[REQUEST] OpenThread Border Router (OTBR) RCP and NCP firmware images for CC2652R based cyijun OpenZ3Gateway adapter?

[Hedda]

@cyijun Can you please consider providing OpenThread Border Router (OTBR) "RCP mode" firmware images well as "NCP mode" firmware images (with support for the OpenThread spinel+hdlc+uart protocol) and preferably using the latest SDK for this Texas Instruments CC2652 based adapter so that it will be compatible with the "OpenThread Border Router Add-on" that Home Assistant developer agners (Nabu Casa employee Stefan Agner) is currently developing? Check out:

https://github.com/home-assistant/addons-development/tree/master/openthread_border_router

https://github.com/openthread/ot-br-posix/

https://github.com/agners

https://community.home-assistant.io/u/agners/summary

Thread Spinal RCP mode vs Thread Spinal NCP mode is summarized here:

https://openthread.io/platforms/co-processor

https://groups.google.com/g/openthread-users/

OTBR should be a "Thread Certified Component" Texas Instruments CC2652 based chips:

https://github.com/openthread/ot-cc13x2-cc26x2/blob/main/src/cc2652/README.md

https://github.com/openthread/ot-cc13x2-cc26x2

https://github.com/openthread/openthread/tree/main/examples/platforms

https://dev.ti.com/tirex/explore/node?node=APzU0zOtgnQIe0sFnHCfxg__BSEc4rl__LATEST

https://openthread.io/vendors/texas-instruments

https://www.threadgroup.org/What-is-Thread/Thread-Benefits#certifiedproducts

https://training.ti.com/thread-cc2652-cc1352

The main reason for this request is that an "RPC" firmware with OTBR (OpenThread Border Router) support will make your adapter will be compatible with upcoming Thread based "Matter" (Project CHIP / Connected Home over IP) devices if used in Home Assistant with their other add-ons for the that is also in development. This addon by agners requires that the radio hard a firmware in "RPC" mode instead of the no traditional "NCP" mode:

https://github.com/home-assistant/addons-development/tree/master/chip_controller_repl

https://github.com/home-assistant/addons-development/tree/master/chip_tool

https://github.com/project-chip/connectedhomeip

https://buildwithmatter.com

https://csa-iot.org/all-solutions/matter/

Also having optional OpenThread "NCP" border router firmware would allow users to alternatively use other existing OpenThread applications that use "NCP" mode instead of the newer "RPC" mode which require additional component running on the host. Ex:

https://github.com/openthread/wpantund

Note that so far agners has only worked with Silicon Labs based adapter with OpenThread "RPC" firmware for Thread based Matter (as well as ESP32-C3 based devkit for Matter over WiFi) and that is only because it is a Silabs EFR32MG21 chip based adapter that will ship inside the official Home Assistant Yellow (formerly Home Assistant Amber) hardware:

zigpy/zigpy#894

https://github.com/home-assistant/addons-development/tree/master/silabs-multiprotocol

https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2021/09/13/home-assistant-yellow/

https://www.crowdsupply.com/nabu-casa/home-assistant-yellow

PS: By the way, you might be interested in the the "Matter" workshop that Home Assistant is holding on the 15th of June even if they are in that specific workshop will not use a Thread based controller or devices and instead use a WiFi (+ Bluetooth) based "Matter" devices:

https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2022/05/29/matter-in-home-assistant-workshop-announcement/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fOHBl5w0_k

https://community.home-assistant.io/t/matter-in-home-assistant-workshop-announcement/426129/

[cyijun]

I am interested in Thread too, and I may deploy it in my new house in a few years.

But I may try ESP32-H2 instead of CC2652 because there have been RCP implementation already:

https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/tree/master/examples/openthread/ot_rcp

[Hedda]

If have time please see this related discussion about OpenThread RPC on CC2652 -> home-assistant/addons-development#38

[Hedda]

FYI, missed that tube0013 posted on Twitter that be uploaded a couple of OpenThread RCP firmware images for the CC2652P (TubesZB devices) CC2652R (zzh!) that could be used for initial development and testing as he confirmed those working with agners OTBR addon from addons-development so that could be of interest for those early adopters interested in Thread/Matter support inside Home Assistant:

https://twitter.com/TubesZb/status/1552823766136373251

https://github.com/tube0013/tube_gateways/tree/main/openthread_boarder_router_fw

Again more discussion about CC2652 RPC firmware support for OpenThread here:

home-assistant/addons-development#38