TH-05 version and serial adapter clarification

[vasil-github]

Hi there and thanks for the work.

Firs I want to know is the TH-05 V1.2 supported or not? In the documentation/readme it is stated that v1.4 is supported. At the same time there are people who flashed TH-05 v1.2 and you advise them how to complete the full OTA flash.

Second - When doing the initial flash via serial IS IT TTL or RS232 serial adapter needed?

[rbonat]

Hi, Short answers: TH05_V1.2 works ok as remote sensor but without display (display is blind). To flash bootloader you will need standard USB to TTL adapter working with 3.3V supply and logic levels.

[vasil-github]

Thank you. I did flash with TTL adapter a v1.2 device and as your wrote no display. But for testing purpose is ok. One more thing. Is the BT advertisement/data readable/understandable by OpenMQTT gateway ? If you know. The esp32 does "see" the TH sensor but data is not recognized/decoded in my setup.

[rbonat]

I haven't tested openmqttgateway. I'm using esphome bluetooth proxy on esp32. Devices has been discovered automatically after flashing, as new BTHome device, and added to Home Assistant without any problems.

[vasil-github]

Good to know that it works with BT proxy mode.

In my case my ESP32 devices (flashed with openmqttgatewat - which work flawlessly until this device ) have BT, RF and IR all in one and ware build and long time ago (long before proxy modes was published/released). I hope some day the OpenMQTTgateway developer will implement this firmware. I should have stick with the Xiaomi LYWSD03MMC especially now that they could be transformed to ZigBee only with firmware flash (tested on 3 pcs and its perfect).

I was leaded by the low price and after I did find this firmware just decided to thinker with them :-D

BTW here is the data received by OpenMQTTGW just for information.

{"id":"38:1F:8D:6D:F4:66","mac_type":0,"adv_type":0,"name":"TH05-BT-Laundry","rssi":-82,"distance":11.4949,"servicedata":"40000f015c02c00603dd120c6f0b","servicedatauuid":"0xfcd2"}

[pvvx]

uuid: 0xfcd2 - BTHome data: "40000f015c02c00603dd120c6f0b" 40 - BTHome V2 000F - Msg count 15 015c - Battery 0x5c = 92% 02c006 - Temp: 0x06C0 = 17.28 C 03dd12 - Humi: 0x12DD = 48.29 % 0c6f0b - Vbat: 0x0b6f = 2927 mV

[rbonat]

So you have at least three options now :)

• decode servicedata on controller side (f. ex. by HA template sensors)
• use one more esp32 with ble proxy loaded
• or use simple usb BT dongle (any with CSR 8510 chip works fine). However from my experience esp32 have better range than BT dongle

[pvvx]

However from my experience esp32 have better range than BT dongle

RTL8761BU has the best reception characteristics in the class of cheap BT adapters. ESP32 is many times worse. CSR8510 A10 is only BT4.2.

[rbonat]

Thanks for this tip - do you think it's worth to replace my CSR8510 dongle by RTL8761BU one?

[vasil-github]

So you have at least three options now :)

* decode servicedata on controller side (f. ex. by HA template sensors)

* use one more esp32 with ble proxy loaded

* or use simple usb BT dongle (any with CSR 8510 chip works fine).
  However from my experience esp32 have better range than BT dongle

Using another USB BT adapter defeats the point of remote monitoring-that is why I am using OMG after all :-) Using another ESP32 is overkill for reading just 1 another temp sensor. For the price of the ESP i will buy just new sensor, that is supported and if I decide I can flash it of over to ZigBee I guess I will try the option for decode servicedata on controller side (f. ex. by HA template sensors) just for the fun of it. I guess I will spend some time reading and fooling around before I get bored or stuck and order new sensor :-)

Thank you for the effort and support!

[pvvx]

Thanks for this tip - do you think it's worth to replace my CSR8510 dongle by RTL8761BU one?

The CSR8510 receives the most BLE advertisements per second. The RTL8761BU is significantly smaller. But it works with "LE long Range". I use 2 adapters: RTL8761BU - for receiving from remote sensors (from my second house 500 meters away, RSSI -108 dBm) CSR8510 - for receiving a local group of sensors (currently 40 pcs)

Using another USB BT adapter defeats the point of remote monitoring-

The CSR8510 is priced under $1. RTL8761BU - $1.5..$2

A USB extension cable is more expensive. The BT adapter should not be placed next to Wifi and other SSD/MCU-board type devices. A distance of at least half a meter is required.

[rbonat]

Thanks for clarification - as always there is no simple answer yes or no :) Maybe I will go your way, ending up with two receivers.

[pvvx]

CSR8510

RTL8761BU https://github.com/pvvx/ATC_MiThermometer/issues/297#issuecomment-1877575447 ESP32 https://github.com/pvvx/ATC_MiThermometer/discussions/328#discussioncomment-7838023

[vasil-github]

WOW 40 ble devices.... I will NOT do that to my self :-D I preferre ZigBee for such number of devices. Much more reliable and extendable range. I have currently 72 ZB devices. I did have too many issues with BT over the years (disconnections, encryptions, range, sending commands, etc., etc.) Then I discovered OMG and BT is working flawlessly for me. Everything is send over MQTT, discovered automatically, not to mention that for 2 usd im adding bidirectionalls RF and IrDa to the gateway. And that is the first time I face some challenge with a device. Yes that was way before BLE proxy :-)
Anyways the CSR8510 and RTL8761BU info is useful to known.

[pvvx]

Zigbee and Wi-Fi don't work for me. The distances are too long for them on my site. It is possible to work with such distances only in the BLE “LE long Range” mode. This BLE mode of operation may soon be available for devices in this repository. In addition, Zigbee constantly falls off and jumps to different routers. I currently have twenty Zigbee devices connected to Home Assistant in my suburban area. Statistics for 3 years show that not a single BLE device has fallen off from Home Assistant. Zigbee devices fall off periodically - about once a month. Every week one of the Wifi devices loses connection, communication errors with different WiFi in the Home Assistant log - every day.

[vasil-github]

Deferent problems, deferent solutions after all :-D