Root cause (verified against our exact IDF tree, not the community guess): the "258" in "sdio_write_task: Failed to send data: 258" is NOT a timeout (that is 263). 258 = 0x102 = ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG. On the ESP32-P4, block- mode CMD53 writes require the SOURCE buffer to be 64-byte (cache-line) aligned; the IDF sdmmc driver rejects a misaligned source with INVALID_ARG BEFORE any bus activity. esp_hosts write loop then declares "Unrecoverable host sdio state" and reboots the whole P4. The audio TX payload is not 64-aligned, so streaming mic audio wedged on the very FIRST frame (which is exactly what we saw: listening -> instant Failed to send -> reboot). This also explains why buffer/queue/clock/retry tuning all did nothing: the write never reached the bus. And why our symptom was instant, not after ~100 writes (the community block-mode-desync theory) — it is the first misaligned buffer, every time. Fix: vendored esp_hosted 2.12.11 as an editable local component (overrides the registry copy) and bounce a misaligned TX payload through one aligned DMA scratch buffer in hosted_sdio_write_block (port_esp_hosted_host_sdio.c). TX is serialized by the bus lock so a single static bounce buffer is safe; freed in hosted_sdio_deinit. Host-only change — no C6 reflash. VERIFIED ON HARDWARE (autonomous self-test): 40s of continuous mic-audio upstream streaming — the traffic that previously wedged on the first frame — ran clean, zero timeouts, zero reboots. A guarded SDIO_TX_SELFTEST harness is kept (compiled out) for future SDIO stress testing. Credit: root cause + patch designed via multi-agent investigation; the precise 258=INVALID_ARG decode (correcting the upstream community timeout assumption) came from checking our actual esp_err.h. Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Peer Data Transfer Example
Why This Example
This example demonstrates how to send and receive raw binary data between a host device and a coprocessor. Unlike standard communication which uses predefined message formats, this approach lets you send any data directly—ideal for peer-to-peer applications or when you need maximum control over your data format.
APIs in Focus
// Send data
esp_hosted_send_custom_data(data, length);
// Receive data
esp_hosted_register_rx_callback_custom_data(my_callback);
The API names are identical on both the coprocessor and host sides.
Supported Platforms and Transports
Supported Coprocessors
| Coprocessor | ESP32 | ESP32-C Series | ESP32-S Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Supported Host Devices
| Host Device | ESP32-P4 | ESP32-H2 | Other MCUs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Supported Connection Types
| Connection | SDIO | SPI Full-Duplex | SPI Half-Duplex | UART |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Coprocessor Setup
1. Enable Example in Menuconfig
Navigate to your coprocessor project directory and open menuconfig:
cd <project_path>/slave
idf.py menuconfig
Enable the peer data transfer example:
Example Configuration → Additional higher layer examples to run → Select Examples to run → [*] Peer Data Transfer Example
Note: Peer data transfer feature is enabled by default in ESP-Hosted. This example demonstrates how to use it by registering handlers and echoing data back to the host.
2. Flash the Coprocessor
idf.py -p <slave_port> build flash monitor
Replace <slave_port> with your coprocessor's serial port (e.g., /dev/ttyUSB0 on Linux, COM3 on Windows).
Host Setup
1. Configure Host Project
Navigate to your host project directory:
cd <project_path>/host
idf.py menuconfig
Configure the connection interface (SDIO, SPI, or UART) and host MCU settings as per your hardware setup.
2. Flash the Host
idf.py -p <host_port> build flash monitor
Replace <host_port> with your host device's serial port
How It Works
This example sends data packets of increasing size from the host to the coprocessor. Packet sizes range from 1 byte up to 8166 bytes. The coprocessor receives each packet, verifies it, and sends it back. Both devices check that the data arrived correctly and display results.
Expected Output:
========================================
Peer Data Transfer Test (max: 8166 bytes)
========================================
copro <-- host : 1 byte stream, sent ✅
host --> copro : 1 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro --> host : 1 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro <-- host : 512 byte stream, sent ✅
host --> copro : 512 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro --> host : 512 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro <-- host : 4096 byte stream, sent ✅
host --> copro : 4096 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro --> host : 4096 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro <-- host : 8166 byte stream, sent ✅
host --> copro : 8166 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro --> host : 8166 byte stream received, verification: ✅
copro <-- host : 8200 byte stream (exceeds limit - skipped)
========================================
COPROCESSOR-SIDE VERIFICATION
========================================
Packets received: 10
Bytes received: 13643
Data validation: ✅ ALL PASSED
========================================
========================================
TEST SUMMARY
========================================
Result: ✅ PASS
========================================
Limitations
- Maximum payload size: 8166 bytes per packet. For larger data, break it into smaller chunks in your application.
- No automatic formatting: You must prepare and interpret the raw data yourself.
- Struct alignment: Use
__attribute__((packed))to ensure data layout is consistent.
See Also
- Coprocessor example:
slave/main/example_peer_data_transfer.c - Coprocessor API:
slave/main/esp_hosted_peer_data.h