nRF52840 USB Key with TinyUF2 Bootloader - Bluetooth Low Energy - MDBT50Q-RX

SKU: ADA5199 Brand: Adafruit

This USB dongle/key type thing is a little unusual - it isn't a BLE adapter that you plug into a computer to add wireless capability. (If you do want...

$33.20 AUD, inc GST

$30.18 AUD, exc GST

Available with a lead time
Expect dispatch between May 15 and May 20

Quantity Discounts:

10+ $28.97 (exc GST)
25+ $28.07 (exc GST)

This USB dongle/key type thing is a little unusual - it isn't a BLE adapter that you plug into a computer to add wireless capability. (If you do want something like that, our Bluetooth 4.0 USB Module will do the job nicely.) Instead, this is basically a minimal nRF52840 wireless microcontroller dev board on a stick. You can program it in Arduino or CircuitPython and it's completely standalone. This could be useful for some situations where you want to have a standalone BLE device that communicates with a USB host but without dealing with the operating system's BLE stack.

Each MDBT50Q-RX dongle comes pre-programmed with the TinyUF2 bootloader, which makes loading code onto it very easy (note that only the ones from we do this, it's a special-order item). To enter the bootloader, hold down the dongle's button while inserting into USB. The button can be used in Arduino/CircuitPython as an input. There's also a single blue LED indicator. It's all very simple but Adafruit could see situations where perhaps this acts as a beacon, an OS-less BLE interface or bridge, or a compact development board for experimenting with the nRF52840.

The blue LED is connected to P1.13, set that pin to be an output, and pull low to turn on the LED

The button is connected to P0.15, set that pin to be an input with an internal pullup - when pressed the pin will go low.

Of course the best way to program these chips is with the Nordic SDK. This chip also has some basic Arduino support, CircuitPython support, and is supported by MyNewt.

Technical Details

Technical Specs for nRF52840:

32-bit ARM® Cortex™ M4F CPU
Supply: 1.7V – 5.5V
Flexible and configurable 48 GPIO
Bluetooth 5, IEEE 802.15.4, 2.4 GHz transceiver
- -95dBm sensitivity in 1Mbps Bluetooth low energy (BLE) mode
- 103dBm sensitivity in 125Kbps BLE mode (long range)
- +8 dBm TX power (down to -20 dBm in 4 dB steps
- On-air compatible with nRF52, nRF51, nRF24L and nRF24AP Series
- Programmable output power from +8dBm to -20dB
- RSSI (1dB resolution)?Supported data rates:

Bluetooth 5: 2Mbps, 1 Mbps, 500 kbps, 125 kbps
IEEE 802.15.4-2006: 250 kbps
Proprietary 2.4 GHz: 2 Mbps, 1 Mbps
Advanced on-chip interfaces
- USB 2.0 full speed (12Mbps) controller
- QSPI 32MHz interface
- High speed 32MHz SPI
- Type 2 near field communication (NFC-A) tag with wake-on field?Programmable peripheral interconnect (PPI)
- EasyDMA automated data transfer without CPU processing on peripherals?12 bit, 200ksps ADC – 8 configurable channels with programmable gain
- 4 x 4 channel pulse width modulator (PWM)units with EasyDMA
- Audio peripherals : I2S, digital microphone interface (PDM)
- 5 X 32-bit timers with counter mode
- Up to 4 x SPI controllers / 3 x SPI peripherals with EasyDMA
- Up to 2 x I2C compatible 2-wire controllers / peripherals
- 2 x UART(CTS/RTS) with EasyDMA
- Quadrature decoder (QDEC)
- 3 x 24-bit real-time counters (RTC)
Operating Temp: -40°C to +85°C

Product Dimensions: 43.0mm x 18.4mm x 9.3mm / 1.7" x 0.7" x 0.4"

Resources

Datasheet

Product Comments

Start the conversation

Exact shipping can be calculated on the view cart page (no login required).

Products that weigh more than 0.5 KG may cost more than what's shown (for example, test equipment, machines, >500mL liquids, etc).

We deliver Australia-wide with these options (depends on the final destination - you can get a quote on the view cart page):

$3+ for Stamped Mail (typically 10+ business days, not tracked, only available on selected small items)
$7+ for Standard Post (typically 6+ business days, tracked)
$11+ for Express Post (typically 2+ business days, tracked)
Pickup - Free! Only available to customers who live in the Newcastle region (must order online and only pickup after we email to notify you the order is ready). Orders placed after 2PM may not be ready until the following business day.

Non-metro addresses in WA, NT, SA & TAS can take 2+ days in addition to the above information.

Some batteries (such as LiPo) can't be shipped by Air. During checkout, Express Post and International Methods will not be an option if you have that type of battery in your shopping cart.

International Orders - the following rates are for New Zealand and will vary for other countries:

$12+ for Pack and Track (3+ days, tracked)
$16+ for Express International (2-5 days, tracked)

If you order lots of gear, the postage amount will increase based on the weight of your order.

Our physical address (here's a PDF which includes other key business details):

Unit 18, 132 Garden Grove Parade
Adamstown
NSW, 2289
Australia

Take a look at our customer service page if you have other questions such as "do we do purchase orders" (yes!) or "are prices GST inclusive" (yes they are!). We're here to help - get in touch with us to talk shop.

Have a product question? We're here to help!