a Mini Simplicity Connector. Kit features, such as the Si7021 sensor and the EXP header, are available on the same EFR32xG29 pins regardless of the mainboard being used, but the pinout to the breakout pads differs.

Features

Radio boards, can be used with either a Wireless Starter Kit Mainboard (BRD4001A) or a Wireless Pro Kit Mainboard (BRD4002A)
- BRD4412A
  - EFR32xG29 Gecko Wireless SoC with 1024kB Flash and 256kB RAM (EFR32MG29B140F1024IM40)
  - Inverted-F PCB antenna (2.4GHz band)
  - 8Mbit low-power serial flash for over-the-air upgrades
- BRD4413A
  - EFR32xG29 Gecko Wireless SoC with 1024kB Flash and 256kB RAM (EFR32MG29B230F1024CM40)
  - Inverted-F PCB antenna (2.4GHz band)
  - 8Mbit low-power serial flash for over-the-air upgrades
  - Onboard LDO with 1.5V output
- BRD4420A
  - EFR32xG29 Gecko Wireless SoC with 1024kB Flash and 256kB RAM (EFR32BG29B220F1024CJ45)
  - Inverted-F PCB antenna (2.4GHz band)
  - 8Mbit low-power serial flash for over-the-air upgrades
  - Onboard LDO with 1.5V output
  - +4dBm output power
  - DC-DC Boost mode for single-cell battery operation
  - Secure Vault™ High for enhanced security

xG29-PK6034A mainboard (comes with all part numbers)
- Advanced energy monitor
- Packet trace interface
- Logic analyzer (BRD4002A only)
- Virtual COM port
- SEGGER J-Link onboard debugger
- External device debugging
- Ethernet and USB connectivity
- Silicon Labs Si7021 relative humidity and temperature sensor (not available with BRD4420A)
- Low-power 128x128 pixel memory LCD TFT (not available with BRD4420A)
- User LEDs and pushbuttons
- 20-pin 2.54mm EXP header
- Breakout pads for wireless SoC I/O
- CR2032 coin cell battery support
Software support
- Simplicity Studio™
- Energy profiler
- Network analyzer

Applications

BRD4412A (EFR32MG29)
- High-output power applications
- Long-range wireless communication
- Smart lighting
- Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
- Building automation
BRD4413A (EFR32MG29)
- Battery-powered and energy-efficient designs
- Portable devices
- Environmental sensors
- Smart metering
BRD4420A (EFR32BG29)
- Wearable medical devices
- Asset tracking tags
- Battery-powered sensors
- Smart home devices
- BLUETOOTH® LE beacons and peripherals

User Guides

xG29-PK6034A and G29-RB4412A - EFR32xG29 Wireless 2.4GHz +8dBm DC-DC Buck Radio Board
xG29-RB4413A - EFR32xG29 Wireless 2.4GHz +6dBm DCDC Boost Radio Board
BG29-RB4420A - EFR32BG29 Bluetooth LE +4dBm DCDC Boost WLCSP Radio Board