Hardware and Design

The Cardputer-Adv is an enhanced iteration of the small-form-factor computer powered by the Espressif ESP32-S3 microcontroller. In essence, the Cardputer-Adv is a slightly redesigned version of the original. Side-by-side, they differ visually only in color—the new model is white, while the previous was light gray. The shape, design, and general purpose remain identical. The "brain" of the system is still a Stamp series development board, but upgraded to the Stamp-S3A. Compared to the Stamp-S3 found in the predecessor, the "A" revision features a redesigned 3D antenna for improved connectivity and a "softer," more responsive Reset button. Note that this button is covered by a sticker, making it somewhat awkward to press. Other changes include internal LED wiring and lower power consumption. The core remains the ESP32-S3FN8 microcontroller with 8MB of Flash and 23 GPIO pins. As we have covered the ESP32-S3 extensively in previous articles, we will not repeat those technical details here. The USB-C port is used for programming the Stamp, power delivery, and charging the integrated battery.

Display, Keyboard, and Audio

The Stamp-S3A connects to the motherboard via two header rows and interfaces with the display via an FPC connector. The screen is the same color IPS LCD used previously (ST7789V2, 240×135 resolution, 1.14 inches). A defining feature of this computer is its 4×14 (56 keys) QWERTY keyboard. The keys are significantly improved with a different tactile feel (260gf vs. 160gf actuation force). Many keys serve dual purposes via 'Fn', 'Aa', 'Ctrl', 'Opt', and 'Alt' modifiers. Keyboard scanning is now handled by the TCA8418 integrated circuit.

The audio subsystem has undergone significant changes. The ES8311 codec replaces the previous NS4168 and SPM1423 combination, resulting in superior microphone noise reduction. Combined with the NS4150B amplifier and a 1W speaker (located standardly beneath the Stamp), the output quality is markedly better. Furthermore, the Cardputer-Adv now includes a 3.5mm audio jack on the side for headphone connectivity.

Power and Connectivity

The Cardputer-Adv can be powered via USB-C or the internal battery. This version replaces the two smaller cells of the original with a single, larger 1750mAh battery, managed by the TP4057 charging IC. Like its predecessor, the Cardputer-Adv features a GROVE port (supporting I2C and 5V). A small adjacent switch allows the user to toggle the 5V line direction: the Cardputer can either power an external sensor or be powered by an external source.

While the original Cardputer relied solely on the GROVE port for expansion, the Cardputer-Adv introduces an additional 2×7-pin header (UART, I2C, SPI) on the rear for connecting peripheral devices. M5Stack continues to use the GROVE connector for its extensive ecosystem of "Unit" expansion modules.

Sensors and Modules

New features include the BMI270 six-axis motion sensor (IMU). The device retains the physical power switch, 'Boot' and 'Reset' buttons, an infrared (IR) LED, and a Micro-SD slot. Examining the PCB reveals a layout largely identical to the original; it even retains an unpopulated JST connector for a smaller battery. Interestingly, there is an unconnected FPC connector near the 3.5mm jack for which we found no official documentation. The Cardputer-Adv maintains its Lego-compatible mounting holes (though there is one row fewer on the back) and internal magnets, allowing it to be mounted on metal surfaces like a refrigerator door.

Along with the Cardputer-Adv, we received the CAP LoRa868 (now the updated version is Cap LoRa-1262) expansion module, designed to interface via the 2×7-pin header. The CAP module features a matching plastic enclosure and contains two primary components: an 868MHz LoRa module (based on the SX1262 chip) with an SMA connector for an external antenna, and an AT6668-based GNSS module supporting GPS, Beidou (BD2/BD3), GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS.

Software and Programming

The Cardputer-Adv can be programmed using Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, PlatformIO, or the manufacturer-recommended UiFlow2. UiFlow2 is a block-based visual programming environment, making it an excellent educational tool for introducing children to microcontrollers and electronics. The interface offers "Blocks," "Split," and "Python" views. In "Split" mode, users can see how dragging blocks generates real-time Python code—a bridge that helps beginners transition to text-based programming. To use this online tool, the UiFlow2 firmware must first be flashed onto the device using the M5Burner utility.

Several pre-configured examples are available via M5Burner, including community-driven projects. One highlight is Meshtastic for Cardputer-Adv, which integrates seamlessly with the Meshtastic mobile app for LoRa-based mesh networking and precise GPS mapping. The firmware provides a comprehensive menu for managing hardware segments like LoRa, GPS, and system time.

Conclusion

Additional examples include M5Launcher, which allows users to execute BIN files directly from the Micro-SD card. The factory demo provides a comprehensive hardware test. For those using the Arduino environment, extensive support is available via M5Stack libraries.

The Cardputer-Adv is exactly what its name suggests: a sophisticated, credit-card-sized computer with meaningful upgrades over the original. The CAP expansion module (e.g., Cap LoRa-1262) is a powerful addition, and the new 2×7-pin header opens endless possibilities for hardware hackers.

Source: SK LABS
Author: Dejan Petrovic

When using M5Stack Modules or Bases, many users run into a common problem:

The same module, when stacked on different controllers (such as Basic, Core2, CoreS3, Tab5, etc.), uses different pin definitions. So, how should you correctly configure the pin numbers in your code?

If you have the same question, then understanding how the M5-Bus and DIP switches work is crucial.

This article will explain in a clear and practical way:

• What is M5-Bus
• Fixed Function Pins
• What is a DIP Switch 

By the end, you could have a much clearer idea of how to set the DIP switches on the module, and how to configure the corresponding pin numbers in your program.

1. What is M5-Bus

M5-Bus is a stack expansion bus design adopted by M5Stack stacking series products (Module, Base). The interface uses 2x15P@2.54mm pin headers/sockets. The Core series controllers can quickly stack different modules via the M5-Bus to achieve functional expansion. Its fixed positions define power pins such as GND, 5V, 3V3, and BAT, ensuring compatibility with various devices; other pins vary depending on the controller model, so you need to configure your program according to the actual pin mapping.

 2. Fixed Function Pins 

The pin numbers of M5-Bus are fixed starting from the GND pin at the top left corner, numbered from 1 to 30. This sequence is consistent across all controllers. The pins marked with a red box are fixed-function pins (power and GND, etc.), while other pins may have different functions or GPIO mappings depending on the main controller.

3. What is a DIP Switch

A DIP Switch is a toggle switch. It is used to flexibly change the connection of key module pins to adapt to different controller models. For example, in the case of Module GPS v2.0, there are three switchable pins: TXD, RXD, and PPS. Two onboard DIP switches control which pins these signals are connected to.

DIP Switch1’s switches 1–4 control TXD, switches 5–8 control RXD; DIP Switch2 is used to control PPS.

To avoid pin conflicts, typically each function pin only needs to be switched to one pin based on actual usage requirements. For example, in the following configuration, the 1st and 5th switches on DIP Switch1 are set to ON, the 2nd switch on DIP Switch2 is set to ON, and all other switches are set to OFF.

Based on the PCB silkscreen reference:

• For Basic, the G17 pin; for Core2, the G14 pin; for CoreS3, the G17 pin will be connected to TXD.
• For Basic, the G16 pin; for Core2, the G13 pin; for CoreS3, the G18 pin will be connected to RXD.
• For Basic/Core2, the G35 pin; for CoreS3, the G10 pin will be connected to PPS.

When programming the device, you must modify the corresponding pin configuration according to the actual pin connections.

The DIP switch’s corresponding positions and numbering connected to the M5-Bus are fixed (indicated by blue box).

If the PCB silkscreen’s I/O reference table does not include the controller model you are currently using, you can refer to the existing device’s silkscreen PinMap to identify which M5-Bus pins the DIP switch connects to, and then map those to the corresponding pins of your current controller.

 4. Quick Question Time

When using Module LoRa868 with Tab5, and the DIP switches are set as shown in the picture, which Tab5 pins are used for NSS, BUSY, RST, and IRQ, respectively?

 Answer

5. Wrapping Up:

Treat the DIP Switch as a “Hardware-Level Remapping Tool”  

A DIP switch essentially gives you a form of hardware-level pin remapping:
The same module can be used with different Controllers, while routing key signals (TXD, RXD, PPS, etc.) to the most suitable GPIO pins.

In practice, if the module’s silkscreen or documentation already specifies how to set the DIP switches and which pins to use for your controller (for example, Core2, CoreS3), you can simply:

• Set the DIP switches according to the instructions, and
• Use the same pin numbers in your code as indicated in the documentation.

If your host controller is not listed, you can follow this simple procedure:

• Check the module silkscreen/documentation
  Identify which function each DIP switch group corresponds to.
• Refer to the Controller’s PinMap
  Find out which GPIO pins on your current Controller correspond to those M5-Bus pins.
• Set the DIP switches
  Ensure that each functional signal is routed to exactly one target pin, avoiding conflicts or duplicate connections.
• Update the pin definitions in your code
  Make sure the pins used for UART, interrupts, etc., match the GPIO pins you determined in the previous steps.

Once you understand this workflow, you no longer need to memorize which module “must be used with which Controller.”
Instead, you can flexibly migrate and reuse modules across different controllers, according to your actual needs.

Setting up a voice assistant doesn’t have to be complicated. At M5Stack, we’re proud to bring this capability closer to developers and makers with the M5Stack CoreS3—a powerful ESP32-S3 based controller with integrated display, rich interfaces, and cutting-edge performance.

With M5Stack CoreS3, you can seamlessly integrate advanced voice control into your Home Assistant ecosystem, enjoy real-time responsiveness, and experience true local AI interaction—secure, reliable, and fast.

The following guide walks you step-by-step through the process of setting up the CoreS3 HA Voice Assistant, from environment installation to voice activation.

1.Environmental installation

• 1.Follow the Home Assistant official documentation to install Home Assistant 2025.5 or above.

• 2.Complete the installation and configuration of voice recognition-related plugins by referring to the following tutorials:
• Home Assistant Cloud
• Assist Pipeline

• 3.In Settings -> Add-ons -> Add-ons STORE, install the ESPHome addon.

• 4.After successfully installing the ESPHome addon, enable Show in sidebar in the ESPHome management page to add it to the left navigation bar.

 2.Adding a Device

Open the ESPHome addon page and click NEW DEVICE in the lower-right corner to create a new device.

Click CONTINUE.

Select New Device Setup to create a new configuration file.

Give the configuration file a proper name.

Next, when selecting the device, cancel the Use recommended settings, then select ESP32-S3. Locate M5Stack CoreS3 among the list.

Copy the Home Assistant API Encryption Key for later use, then click Skip

3.Configuring the Device

Click EDIT in the lower-left corner of the device to modify the Wi-Fi connection configuration. (The Wi-Fi configuration defaults to the current HA server's Wi-Fi settings, but you can also modify it directly with plaintext: ssid:"xxxx")

Add the following package configuration link to add voice assistant functionality to the device.

packages: 
  m5stack.cores3-voice-assistant: github://m5stack/esphome-yaml/common/cores3-satellite-base.yaml@main

In today’s rapidly advancing world of intelligent applications, image and video management is evolving at an unprecedented pace.  

Imagine capturing breathtaking travel landscapes or precious moments of your child’s growth — and having your photos automatically categorized, tagged, and searchable via natural language. All processing happens locally, with no dependence on cloud servers, ensuring both speed and privacy. With the powerhouse performance of the M5Stack LLM‑8850 Card, bring your vision to life with an intelligent, deeply personalized photo album that’s uniquely yours.

M5Stack LLM‑8850 Card is an M.2 M‑Key 2242 AI accelerator card designed for edge devices. It is a powerful yet energy-efficient AI edge computing module, purpose-built for multi-modal large models, on-device inference, and intelligent analysis. It delivers high-performance inference for both language and vision models, and can be deployed effortlessly across diverse devices to enable offline, private AI services.

In this article, we’ll show you how to build an intelligent photo management platform with M5Stack LLM-8850 Card, making the organization of your pictures and videos smarter, faster, and more secure.

To achieve this, we’ll leverage Immich, an open‑source self‑hosted photo and video management platform that supports automatic backup, intelligent search, and cross‑device access.

git clone https://huggingface.co/AXERA-TECH/immich

m5stack@raspberrypi:~/rsp/immich $ ls -lh
total 421M
drwxrwxr-x 2 m5stack m5stack 4.0K Oct 10 09:12 asset
-rw-rw-r-- 1 m5stack m5stack 421M Oct 10 09:20 ax-immich-server-aarch64.tar.gz
-rw-rw-r-- 1 m5stack m5stack    0 Oct 10 09:12 config.json
-rw-rw-r-- 1 m5stack m5stack 7.6K Oct 10 09:12 docker-deploy.zip
-rw-rw-r-- 1 m5stack m5stack 104K Oct 10 09:12 immich_ml-1.129.0-py3-none-any.whl
-rw-rw-r-- 1 m5stack m5stack 9.4K Oct 10 09:12 README.md
-rw-rw-r-- 1 m5stack m5stack  177 Oct 10 09:12 requirements.txt

cd immich
docker load -i ax-immich-server-aarch64.tar.gz

unzip docker-deploy.zip 
cp example.env .env

docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.override.yml up -d

m5stack@raspberrypi:~/rsp/immich $ docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.override.yml up -d
WARN[0000] /home/m5stack/rsp/immich/docker-compose.override.yml: the attribute `version` is obsolete, it will be ignored, please remove it to avoid potential confusion 
[+] Running 3/3
 ✔ Container immich_postgres  Started                                      1.0s 
 ✔ Container immich_redis     Started                                      0.9s 
 ✔ Container immich_server    Started                                      0.9s 

python -m venv mich

source mich/bin/activate 

pip install https://github.com/AXERA-TECH/pyaxengine/releases/download/0.1.3.rc1/axengine-0.1.3-py3-none-any.whl
pip install -r requirements.txt
pip install immich_ml-1.129.0-py3-none-any.whl # Precompiled package may be upgraded; use the actual file name.

python -m immich_ml 

(mich) m5stack@raspberrypi:~/rsp/immich $ python -m immich_ml
[10/10/25 09:50:12] INFO     Starting gunicorn 23.0.0                           
[10/10/25 09:50:12] INFO     Listening at: http://[::]:3003 (8698)              
[10/10/25 09:50:12] INFO     Using worker: immich_ml.config.CustomUvicornWorker 
[10/10/25 09:50:12] INFO     Booting worker with pid: 8699                      
2025-10-10 09:50:13.589360675 [W:onnxruntime:Default, device_discovery.cc:164 DiscoverDevicesForPlatform] GPU device discovery failed: device_discovery.cc:89 ReadFileContents Failed to open file: "/sys/class/drm/card1/device/vendor"
[INFO] Available providers:  ['AXCLRTExecutionProvider']
/home/m5stack/rsp/immich/mich/lib/python3.11/site-packages/immich_ml/models/clip/cn_vocab.txt
[10/10/25 09:50:16] INFO     Started server process [8699]                      
[10/10/25 09:50:16] INFO     Waiting for application startup.                   
[10/10/25 09:50:16] INFO     Created in-memory cache with unloading after 300s  
                             of inactivity.                                     
[10/10/25 09:50:16] INFO     Initialized request thread pool with 4 threads.    
[10/10/25 09:50:16] INFO     Application startup complete.