MicroPython experimental port for the Dabao (Baochip-1x RISC-V)

[mattytrentini]

Overview

The Dabao is an awesome RISC-V eval board built around the Baochip-1x SoC, both created by @bunnie. @andrewleech and I have been working on a port for MicroPython building on @ArmstrongSubero's daobao-sdk.

This port is still experimental, but if you have a Dabao, I'd love some testers!

[Also, anyone arriving here via DEFCON 34, I think your badge may also work. I'd be very keen to hear if it does/doesn't work!]

Details

Implemented features:

• machine.Pin (digital I/O, Pin.board aliases + full Pin.cpu PA0-PF15 access) and machine.Signal
• machine.I2C (hardware, fixed to I2C0_SCL/I2C0_SDA) and machine.SoftI2C (any pins)
• machine.SPI (hardware, fixed to the SPI2_* pins) and machine.SoftSPI (any pins)
• machine.RTC
• machine.WDT
• machine.PWM (8 channels: PB0-PB3 and PC0-PC3, two slices of 4 sharing a frequency each)
• os.urandom() (hardware TRNG)
• machine.bootloader()
• Native USB-CDC — the REPL is available over USB-CDC and the UART2 REPL simultaneously

Not yet implemented: machine.UART, machine.ADC, filesystem/storage...

Flashing the prebuilt firmware

Unzip and deploy firmware.zip

1. Put the board in boot1: hold PROG, tap RESET, hold PROG ~1s, release.
2. A USB mass-storage drive appears, drag firmware.uf2 onto it.
3. The board reboots into the new firmware automatically.

Building it yourself

Install a recent version of mpbuild.

git clone -b baochip-i2c-spi https://github.com/mattytrentini/micropython
mpbuild build DABAO

You'll find the UF2 in ports/baochip/build-DABAO/firmware.UF2.

Any feedback would be very welcome!

[andypiper]

Ah! i was wondering how long this might take!

I have a board waiting for me in the studio and I'll give this a test soon!

[dpks2003]

I received mine today. I willl give it a try

[burtyb]

[gear, no idea] I'm probably missing something but after copying firmware.uf2 it didn't reboot here, I tried typing "boot" over the USB serial and I could then see "MicroPython v1.29.0-preview.457.ga7b7409173 on 2026-08-05; DABAO with Baochip-1x" on the new USB serial port after it restarted and from there I was able to see life toggling SPI2_CS.