OTA Updates using the ESP8266 and Teensy 3.2

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zba

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Hello All,

I've been perusing the forums for a solution to this, and there are a few posts about how to push software updates remotely to the Teensy, but none that fit the full scope of what I'm looking for. Attached to UART1 is an ESP8266 WiFi Module with custom firmware programmed to communicate periodically with a server to store and track some information. Does the teensy have any ISP programming capabilities that would support downloading a hex file over to the ESP8266 and have it program the Teensy?
 
I have the exact same question. I've been programming the ESP8266 for the past couple of months and I have it to a point where it is quite stable at 1Mb UART speed. I wiped the existing firmware and wrote my own from scratch. I have a (completely unrelated to teensy) project that does just that. I would like to integrate an ESP12e to the teensy so I can upload updates without having to take things apart in order to reach the USB port.
 
Teensy's ISP (SWD) is used by the USB-only bootloader chip on the board. That's why you see alternatives usd.
 
Indeed there are other threads/posts on this - with ESP8266. Paul has this on his radar based on posts last year - but not yet indicated it is scheduled beyond his other current work items. It will need a stable working ESP8266 hardware/software environment to get done in good time. Somewhere I re-posted Paul's prior posts noting his interest - but didn't come across those just now.

I'm trying to work out a stable Arduino code base with Teensy and ESP8266 - as a side effect of my explorations into the ESP8266 with the Arduino IDE - my current stuff and notes about that are at the end of this thread: ESP8266-Add-On-for-Teensy-3-2
 
Indeed this is one of many things I had planned, and still want to do eventually, but I've put it on the back burner for now. Too much other stuff is too far behind schedule....
 
Is there any solution to remotely update the Teensy 3.2 FW? I have an application where Teensy will be high up, difficult to reach and long USB cable would be too visible (and + 10 meters). Testing the SW will require the system to be installed on difficult to access place. After the code is fully tested, remote update could still be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

I am thinking add on board for FW update purpose. Using remote desktop on Raspberry Pi etc. would probably work, but be too big, expensive and visible, not preferred solution.

Would using an other teensy 3.2 with WiFi module and maybe SD card to store the FW, just for the update purpose work? i.e. connecting the 2 Teensy with USB. What kind of code should run on the uploader Teensy? (that code would not need to be remotely updatable.)
 
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There isn't an easy way to do remote updates on a Teensy, since fundamentally the Teensy is designed to be unbrickable in a desktop environment where you can reach that programing button and tell the bootloader chip to lobomtomize the main CPU and load up the USB bootloader. So until somebody comes up with a bootloader supporting more complex loading options you need setup your user code using things like:
http://www.utasker.com/kinetis/TEENSY_3.1.html
Instructions
http://www.utasker.com/forum/index.php?topic=1869.0
There are also various projects around the forum that do similar things in terms supporting writing code to flash, and then changing the pointer to the new code. Care is needed since of course if you load faulty code you will need to recover the thing and use USB do untangle it.

A related option is to us a Pi or similar Linux board and Teensy loader command line program tool to get code onto the Teensy, but that will be much larger and more complex. Certainly we are missing a way to have two Teensies with one fully flashing the other like you can with a pair of Arduinos and ISP.
 
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