topic Re: PN5190 SPI problem in NFC

PN5190 SPI problem

ignacioS — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:30:13 GMT

Hello again,

I hope you can help me.

As I mentioned in another post, I am using the PN5190 evaluation board connected to an external host. In principle, all voltages and all connections have been checked and I do not see anything unusual, but I still cannot get SPI communication working.

I am attaching a screenshot from the sniffer. In this test, we are only sending the Get Version command, but we always receive FF on MISO and we never get an interrupt (IRQ always stays low).

Do you have any idea which direction I should focus my tests on? In couple of weeks i will get the prototypes and i need a fimrware up & running as fast as possible.

Demoboard was never connected to a computer, hope module came with firmware... could this be the issue?

Many thanks in advanced

Re: PN5190 SPI problem

EduardoZamora — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 19:03:55 GMT

Hello @ignacioS

Hope you are doing well.

Please consider that maximum SPI speed is 15 Mbit/s, it is fixed to CPOL = 0 and CPHA = 0, and only half-duplex data transfer is supported.

Could you try sending a SWITCH_MODE_NORMAL command before the GET_VERSION? You can refer to PN5190 instruction layer, Section 4.5.4.5, for more information. Please make sure you are following the startup timing described in PN5190 Data Sheet, Section 11.3.

Regards,
Eduardo.

Re: PN5190 SPI problem

ignacioS — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:54:14 GMT

Hi Eduardo, thanks for your quicik support

We tried as you said, but problem remains. Then i rolled back the evaluation board setup and sniff NXP communication and we saw the mistake on our command. Now all is fine and progressing.

thanks!!