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libretiny/docs/cloudcutter.md
Kuba Szczodrzyński d02197474e [docs] Update ESPHome docs, add cloudcutter guide
2022-08-06 13:37:47 +02:00

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Flashing with tuya-cloudcutter

tuya-cloudcutter is a tool that disconnects IoT devices from the Tuya cloud, while also allowing remote firmware flashing. This means you can flash ESPHome without even connecting USB-UART to the device.

This is an unofficial guide, that worked for me during testing. The steps may not work for every device; you should also refer to the cloudcutter's manual pages.

Currently, tuya-cloudcutter works for BK7231T and BK7231N only.

If your device doesn't have a profile yet, it will probably not work. You can contribute by taking a device dump and posting it on cloudcutter's issues page.

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Get a laptop (or a PC with Wi-Fi) with Linux and Docker installed. This was tested on Ubuntu 20.04, but you should be able to use another Debian-based distribution with NetworkManager.
    • To install Docker, run sudo apt-get install docker.io. When it completes, run sudo adduser <your username> docker and reboot the machine.
    • This was also successfully performed on a VirtualBox VM, with a USB Wi-Fi adapter redirected to the VM.
  2. Install git, if you haven't already (sudo apt-get install git).
  3. git clone https://github.com/tuya-cloudcutter/tuya-cloudcutter

Firmware building

  1. Compile ESPHome, or your custom firmware based on LibreTuya.
  2. Get the firmware binary, named bk7231x_app.ota.ug.bin from the build directory (.pio/build/<board>/ or .esphome/build/<board>/.pioenvs/<board>/).
  3. Put the file to custom-firmware of tuya-cloudcutter.

Pairing and flashing

  1. Run ./run_flash.sh from the cloudcutter directory.
  2. Answer questions about the desired firmware file, the device vendor and profile.
  3. Put the device to AP mode: (**)
    • Bulbs (devices without buttons) usually need to be power-cycled a few times, until they start blinking slowly.
    • Switches, plugs, relays (devices with buttons) usually enable AP after pressing the button for a few seconds.
    • If the device (bulb or switch LED) is blinking quickly (~2 times per second), do the procedure again.
  4. Cloudcutter will scan for APs, connect to the device and send a payload to it.
  5. The device will most likely hang (not respond). Reboot it again to AP mode (just like in step 9).
  6. Cloudcutter will scan for APs again, configure the device to talk to it, then begin the OTA update.
  7. After around 30 seconds, the device will boot new firmware 👏

** Use a smartphone with the Wi-Fi screen open and scanning, so that you can see if AP mode got enabled.