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hypoxic
Explorer
June 6, 2024
Solved

Using STM32 Nucleo Expansion Boards with a Discovery Board

  • June 6, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 2206 views

Hello,

I am new to the STM32 platform and will be using it to prototype an embedded controller.  I ordered an STM32H7S78-DK Discovery board since it had all the necessary IOs available and included a touchscreen display.  However, I also need Bluetooth communication. 

I found the X-NUCLEO-IDB05A2 and X-NUCLEO-BNRG2A1 Nucleo Bluetooth expansion boards; will these work with the Discovery board?  The datasheets only mention STM32 Nucleo compatibility, but the expansion boards use the Arduino UNO R3 connector, which is present on the Discovery board and I imagine has a compatible pinout.  I might be misunderstanding how the expansion board connects...

If neither of these will work, is there another way for me to add Bluetooth functionality to the Discovery board, or am I better off obtaining a Nucleo board and developing the Bluetooth functionality independently?

Thanks in advance.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Best answer by Andrew Neil

    It's more than just the same physical connector: to be compatible means it also has to have all the signals in all the same places.

    That's what means you can take any UNO R3 compatible shield  and plug it into any UNO R3 compatible "host" - subject to them being the same voltage.

     

    @hypoxic wrote:

      So when comparing the schematics I'm checking to see if the pins match and if so they should work with the right code?  

    Yes.

    1 reply

    A
    Andrew Neil
    Super User
    June 6, 2024
    @hypoxic wrote:

    I am new to the STM32 platform

    Are you familiar with any other microcontroller(s) ?

     

    Yes, those boards all have Arduino UNO R3 connectors - so should just plug onto any 3V UNO R3-compatible "host"

    Schematics of all the boards are available on the 'CAD Resources' tabs of the respective Product Pages:

    https://www.st.com/en/evaluation-tools/stm32h7s78-dk.html#cad-resources

    https://www.st.com/en/ecosystems/x-nucleo-bnrg2a1.html#cad-resources

    https://www.st.com/en/ecosystems/x-nucleo-idb05a2.html#cad-resources

     

    The Data Brief documents for the X-NUCLEO boards also have pinout details

     

    H
    hypoxicAuthor
    Explorer
    June 6, 2024

    Hi Andrew,

    Thank you for the response.

    Yes, I'm familiar with Arduino and ESP32, but this is my first time working with a "professional" MCU.  I didn't want to assume they would be compatible just because they have the same connector, especially since the expansion board datasheets seemed to suggest they only work with the Nucleo platform.  So when comparing the schematics I'm checking to see if the pins match and if so they should work with the right code?  And is this always the case or are there situations where there might be a software incompatibly?

    A
    Andrew NeilAnswer
    Super User
    June 6, 2024

    It's more than just the same physical connector: to be compatible means it also has to have all the signals in all the same places.

    That's what means you can take any UNO R3 compatible shield  and plug it into any UNO R3 compatible "host" - subject to them being the same voltage.

     

    @hypoxic wrote:

      So when comparing the schematics I'm checking to see if the pins match and if so they should work with the right code?  

    Yes.

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