I will check if I can get my debug environment up and running again. I will keep you posted on any progress. Do not expect a direct answer since I 'am quit busy lately
Hi all,
I purchased a few of the kits below and ive been trying to set it up for days upon days. I keep getting boot loops and firmware crashes endlessly.
Heres a copy of my current YAML if anyone has a second to look over it for me and give your thoughts, it would be much appreciated.
substitutions:
name: "n16r8-voice-satellite"
friendly_name: "N16R8 Voice Satellite"
esphome:
name: ${name}
friendly_name: ${friendly_name}
min_version: 2024.6.0
esp32:
board: esp32-s3-devkitc-1
framework:
type: esp-idf
version: recommended
sdkconfig_options:
CONFIG_ESP32_S3_DEFAULT_CPU_FREQ_240: "y"
CONFIG_SPIRAM_USE: "y"
CONFIG_SPIRAM_USE_MALLOC: "y"
# PSRAM configuration for 8MB Octal SPI PSRAM (N16R8 module)
psram:
mode: octal
speed: 80MHz
# Enable logging
logger:
level: INFO
# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
encryption:
key: !secret api_encryption_key
ota:
- platform: esphome
password: !secret ota_password
wifi:
ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
# Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
ap:
ssid: "${friendly_name} Hotspot"
password: !secret ap_password
captive_portal:
# Web server for debugging
web_server:
port: 80
# I2C bus for ES8388 codec (required for audio DAC control)
i2c:
- id: i2c_bus
sda: GPIO18 # Pin 11: Safe for I2C
scl: GPIO17 # Pin 10: Safe for I2C
scan: true
frequency: 100kHz
# ES8388 Audio DAC (official ESPHome component)
audio_dac:
- platform: es8388
id: es8388_dac
i2c_id: i2c_bus
address: 0x10
# I2S Audio configuration (safe GPIO pins)
i2s_audio:
- id: i2s_bus
i2s_lrclk_pin: GPIO5 # Pin 5: WS/LRC
i2s_bclk_pin: GPIO6 # Pin 6: BCK/SCK
i2s_mclk_pin: GPIO7 # Pin 7: MCLK
# Microphone input (using ES8388 ADC)
microphone:
- platform: i2s_audio
id: mic
i2s_audio_id: i2s_bus
i2s_din_pin: GPIO4 # Pin 4: Audio input
adc_type: external # Use ES8388 ADC
pdm: false
channel: left
bits_per_sample: 16bit # ES8388 typical for ADC
sample_rate: 16000
# Speaker output (connected to ES8388 DAC)
speaker:
- platform: i2s_audio
id: external_speaker
i2s_audio_id: i2s_bus
i2s_dout_pin: GPIO8 # Pin 12: Audio output
dac_type: external
i2s_mode: primary # Changed from 'mode: mono'
sample_rate: 16000
bits_per_sample: 32bit
audio_dac: es8388_dac # Reference to ES8388 DAC
# ES8388 Controls (DAC output and ADC input selection)
select:
- platform: es8388
es8388_id: es8388_dac
dac_output:
name: "ES8388 DAC Output"
id: es8388_dac_output
adc_input_mic:
name: "ES8388 ADC Input"
id: es8388_adc_input
# Voice Assistant
voice_assistant:
id: va
microphone: mic
speaker: external_speaker
noise_suppression_level: 2
auto_gain: 31dBFS
volume_multiplier: 2.0
on_listening:
- logger.log: "Voice assistant listening"
- light.turn_on:
id: status_rgb_led
brightness: 50%
red: 0%
green: 0%
blue: 100%
on_stt_vad_end:
- logger.log: "Voice assistant stopped listening"
- light.turn_off: status_rgb_led
on_tts_start:
- logger.log: "Voice assistant started speaking"
- light.turn_on:
id: status_rgb_led
brightness: 50%
red: 0%
green: 100%
blue: 0%
on_tts_end:
- logger.log: "Voice assistant finished speaking"
- light.turn_off: status_rgb_led
on_end:
- logger.log: "Voice assistant ended"
- light.turn_off: status_rgb_led
on_error:
- logger.log: "Voice assistant error"
- light.turn_on:
id: status_rgb_led
brightness: 50%
red: 100%
green: 0%
blue: 0%
- delay: 1s
- light.turn_off: status_rgb_led
# Physical buttons (3 tactile switches on board)
binary_sensor:
- platform: gpio
name: "Button 1"
id: button_1
pin:
number: GPIO0 # Boot button
mode:
input: true
pullup: true
inverted: true
on_press:
- voice_assistant.start:
on_release:
- voice_assistant.stop:
- platform: gpio
name: "Button 2"
id: button_2
pin:
number: GPIO1
mode:
input: true
pullup: true
inverted: true
on_click:
- switch.toggle: va_switch
- platform: gpio
name: "Button 3"
id: button_3
pin:
number: GPIO2
mode:
input: true
pullup: true
inverted: true
on_click:
- switch.toggle: mute_mic
# Status RGB LED (WS2812 addressable LED)
light:
- platform: esp32_rmt_led_strip
id: status_rgb_led
name: "Status RGB LED"
pin: GPIO21
num_leds: 1
rgb_order: GRB
chipset: WS2812
restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF
internal: true
# Sensors for monitoring
sensor:
- platform: wifi_signal
name: "WiFi Signal"
update_interval: 60s
- platform: uptime
name: "Uptime"
- platform: template
name: "Audio Level"
id: audio_level
unit_of_measurement: "dB"
accuracy_decimals: 1
# Text sensors
text_sensor:
- platform: wifi_info
ip_address:
name: "IP Address"
ssid:
name: "Connected SSID"
- platform: template
name: "Voice Assistant Status"
id: va_status
update_interval: 1s
lambda: |-
if (id(va).is_running()) {
if (id(va).is_listening()) {
return {"Listening"};
} else {
return {"Processing"};
}
} else {
return {"Idle"};
}
# Switches for control
switch:
- platform: template
name: "Voice Assistant"
id: va_switch
optimistic: true
restore_mode: RESTORE_DEFAULT_OFF
turn_on_action:
- voice_assistant.start_continuous:
turn_off_action:
- voice_assistant.stop:
- platform: template
name: "Mute Microphone"
id: mute_mic
optimistic: true
restore_mode: RESTORE_DEFAULT_OFF
turn_on_action:
- voice_assistant.stop:
- logger.log: "Microphone muted - Voice Assistant stopped"
turn_off_action:
- voice_assistant.start_continuous:
- logger.log: "Microphone unmuted - Voice Assistant started"
# Volume control
number:
- platform: template
name: "Speaker Volume"
id: speaker_volume
min_value: 0.0
max_value: 10.0
step: 0.1
initial_value: 2.0
optimistic: true
set_action:
- lambda: |-
id(external_speaker).set_volume(x / 10.0);
1 Like
I removed everything from my code up to and including “captive_portal” and experimented with different “sdkconfig_options:” and “platformio_options: board_build.flash_mode:” settings. The result was that as soon as anything was entered under “psram:” (regardless of whether it was 80MHz or 40MHz, or mode: quad, octal, hex (as far as possible)), the ESP went into a continuous crash loop. I couldn’t use the PSRAM in either ESPHome or PlatformIO. My last hope is to achieve something with the Espressif tools, but I need to familiarize myself with all of that first. Maybe I’ll just return the UICPAL ESP32-S3-N16R8.
If you also remove the code up to “captive_portal” and your ESP32 is still crashing, then I’m afraid you also don’t have any PSRAM usable by ESPHome…
Ive managed to get it up and running… on Esphome 2025.12.4 using IDF 5.1.2 version 6.5.0.
The only way to flash it was via powershell.
Everything seems to be working fine, except of the I2s… apparently i2s is only supported under IDF 5.4 and onwards.
I was only able to get this to boot by removing the PSRAM specification from the YAML, forcing it to work it out itself.
Now i need to work out how to get is2 running and its sweet. The reason i am unable to use anything newer than IDF 5.2 is because the ESP32-S3 is Rev2, too old and not supported causing crashes and boot loops.
esphome:
name: s3-n16r8
friendly_name: S3 N16R8 Voice Assistant
platformio_options:
board_build.flash_mode: dio
on_boot:
priority: -10
then:
- lambda: |-
auto dev = id(my_i2c_dev);
// === Register initialisation sequence ===
dev->write_byte(0x00, 0x80);
dev->write_byte(0x01, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x02, 0xF0);
dev->write_byte(0x03, 0x0C);
dev->write_byte(0x04, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x05, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x06, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x07, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x08, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x09, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x0A, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x0B, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x0C, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x0D, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x0E, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x0F, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x10, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x11, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x12, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x13, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x14, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x15, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x16, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x17, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x18, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x19, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x1A, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x1B, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x1C, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x1D, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x1E, 0x00);
dev->write_byte(0x1F, 0x00);
ESP_LOGI("boot_config", "I2C init complete");
esp32:
board: esp32-s3-devkitc-1
variant: esp32s3
flash_size: 16MB
framework:
type: esp-idf
version: "5.1.2"
platform_version: "6.4.0"
logger:
level: DEBUG
hardware_uart: UART0
api:
ota:
- platform: esphome
wifi:
ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
fast_connect: true
i2c:
id: i2c_bus
sda: GPIO14
scl: GPIO47
frequency: 100kHz
scan: true
i2c_device:
id: my_i2c_dev
address: 0x10
# ==================== I2S AUDIO ====================
i2s_audio:
id: i2s_bus
i2s_lrclk_pin: GPIO9
i2s_bclk_pin: GPIO3
i2s_mclk_pin: GPIO8
microphone:
- platform: i2s_audio
id: mic_main
i2s_audio_id: i2s_bus
i2s_din_pin: GPIO10 # I2S_SDOUT / ASDOUT → ESP32 RX
adc_type: external
pdm: false
sample_rate: 16000
bits_per_sample: 16bit
speaker:
- platform: i2s_audio
id: speaker_main
i2s_audio_id: i2s_bus
i2s_dout_pin: GPIO46 # I2S_SDIN / DSDIN ← ESP32 TX
dac_type: external
sample_rate: 16000
bits_per_sample: 16bit
# ==================== AMP ENABLE ====================
switch:
- platform: gpio
pin: GPIO16 # AMP_EN
id: amp_enable
name: "Amp Enable"
restore_mode: ALWAYS_ON
# ==================== WS2812 STATUS LED (GPIO21) ====================
light:
- platform: esp32_rmt_led_strip
id: voice_led
name: "Status LED"
pin: GPIO21
num_leds: 1
chipset: ws2812
rgb_order: GRB
rmt_channel: 0
# ==================== BUTTONS ====================
binary_sensor:
- platform: gpio
id: wake_button
name: "Wake Button"
pin:
number: GPIO11
mode: INPUT_PULLUP
filters:
- delayed_on: 50ms
- delayed_off: 50ms
on_press:
- if:
condition:
api.connected:
then:
- logger.log: "Starting voice assistant – API connected"
- voice_assistant.start:
else:
- logger.log:
level: WARN
format: "Cannot start voice assistant – no API client connected"
# ==================== MICRO WAKE WORD ====================
micro_wake_word:
models:
- model: alexa
on_wake_word_detected:
- logger.log:
level: INFO
format: "Wake word detected!"
- light.turn_on: voice_led
- delay: 500ms
- light.turn_off: voice_led
# ==================== VOICE ASSISTANT ====================
voice_assistant:
microphone: mic_main
speaker: speaker_main
use_wake_word: true
noise_suppression_level: 2
auto_gain: 31dBFS
volume_multiplier: 2.0
on_idle:
- light.turn_on:
id: voice_led
brightness: 30%
red: 0%
green: 0%
blue: 100% # Blue when idle
on_listening:
- light.turn_on:
id: voice_led
brightness: 80%
red: 100%
green: 0%
blue: 0% # Red when listening
on_stt_end:
- light.turn_on:
id: voice_led
brightness: 80%
red: 0%
green: 100%
blue: 0% # Green when processing
on_tts_start:
- light.turn_on:
id: voice_led
brightness: 60%
red: 0%
green: 100%
blue: 0% # Keep green during TTS
on_end:
- light.turn_on:
id: voice_led
brightness: 30%
red: 0%
green: 0%
blue: 100% # Back to blue idle
# ==================== SENSORS ====================
sensor:
- platform: internal_temperature
name: "ESP Temperature"
- platform: wifi_signal
name: "WiFi Signal"
update_interval: 60s
text_sensor:
- platform: wifi_info
ip_address:
name: "IP Address"
- platform: version
name: "ESPHome Version"
Hi I have the same board, and had the same issue PSRAM octal. Getting bootloops and ‘Guru Mediation errors’
[15:21:36]Rebooting...
[15:21:36]���ESP-ROM:esp32s3-20210327
[15:21:36]Build:Mar 27 2021
[15:21:36]rst:0xc (RTC_SW_CPU_RST),boot:0x8 (SPI_FAST_FLASH_BOOT)
[15:21:36]Saved PC:0x40381389
[15:21:36]SPIWP:0xee
[15:21:36]mode:DIO, clock div:1
[15:21:36]load:0x3fce2820,len:0x158c
[15:21:36]load:0x403c8700,len:0xd24
[15:21:36]load:0x403cb700,len:0x2f34
[15:21:36]entry 0x403c891c
[15:21:36]I (29) boot: ESP-IDF 5.5.1 2nd stage bootloader
[15:21:36]I (29) boot: compile time Jan 5 2026 14:14:50
[15:21:36]I (29) boot: Multicore bootloader
[15:21:36]I (29) boot: chip revision: v0.2
[15:21:36]I (32) boot: efuse block revision: v1.3
[15:21:36]I (36) boot.esp32s3: Boot SPI Speed : 80MHz
[15:21:36]I (39) boot.esp32s3: SPI Mode : DIO
[15:21:36]I (43) boot.esp32s3: SPI Flash Size : 16MB
[15:21:36]I (47) boot: Enabling RNG early entropy source...
[15:21:36]I (52) boot: Partition Table:
[15:21:36]I (54) boot: ## Label Usage Type ST Offset Length
[15:21:36]I (60) boot: 0 nvs WiFi data 01 02 00009000 00005000
[15:21:36]I (67) boot: 1 otadata OTA data 01 00 0000e000 00002000
[15:21:36]I (73) boot: 2 app0 OTA app 00 10 00010000 00640000
[15:21:36]I (80) boot: 3 app1 OTA app 00 11 00650000 00640000
[15:21:36]I (87) boot: 4 phy_init RF data 01 01 00c90000 00001000
[15:21:36]I (93) boot: 5 lfs Unknown data 01 82 00c91000 0036f000
[15:21:36]I (100) boot: End of partition table
[15:21:36]I (103) esp_image: segment 0: paddr=00010020 vaddr=3c0b0020 size=1e2a4h (123556) map
[15:21:36]I (132) esp_image: segment 1: paddr=0002e2cc vaddr=3fc9ca00 size=01d4ch ( 7500) load
[15:21:36]I (134) esp_image: segment 2: paddr=00030020 vaddr=42000020 size=a3958h (670040) map
[15:21:36]I (254) esp_image: segment 3: paddr=000d3980 vaddr=3fc9e74c size=02f90h ( 12176) load
[15:21:36]I (257) esp_image: segment 4: paddr=000d6918 vaddr=40378000 size=14960h ( 84320) load
[15:21:36]I (276) esp_image: segment 5: paddr=000eb280 vaddr=50000000 size=00020h ( 32) load
[15:21:36]I (285) boot: Loaded app from partition at offset 0x10000
[15:21:36]I (285) boot: Disabling RNG early entropy source...
[15:21:37]Guru Meditation Error: Core 0 panic'ed (IllegalInstruction). Exception was unhandled.
[15:21:37]Memory dump at 0x42026c4c: ffffffff ffffffff ffffffff
I fixed it today by, adding these sdkconfig_options
sdkconfig_options:
CONFIG_SPIRAM_MODE_OCT: "y"
CONFIG_SPIRAM: "y"
CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHMODE_QIO: "y"
CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHFREQ_80M: "y"
Current config ESPHome 2025.12.4, ESP-IDF 5.5.1 , platform: 55.03-.31-2
# ESP32S3N16R8 config 20250106 serial, RGBW LEDs and working PSRAM
substitutions:
friendly_name: "psram-test"
device_internal_name: psram-test
logger_lvl: "DEBUG"
esphome:
name: $device_internal_name
friendly_name: $friendly_name
comment: EPS32-S3 N16R8
# https://github.com/shpegun60/ESP32-S3-N16R8/blob/85d3ecc973858c9ff781ffd413dd6f892be4114c/ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1-N16R8.json
platformio_options:
# board_build.arduino.memory_type: qio_opi
# board_build.flash_mode: qio
build_flags:
-DARDUINO_USB_MODE=0
-DARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=0
-DCONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32S3
esp32:
board: esp32-s3-devkitc1-n16r8
variant: esp32s3
cpu_frequency: 240MHz
flash_size: 16MB
partitions: "partitions_custom.csv" # partition works
framework:
type: esp-idf
version: recommended
# https://community.home-assistant.io/t/ i-cant-get-the-psram-of-an-esp32-s3-n16r8-to-work/948815/8
sdkconfig_options:
CONFIG_SPIRAM_MODE_OCT: "y"
CONFIG_SPIRAM: "y"
CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHMODE_QIO: "y"
CONFIG_ESPTOOLPY_FLASHFREQ_80M: "y"
# voice assistant mww optimisations from https://github.com/KristopherMackowiak/ha_voice_assistant/blob/cab1a003c29eec6f5b817e2eb74e8f1a84109098/home-assistant-voice.yaml
# CONFIG_ESP32S3_DATA_CACHE_64KB: "y"
# CONFIG_ESP32S3_DATA_CACHE_LINE_64B: "y"
# CONFIG_ESP32S3_INSTRUCTION_CACHE_32KB: "y"
# # Moves instructions and read only data from flash into PSRAM on boot.
# # Both enabled allows instructions to execute while a flash operation is in progress without needing to be placed in IRAM.
# # Considerably speeds up mWW at the cost of using more PSRAM.
# CONFIG_SPIRAM_RODATA: "y"
# CONFIG_SPIRAM_FETCH_INSTRUCTIONS: "y"
# CONFIG_BT_ALLOCATION_FROM_SPIRAM_FIRST: "y"
# CONFIG_BT_BLE_DYNAMIC_ENV_MEMORY: "y"
# # CONFIG_MBEDTLS_EXTERNAL_MEM_ALLOC: "y"
# CONFIG_MBEDTLS_SSL_PROTO_TLS1_3: "y" # TLS1.3 support isn't enabled by default in IDF 5.1.5
wifi:
networks:
- ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
password: !secret wifi_password
- ssid: !secret wifi_hotspot_ssid
password: !secret wifi_hotspot_password
output_power: 15
fast_connect: ${hidden_ssid}
# Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
ap:
ssid: ${friendly_name}
password: "12345678"
network:
enable_ipv6: true
captive_portal:
# Enable loggings
logger:
level: $logger_lvl
baud_rate: 115200
hardware_uart: UART0
logs:
component: ERROR
# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
ota:
- platform: esphome
psram:
mode: octal
speed: 80MHz
light:
- platform: esp32_rmt_led_strip
name: None
id: led_onboard
pin: GPIO48
chipset: WS2812
num_leds: 1
rgb_order: GRB
entity_category: diagnostic
icon: mdi:led-on
default_transition_length: 0s
gamma_correct: 2.8
effects:
- pulse:
name: "Slow Pulse"
transition_length: 250ms
update_interval: 250ms
min_brightness: 50%
max_brightness: 100%
- pulse:
name: "Fast Pulse"
transition_length: 100ms
update_interval: 100ms
min_brightness: 50%
max_brightness: 100%
- platform: binary
name: "Light onboard"
id: light_onboard
output: led_onboard_green_output
# icon: mdi:alarm-light-outline
output:
- id: led_onboard_green_output
platform: gpio
pin:
number: GPIO21 # LED1
inverted: false
debug:
update_interval: 5s
web_server:
port: 80