Getting Started

Ameba Arduino makes it simple to start building IoT projects. With full support for the Arduino IDE, you can quickly set up your development environment, connect an evaluation board, and run your first sketch. The platform provides easy access to Wi-Fi, BLE, and other core functions, along with flexible peripheral interfaces, allowing you to experiment with sensors, actuators, and smart device features immediately.

Follow the steps below to select your board, install the necessary tools, and begin developing your IoT applications.

Get Evaluation Boards

Realtek Ameba Arduino evaluation boards provide a ready-to-use platform for exploring the capabilities of Ameba SoCs. Each board comes with pre-connected peripherals, built-in Wi-Fi and BLE, and easy access to GPIOs and other interfaces. These boards allow developers to quickly prototype, test, and validate IoT projects without needing to design custom hardware.

Choose the board that best fits your project requirements to start experimenting with wireless connectivity, sensors, and other IoT functionalities immediately.

AMB82-mini EVB

AMB82-mini_image01

AMB82-mini

(Ameba RTL8735B)
  • MCU

    • Part Number: RTL8735B

    • 32-bit Arm v8M, up to 500MHz

  • Memory

    • 768KB ROM

    • 512KB RAM

    • 16MB Flash

    • Supports MCM embedded DDR2/DDR3L memory up to 128MB

  • Key Features

    • Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 2.4GHz/5GHz

    • Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.1

    • Integrated Intelligent Engine @ 0.4 TOPS

    • USB Host/Device

    • SD Host

    • ISP

    • Audio Codec

    • H.264/H.265 encoder up to 5MP or 1080p @45fps

    • Secure Boot

    • Crypto Engine

  • Other Features

    • 2 SPI interfaces

    • 1 I2C interface

    • 8 PWM interfaces

    • 3 UART interfaces

    • 3 ADC interfaces

    • 2 GDMA interfaces

    • Max 23 GPIO

AMB82-mini_image02

Software Installation

Set up Arduino IDE

Arduino IDE supports third-party hardware. Arduino IDE can be downloaded from offcial Arduino website and documents refer to Getting Started with Arduino IDE 2

When the installation is finished, open Arduino IDE and go to File -> Preferences

Paste the following URL into Additional Boards Manager URLs field:

  • Stable release link:

    https://github.com/Ameba-AIoT/ameba-arduino-pro2/raw/main/Arduino_package/package_realtek_amebapro2_index.json

  • Early release link:

    https://github.com/Ameba-AIoT/ameba-arduino-pro2/raw/dev/Arduino_package/package_realtek_amebapro2_early_index.json

    https://ameba-doc-arduino-sdk-json.readthedocs-hosted.com/en/latest/_static/package_realtek_amebapro2_early_index_rtd.json

Next, go to Tools -> Board -> Boards Manager

The Boards Manager requires about 10 ~ 20 seconds to refresh all hardware files (if the network is in bad condition, it may take longer).

Find Realtek Ameba Boards in the list, chose the right Package/SDK and click Install, then the Arduino IDE starts to download required files.

After the installation successfully, the Arduino IDE is ready for Ameba SDK.

Connect Ameba Board

Connect Ameba EVB to the computer via USB.

Note

Differnet boards may have different USB ports. For example, Micro USB or USB TypeC.

If this is the first time connects board to computer, the USB driver for board will be automatic installed.

Next, at IDE menu, go to tools -> Board. Then select the board going to use.

Go to tools -> Port Then select the port of the board.

If you have driver issue of connect board to computer please install the USB driver manually.

Check the COM port number:

Using PowerShell:

mode

Compile and Run

Ameba Mods Menu Selection

There are many different Modes for user to select for different settings of compile and upload. Refer to IDE menu tools,

Mode Name

Usage

* Auto Flash Mode
Disable - Manual process to enter flash mode.

Enable - Auto process to enter flash mode.

* Upload Speed
2000000 - Upload baud rate set as 2000000.

1000000 - Upload baud rate set as 1000000.

230400 - Upload baud rate set as 230400.

* Erase All Flash Memory (16MB)
Disable - No erash flash process.

Erase only - Erase entire flash.

Erase then Upload - Erase entire flash then upload the current application.

* Camera Options
JFX37 - Use the camera sensor JFX37.

JFX53 - Use the camera sensor JFX53.

GC2053 - Use the camera sensor GC2053.

GC4653 - Use the camera sensor GC4653.

GC5035 - Use the camera sensor GC5035.

IMX307 - Use the camera sensor IMX307.

IMX327 - Use the camera sensor IMX327.

IMX662 - Use the camera sensor IMX662.

PS5268 - Use the camera sensor PS5268.

OV9734 - Use the camera sensor OV9734.

SC2336 - Use the camera sensor SC2336.

* Camera FCS Mode
Disable - No Camera FCS mode process.

Enable - Enable Camera FCS mode, if the camera sensor has FCS mode.

* NN Model Load From
Flash - Load the Neural Network AI model from flash memory.

SD Card - Load the Neural Network AI model from SD card memory. Total size of the
models depend on the total size of the SD card.

* OTA Mode
Disable - No OTA mode process.

Enable - Enable OTA mode.

* Standard Lib
Arduino_STD_PRINTF - Choose the standard library function for compile and upload.

Disable - No standard library function.

* Arduino: API logs
Enable all - Activates all available Arduino API logs, including error,
info, and debug messages.

Error logs - Displays only error messages.

Info logs - Displays general informational messages.

Disable all - Turns off all Arduino API logs.

* System: Multimedia logs
Enable all - Enables all multimedia logs.

Video/OSD logs only - Enables logs for Video and OSD components only.

NN/OSD logs only - Enables logs for Neural Network (NN) and OSD components only.

Disable all - Turns off NN, Video, and OSD logs.

* System: WiFi logs
Enable - Turns on WiFi driver logging.

Disable - Turns off WiFi driver logging.

* All logs: Hard mute
Disable - Keeps the logging system active.

Enable - Completely disables all logs, including printf. Not recommended if you
still need debugging capabilities.

* Watchdog
Disable - Turn off the system background watchdog function.

Enable - Activate system background watchdog function.

Compile and Upload

Arduino IDE provides many built-in examples, which can be compiled, uploaded, and run directly on the boards. Here, take the Blink example as the first try.

Open File -> Examples -> 01.Basics -> Blink

Next, we compile the sample code directly; click Sketch -> Verify/Compile

Arduino IDE prints the compiling messages in the bottom area of the IDE window. When the compilation is finished.

Then make sure board is connected to computer, then click Sketch -> Upload

The Arduino IDE will compile first then upload. Users are required to enter the upload mode of the board. To enter upload mode, first press and hold the UART_DOWNLOAD button, then press and release the RESET button, lastly release the UART_DOWNLOAD button.

Button Functions

Button Process

Reset board

  1. Press then release RESET / RST button

Enter upload mode

  1. Press and hold UART_DOWNLOAD / Burn / Boot button

  2. Press then release RESET / RST button

  3. Release UART_DOWNLOAD / Burn / Boot button

Note

Different boards/modules ay have different button layout, please refer to the pinmap/layout of the boards/modules.

Some boards may have the hardware updates and enabled IDE menu option Auto Flash Mode, please ignore above manual instruction.

It is optional for users to check if the board entered the upload mode. Open serial monitor/terminal and check the information/logs print out.

Note

Default baud rate of serial monitor/terminal should be set to 115200.

Different boards/modules ay have different information/logs print out, but there should be information/logs if upload success.

When upload completed, the Done uploading message is printed by Arduino IDE.