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From: Didi on 6 Jul 2010 14:27 On Jul 5, 11:27 pm, -jg <jim.granvi...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > If it was me, I'd try and 'hook into' as much tested existing > resource as I could, before heading off to plow green fields ;) > > Target Source-STEP/Watch debug would be VERY high on that list. Jim, are you sure about that? If I get what Jon is after (without having followed the complete thread) he wants to get people interested in that thing. "Click here choose that" is nothing new for most people. I suppose all of us have started with non-source level debuggers, memory dumps etc... If Jon manages to get some people understand *that*, it will be a huge success on his part. Once past this everyone will understand the rest alone if interested. Dimiter ------------------------------------------------------ Dimiter Popoff Transgalactic Instruments http://www.tgi-sci.com ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.flickr.com/photos/didi_tgi/sets/72157600228621276/
From: Frank Buss on 6 Jul 2010 15:04 linnix wrote: > We, programmers, are interested in blinking LEDs because it's the > easiest way to verify program logics. Blinking LEDs might not be so > interesting for none programmers. I was thinking of something like PWM output, RBG LED and a table tennis ball, or mounting it on a fast rotating base :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53xxUE7tDlE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML6ZrWKTWPo >> simple robots with sensors > > Not easy to do with low cost. You need some fantasy. Something classical: Two motors and two LDRs is all you need for some fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-jNRz1P9nQ -- Frank Buss, fb(a)frank-buss.de http://www.frank-buss.de, http://www.it4-systems.de
From: Frank Buss on 6 Jul 2010 15:55 hamilton wrote: > Does any one have one of these boards handy ? > > Looking at the pics on the web site, I see four chips next to the > mini-USB connector. > > What are these chips ? There is a schematic on the webpage: MSP430F16x for the emulator and the programmer interface, TUSB3410VF for the USB to RS232-TTL interface, TPD2E001 for ESD protection on the USB port, TPS77301 LDO power supply and CAT24F32UI, an EEPROM. Except the EEPROM, all chips are from TI, so this could be very cheap for TI. > This board is no $4.30, even if its is a "430". But you are right, it doesn't look optimized for price (why not using a microcontroller with integrated USB?) and maybe manufacturing costs are higher (the "4.30" as a price is a nice marketing gag). But if they produce 10s of thousands of it, maybe they can sell it at least without loss. -- Frank Buss, fb(a)frank-buss.de http://www.frank-buss.de, http://www.it4-systems.de
From: hamilton on 6 Jul 2010 16:27 On 7/6/2010 1:55 PM, Frank Buss wrote: > hamilton wrote: > >> Does any one have one of these boards handy ? >> >> Looking at the pics on the web site, I see four chips next to the >> mini-USB connector. >> >> What are these chips ? > > There is a schematic on the webpage: MSP430F16x for the emulator and the > programmer interface, TUSB3410VF for the USB to RS232-TTL interface, > TPD2E001 for ESD protection on the USB port, TPS77301 LDO power supply and > CAT24F32UI, an EEPROM. Except the EEPROM, all chips are from TI, so this > could be very cheap for TI. > >> This board is no $4.30, even if its is a "430". > > But you are right, it doesn't look optimized for price (why not using a > microcontroller with integrated USB?) and maybe manufacturing costs are > higher (the "4.30" as a price is a nice marketing gag). But if they produce > 10s of thousands of it, maybe they can sell it at least without loss. > Loss does not matter, its a marketing deduction. But it might be close. h
From: Jon Kirwan on 6 Jul 2010 17:25
On Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:11:09 -0600, hamilton <hamilton(a)nothere.com> wrote: >The launchpad is so cheap because TI is subsidizing the "demo tool" to >generate sales. Probably so. >If you would approach TI with an idea to "get budding engineers started" >you may get them to design a board for you. Worth trying. However, I think I need to have a much clearer and much more fully fleshed out "business plan" to present, then. I don't need to convince me. But I will need to convince them if I'm asking them to invest their money. Still, I like the thought. I will keep it near the top, for a while, and may wind up giving it a shot. >I am sure TI is selling 10s of thousands of these boards. >A price break you will never see building it yourself. Indeed. Speaking of which, I _really_ like the USB stick (actually, there are two different ones but I'm speaking of one of those two) that comes with the Chronos watch. It includes a power/gnd + 2-wire JTAG debugger (4 pins) but also another 2 pins for Rx and Tx... 6 pin connector. This comes up under Windows as both a supported JTAG debugger and flash programmer as well as a COM port. With suitable cable and connectors, this provides something the students can take home and use on their own. Since I bought that Chronos for $24 shipped, and since almost the same thing comes on their F2013 demo unit which at times sells for $9.99 shipped, I might be able to worm those out of them as solo pieces I can use. Might be worth a conversation, anyway. >TI also gets a tax break for advertising. Better, in some cases I'm thinking about, I can provide them with a 501(c)3 for charitable deductions (if I can convince the board here to go for it or otherwise form up a separate one just for this purpose.) That's work, too. But with incentive on both sides, it's a crossable bridge. >Using this board as a standard is a little short sighted. Well, one does need to put one foot in front of another and make some mistakes. I have never once seen a 5-year plan for a new company that came anywhere close to where they were 5 years later. Or even 3. Doesn't mean there aren't some very experienced people adressing themselves to thoroughly mature markets where everything is pretty much known. But I haven't ever worked in those areas and, frankly, that doesn't apply here at all. In this sphere, the chances of me knowing most of what this will look like 3 years from now, assuming there is anything at all, is.. low. So short-sighted is about the only way to go. It's sparsely mapped waters. I hope for a usable lookout tower, manned as best I can, and a lot of unplanned course corrections along the way, I think. Unless I can convince others to sit down with me and add their own experience and good knowledge to identify the 'sizzle' for this as well as the core meat in it and we form the right combination at the right time and somehow also get lucky. Since I'm one person and control no others at all, all I can really be sure of are my own hours. Good thoughts about contacting TI, though. I will put that on my list and follow through when the moment is right. Jon |