Migrating from PIC18 to ARM: which MCU to choose?
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From: nospam on 22 Jul 2010 06:58 "Michael Kellett" <nospam(a)nospam.com> wrote: >"Stimpy" <rjmvxlvzjqwi(a)mailinator.com> wrote in message >news:7b290caa-37fe-4f99-a278-9fb63a7def07(a)j8g2000yqd.googlegroups.com... >> We have a product based around the PIC18F6680 which is now becoming a >> rare and expensive part. Since it looks like ARM devices are winning >> the popularity war, the chips are cheap and plentiful. The question >> is, with so many vendors and parts to choose from which one should we >> go with? >Apart from leadtimes I think ST are a good bet - this is based on good >experience with the STM32 range of parts. I have not used the NXP parts or >looked at them in very great detail. The OP posting from google is killfiled but the question is interesting. My advice would be to pick an ARM part which like the PIC18F6680 he will still be able to buy when it is 7 years old. Anyone know which ones they are? Does anyone think these cheap (= low profit) parts with many vendors (= lots of competition) are all still going to be around in 3 or 4 years?
From: Mike Harrison on 22 Jul 2010 08:23 >Apart from leadtimes I think ST are a good bet - If ST can't even supply Nissan, causing a multimillion plant shutdown,what hope does the avarage user have....? http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2010/07/14/49042/nissan-car-production-halted-by-st-supply-delinquency.htm
From: rickman on 22 Jul 2010 08:31 On Jul 22, 6:58 am, nospam <nos...(a)please.invalid> wrote: > "Michael Kellett" <nos...(a)nospam.com> wrote: > >"Stimpy" <rjmvxlvzj...(a)mailinator.com> wrote in message > >news:7b290caa-37fe-4f99-a278-9fb63a7def07(a)j8g2000yqd.googlegroups.com... > >> We have a product based around the PIC18F6680 which is now becoming a > >> rare and expensive part. Since it looks like ARM devices are winning > >> the popularity war, the chips are cheap and plentiful. The question > >> is, with so many vendors and parts to choose from which one should we > >> go with? > >Apart from leadtimes I think ST are a good bet - this is based on good > >experience with the STM32 range of parts. I have not used the NXP parts or > >looked at them in very great detail. > > The OP posting from google is killfiled but the question is interesting. > > My advice would be to pick an ARM part which like the PIC18F6680 he will > still be able to buy when it is 7 years old. Anyone know which ones they > are? > > Does anyone think these cheap (= low profit) parts with many vendors (= > lots of competition) are all still going to be around in 3 or 4 years? The ARM7 parts from NXP (21xx) and Atmel (SAM7) are all still available, no? That's already more than four years I believe with no sign of being discontinued. Now that Luminary is part of TI, I wouldn't have any hesitation to design in their newer parts. Commercial parts are always gamble if you need a long production life. I would pick a part that has only been out for a year or two and then try to pick one that seems to be pretty popular. The best way to tell that is to ask the vendor I think. But good luck getting an answer. Rick
From: rickman on 22 Jul 2010 09:41 On Jul 21, 10:11 pm, -jg <jim.granvi...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > On Jul 22, 9:44 am, Stimpy <rjmvxlvzj...(a)mailinator.com> wrote: > > > Any suggestions or are there any other choices that I've overlooked? > > Try Cypress PSoC5, which does have Comparator choices, and also > EEPROM. > > Cypress are frustratingly slow at releasing prices, but they do show > CY8CKIT-014 PSoC® 5 FirstTouch Starter Kit $49 in stock. I almost forgot about the PSOC5. They were supposed to be out end of Q2, but then they have been missing deadlines on this part for over two years!!! I'm actually getting concerned that the chip will be obsolete by the time it is orderable. > Freescale have announced a M4 version, sampling soonwww.freescale.com/kinetis > - but data is thin right now. To say "thin" is quite an understatement! I can't find anything remotely like a data sheet or any indication of when the parts will be available. On the other hand, it does look like a pretty good part. I'm going to start designing it into my vaporware right now! > Or, I see the new Nuvoton series, have just flipped into Stock, at Nu > Horizonshttp://www.nuvoton.com/hq/enu/ProductAndSales/ProductLines/Industrial... > > NUC100LE3AN NUVOTON 128KF 16KR QFP48 $2.5250 > NUC100RE3AN NUVOTON 128KF 16KR QFP64 $2.7875 > NUC120LE3AN NUVOTON 128KF 16KR QFP48 USB $2.7875 > NUC120RE3AN NUVOTON 128KF 16KR QFP64 USB $2.9625 > NUC120VD2AN NUVOTON 64KF 8KR QFO100 USB $2.7875 > > These are 5V (wide supply range), and I see they do have Analog > Comparators too :) > > Eval PCBs look well priced too... > > NUMICRO-SDK NUVOTON TECH CORP AMERICA Development Tools > $43.7500 > NUTINY-SDK-120 NUVOTON TECH CORP AMERICA Development Tools > $19.0000 > > Signs of a product manager, who knows what they are doing ? Sort of interesting, I hadn't heard of them before. A lot of their parts are only in sampling stutas[sic]. But their prices are right! I'm not sure I believe all their claims of parts in production. Checking the NUC120LC1AN I can't even find it listed at either NuHo or Arrow. You can buy the SDK, but I can't even find a brochure on it! Technically speaking, I see that the I/Os are only 5 volt tolerant when powered by 5 volts. The power consumption is not so great either. It will be interesting to see what application these parts find. Rick
From: Chris H on 22 Jul 2010 09:33
In message <gqdg469hqiukdqa6pq3fogbdn90lj6fv3i(a)4ax.com>, Mike Harrison <mike(a)whitewing.co.uk> writes > >>Apart from leadtimes I think ST are a good bet - > >If ST can't even supply Nissan, causing a multimillion plant >shutdown,what hope does the avarage >user have....? > >http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2010/07/14/49042/nissan-car- >production-halted-by-st-supply-delinquency.htm Red herring. That is not because they discontinued the (custom) part but due to FAB capacity and gambling on restarting FAB's (always a very expensive game). They did not restart a mothballed fab and increase capacity in time. After all there is a recession and people stopped buying cars.... It is a minor supply and demand glitch of a custom part. Not discontinuation of a standard part. -- \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \/\/\/\/\ Chris Hills Staffs England /\/\/\/\/ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ |