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OpenBeken configuration for WiFi universal IR remotes from aliexpress (S06, S18, IRC02) with BK7231

Lexcis 9279 37
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  • I ordered some WiFi universal IR remotes on AliExpress and want to share my experiences from flashing OpenBeken on them.
    Here are some pinouts for configuration and other hints:



    TUYA Home Smart Life Mini Universal IR Remote S06 (BK7231T) [WB3S]
    Black square IR WiFi remote with illuminated blue WiFi symbol.
    Button: GPIOP_6
    IR RX: GPIOP_8
    WiFi LED: GPIOP_9
    IR TX: GPIOP_26



    TUYA Home Smart Life Mini Universal IR Remote S18 (BK7231N) [CB3S]
    Black, round universal IR remote with a blue LED.
    Button: GPIOP_6
    IR RX: GPIOP_7
    WiFi LED: GPIOP_8
    IR TX: GPIOP_26
    Important notice for flashing: In my case labeling of Rx and Tx was mixed up on PCB



    TUYA Home Smart Life Intelligent WiFi IR Remote Control IRC02 (BK7231N) [CB3S]
    Black, round universal IR remote with a blue LED indicator.
    Button: GPIOP_6
    WiFi LED: GPIOP_7
    IR RX: GPIOP_24
    IR TX: GPIOP_26

    Cool? Ranking DIY
    About Author
    Lexcis
    Level 2  
    Offline 
    Lexcis wrote 2 posts with rating 1. Been with us since 2023 year.
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  • #2 20717191
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    Thank you, can you also post JSON configs from Web App so I can just copy-paste them to our devices list?

    Futhermore, are you sure that you got BK7231N in a WB3S form? Usually WB3S i BK7231T, and CB3S is BK7231N.
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  • #3 20717271
    Lexcis
    Level 2  

    Sorry, checked it again and you are right: Both of them are BK7231T. I have corrected my post.
    Sure, I will add the JSON code shortly.
  • #4 20717335
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    Okay, no problem, I was just asking because we really already had a batch of devices that were using CB2S with BK7231T inside, which was very, very strange and confusing for our users, because you have to choose the correct platform at the time of the flashing. So far I haven't seen any other swaps like that.
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  • #5 20760495
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    JSONs were added to our teardowns list. Thank you! Now we have more than 400 devices in our Elektroda database!
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  • #6 20765817
    morgan_flint
    Level 14  
    In case you have a TH06 but the JSON posted in this thread doesn't work for you, maybe it's because you have the same PCB but a different Wi-Fi module. See here for more details.
  • #7 20782871
    sergeyhatunzev
    Level 2  
    Please send the original firmware here I need any version except 2.0.0 . I write through a translator so there may be errors, thank you in advance. S06CB3S
  • #8 20783326
    morgan_flint
    Level 14  
    sergeyhatunzev wrote:
    Please send the original firmware here I need any version except 2.0.0 . I write through a translator so there may be errors, thank you in advance. S06CB3S

    Hello, in case it's suitable for you (or anybody else), I've added the original FW of my device to my other post about it.

    Anyway, take into account that my device has a WB3S module instead of the CB3S, although the PCB's silkscreen is "S06-CB3S-V1.1", check if yours have the same module as my photos in the other post before flashing.

    P.S: My edit adding the FW to the other post is awaiting moderation, so just now you can't see the FW. I don't know how much it will delay
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  • #9 20858490
    sterium
    Level 2  
    >>20717083
    Sorry I am new from openbk the configuration file "s18.json.txt" where do you put?
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  • #10 20858630
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    You can import pins that way:



    Or here is standalone converter:
    https://openbekeniot.github.io/webapp/templateImporter.html
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  • #12 20892177
    SteIta
    Level 5  
    Hello, i flash s18 via ota CloudCutter, using firmware 2.0.
    Purchased for 1.80 euros on Aliexpress from Spain to Italy
    I use this for test, i am new from openbk and flashing.
    Thanks Lexcis
  • #13 20892227
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    Hello @steltad , can I help you somehow? Have you seen our IR tutorial?


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  • #14 20982644
    nacxoffw
    Level 5  
    Hi!

    I have one tuya IR Remote working with config like this post and embembed in HomeAssistant.

    Working!!!

    My question... How to send as mqtt topic the irCode getted by the sensor? Instead of check device logs... Send the data to a topic.

    IR pinouts not allow define Channel so...
  • #15 20997557
    baudneo
    Level 6  
    nacxoffw wrote:
    Hi!

    I have one tuya IR Remote working with config like this post and embembed in HomeAssistant.

    Working!!!

    My question... How to send as mqtt topic the irCode getted by the sensor? Instead of check device logs... Send the data to a topic.

    IR pinouts not allow define Channel so...


    You need to set Flag 14 in the config>Configure General/Flags and then it will publish IR codes to <dev id>/ir/get

    User interface displaying IR code reading for BK7231N_IR_Blaster.
  • #16 21156018
    carlig833
    Level 7  
    I have one of these devices (CB3S, BK7231N), but I am confused about how this is supposed to be flashed.
    According to the second youtube video in this thread I should connect TX1, RX1 and GROUND pin to USB-to-UART converter. I did this.
    Then I should power on, off and then on again the device using its own USB cable. I did this.
    However the BK7231 Easy UART Flasher continues to output the following messages:

      Getting bus failed, will try again - 91/100!
      Getting bus failed, will try again - 92/100!


    I had some experience with smoke sensors, based on the same chip and in that case it was necessary to connect the CEN line and breafily connect it to the ground, but this is not mentioned in this guide and I am pretty confused right now. May I get any help?

    [img] Module connected to a USB to UART converter with wires. [/img]
  • #17 21156029
    baudneo
    Level 6  
    If it's not entering bootloader mode on its own, then try the CEN to ground method.
  • #18 21156054
    carlig833
    Level 7  
    Thanks for answer. Unfortunatly the CEN to GROUND trick does not work either.
    What is nonsense to me is having the device powered separately via its own USB cable, but also connected via USB-to-UART.
    Would not be more straightforward to power it via the USB-to-UART device as we do for smoke and water sensor?
    In that case on which CB3S PIN should I provide the 3.3V coming from USB-to-UART?
  • #19 21156073
    baudneo
    Level 6  
    Yes, you can power it from the usb to TTL converter. The usb power is just for convenience.

    I haven't had any issues flashing obk to several devices now, sounds like maybe there's a hardware issue or something.
  • #20 21156442
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    I'm afraid that you actually can't reliably power it from USB to UART converter. It does not have enough current capability. In our videos, we always use external 3.3V supply:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6d42IMGhHw&list=PLzbXEc2ebpH0CZDbczAXT94BuSGrd_GoM
    Diagram of USB to UART converter connection with an external 3.3 V power supply and reset methods.
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  • #21 21160214
    carlig833
    Level 7  
    I fixed a bad soldering on TX/RX pins and I flashed firmware BK7231N version 1.17.645 of my S18 IR receiver.

    Tested with Remote A it works fine and I can see lines printed in logs:

    Info:IR:IR IR_Sony 0x1 0x15 1 (12 bits)


    Tested with Remote B I cannot see any line printed. Remote B seems not compatible.
    Reverted to Tuya firmware and tested the IR learning mode with Remote B it works!

    How can I troubleshoot why OBK firmware is not receiving IR events sent by Remote B?
  • #22 21160223
    divadiow
    Level 34  
    if you check this flag then try again do you see any entries in the logs?

    Screenshot showing an option labeled Flag 15 - [IR] Allow 'unknown' protocol with a checkbox.
  • #23 21161550
    carlig833
    Level 7  
    Yes, I can now see a log line printed. Whatever button I press the line looks always the same:

    Info:IR:IR IR_UNKNOWN 0x0 0


    There is something that I can actively do on my side to have this remote supported?
    It is a very old remote for a TECO Air Conditioning system, so there are low chances that it will be added by someone else in the future.
  • #24 21279517
    agudelotmateo
    Level 2  
    Hey everyone, I just got myself two units that seems to match the "TUYA Home Smart Life Intelligent WiFi IR Remote Control IRC02 (BK7231N) [CB3S]" but I have no idea how to flash them. I've flashed "S06 Pro"s in the past using the Avatto profile on Tuya CloudCutter, but even though these (the IRC02 ones) are running 1.0.2 from the factory, after trying a bunch of profiles none of them worked.

    I also removed the case and I have no idea where I could solder, I can't seem to find any VCC, UAT, GND, RX or TX labeled connections.

    Any ideas? I'm not very experieced but I could probably solder my cables directly to the CBU (?) chip after finding the proper pinout, but isn't that kind of scary? I know that development pins or connectors ase essentially the same thing but I'm worried about messing up the chip. Two round, blue circuit boards with mounted LED diodes. Two circuit boards with a WiFi module on a black background. Screen displaying device software update information.
  • #25 21282250
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    I can't see any solder pads that could be a flashing port. You can still try probing with multimeter to find some, but maybe it would be worth to solder directly to CBU...

    You don't have much wires to solder, you will only need to solder RX and TX to CBU pads.

    Ground can be soldered elsewhere, for example, this large pad is most likely connected to ground - just check it first with multimeter.

    Then, power, it can be supplied via USB connector, from the same machine that you have USB to UART converter connected to.
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  • #26 21299443
    agudelotmateo
    Level 2  
    p.kaczmarek2 wrote:
    I can't see any solder pads that could be a flashing port. You can still try probing with multimeter to find some, but maybe it would be worth to solder directly to CBU...

    You don't have much wires to solder, you will only need to solder RX and TX to CBU pads.

    Ground can be soldered elsewhere, for example, this large pad is most likely connected to ground - just check it first with multimeter.

    Then, power, it can be supplied via USB connector, from the same machine that you have USB to UART converter connected to.


    OK I was able to dump the stock firmware using ltchiptool but UPK2ESPHome was unable to get anything out of it. I flashed ESPHome and at this point I'm able to flash wirelessly, but the device isn't working, really, because I don't know how to get the IR to work of read the data from the sensors.

    This is a CBU device and based on my research (I'm new at this) it doesn't have a TuyaMCU. I have no idea how to configure this device. I have a similar device (S06 Pro) but that one uses a TuyaMCU (temperature and humidity are read from the TuyaMCU, Pin 26 is the IR Transmitter and Pin 8 the IR Receiver so pretty easy under generic-bk7231t-qfn32-tuya with RX1 and TX1 for the UART bus at 9600 baud rate) and this one apparently does not.

    Any idea on how to figure out the pins and stuff for this device? I attached the stock firmware dump in case that's useful

    EDIT: Looks like the device I have is exactly like the one shown in this post: https://www.elektroda.com/rtvforum/topic3974946.html#20560227, but the pinout specified there does not work for me (Pin 8 for the IR Transmitter and Pin 24 for the IR Receiver). This is the relevant part of my ESPHome YAML file:

    
    bk72xx:
      board: generic-bk7231n-qfn32-tuya
    
    remote_transmitter:
      pin: GPIO8
      carrier_duty_percent: 50%
    
    remote_receiver:
      id: receiver
      pin:
        number: GPIO24
        inverted: true
        mode:
          input: true
          pullup: true
      tolerance: 55%
      dump: all
    
  • #27 21315300
    psyko_chewbacca
    Level 6  
    Hi,

    I recently bought 2 units labeled as model S18. They are white, small and come with a soldered-on USB-A lead.
    They do not have the same IO mappings as the S18 unit described in the very first post of this thread.

    In fact, they are equipped with a CBU module rather than a CB3S.

    My units came programmed with Tuya firmware version 2.0.0 and could be flashed through Cloudcutter. It's a good thing because opening up these suckers will surely break all retention clips. You will need to use glue to put it back together.

    Here's the mapping info pulled from BK7231Flasher

    
    {
    	"reset_pin":"26",
    	"wfst_pin":"24",
    	"owm":"1",
    	"reset_lv":"0",
    	"rsthold":"3",
    	"wfst_lv":"1",
    	"netyc":"1",
    	"infrr":"8",
    	"netnc":"0",
    	"infre":"7",
    	"crc":"32"
    }
    


    
    Device configuration, as extracted from Tuya: 
    - Button is on P26
    - WiFi LED on P24
    - IR Receiver is on P8
    - IR Transmitter is on P7
    No module information found.
    And the Tuya section starts, as usual, at 2023424
    


    Pictures:
    Back of a white device labeled Mini Wi-Fi IR Remote Control with technical specifications. Circuit board of S18 model with a soldered USB-A cable. Interior of an electronic device with a visible CBU module and a soldered USB-A cable.
  • #28 21315480
    divadiow
    Level 34  
    even though you used Cloudcutter, did you happen to take a factory firmware backup anyway or was that config extraction from the 73kb Tuya config download from within OpenBeken webapp?
  • #29 21315828
    p.kaczmarek2
    Moderator Smart Home
    CBU has P16 easily available, I'd use this device to attach WS2812B strip as a nice addition to basic functionality.
    OpenBeken WS2812B animations - new HTTP panel integration, PixelAnim driver
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  • #30 21320663
    psyko_chewbacca
    Level 6  
    divadiow wrote:
    even though you used Cloudcutter, did you happen to take a factory firmware backup anyway or was that config extraction from the 73kb Tuya config download from within OpenBeken webapp?


    As I couldn't figure out the IO mapping, I disassembled the second unit and while at it, I decided to go through serial flashing rather than cloudcutter.
    So lucky you!

    Attached binary dump

    EDIT: Here's the product page I bought it from: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006871030126.html
    It was $5.50 USD at the time, for 2 units.

Topic summary

The discussion revolves around the flashing and configuration of WiFi universal IR remotes from AliExpress, specifically the TUYA Home Smart Life Mini Universal IR Remotes S06, S18, and IRC02, which utilize the BK7231 chip. Users share their experiences with OpenBeken firmware, including pinouts for GPIO connections, troubleshooting flashing issues, and the importance of selecting the correct device model during the flashing process. JSON configuration files for the devices are also shared, along with advice on using USB-to-UART converters for flashing. Some users report issues with IR code recognition and compatibility with different remotes, seeking solutions and sharing insights on troubleshooting methods.
Summary generated by the language model.
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