Today I opened my new online store! The DEV.BO is the first item in the store, and a breakout board for the MSP430F5510 called the DEV.BREAK is the second. The two posts before this one provide details of the two items. Please make sure you read the important information at the top of the store before you buy anything.
Now that the store has been opened, I will be writing more technical posts which show off some cool things the LaunchPad and other MSP430s can do.
Please note that all these prices are introductory and are subject to change. If you have any questions, please contact me via email: webmaster (at) msp430launchpad (dot) com.
Check it out!
A blog about the MSP430 LaunchPad from Texas Instruments for both beginners and experts.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Official Version of the DEV.BO (2.0)
Version 2.0 of the DEV.BO is now for sale in my online store!
Features and Specs
Available Documentation
Bare PCB (Unassembled) - $15
If you have all the tools you need to solder one up yourself, already have an MSP430F5510 from TI's free sample program, and all of the other parts needed, you can buy just the bare unassembled PCB. The handling time will also greatly reduced if you buy the bare board. Please note, that if you select this option, you will receive no components, you will only receive the PCB.
Without FTDI USB (MSP430 Assembled) - $35
This option is for those of you who do not need USB communication abilities and just want to use the MSP430F5510. If you select this option, you will receive a mostly assembled PCB. Everything needed to program and use the MSP430F5510 will be soldered onto the board but everything relating to the FTDI USB circuit (including the USB connector and the FTDI jumpers) will not be soldered to the board, and the parts will not be included. Male headers are also provided to connect to the MSP430's pins (the headers will not be soldered onto the board).
Full Board (Assembled) - $45
This option comes with everything already soldered onto the board. Male headers will also be included to connect to the MSP430's pins, but they are not soldered onto the board.
Example Code
Every DEV.BO which will have the MSP430 F5510 soldered onto it (Options: Without FTDI USB and Full Board) will come with a modified version of the LaunchScope code which samples at a rate of 4kHz. This code will be released as it's own post in the upcoming weeks once I have a chance to fully document it.
The DEV.BO is a development board based off of the MSP430F5510. This board can easily be programmed using the LaunchPad or any MSP430 JTAG programmer. Click here to see the post on the older DEV.BO.
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| DEV.BO Ver. 2.0 - Please ignore the flux residue on the board. I am out of flux remover and am expecting more in the mail soon. |
Features and Specs
- Based on the MSP430F5510
- Max clock speed of 25MHz
- Integrated 32kHz crystal
- Broad supply voltage range - 1.8 V to 3.6 V
- 25K of flash memory
- 1 USCI_A (UART/LIN/IrDA/SPI)
- 1 USCI_B (I2C/SPI)
- 2 16-bit (3CCR), 1 16-bit (5CCR), 1 16-bit (7CCR)
- 10-bit SAR ADC
- Internal temperature sensor
- Hardware multiplier
- Much more!
- Connectors for both SBW and JTAG
- The SBW is made for easy connection to the LaunchPad
- USB interface (FTDI323RL)
- On board reset button
- 1 programmable push button
- 1 programmable LED
- Easy to use jumpers for disabling all non-mandatory circuitry
- Extra power connectors for expansion boards
Available Documentation
- MSP430F5510 Datasheet
- MSP430x5xx/MSP430x6xx Family User's Guide
- TI's MSP430F5510 Example Code
- DEV.BO Ver. 2.0 Schematic
- FTDI FT232RL Datasheet
- NJC's DEV.BO Package (includes all the above documents as of April 2011)
Bare PCB (Unassembled) - $15
If you have all the tools you need to solder one up yourself, already have an MSP430F5510 from TI's free sample program, and all of the other parts needed, you can buy just the bare unassembled PCB. The handling time will also greatly reduced if you buy the bare board. Please note, that if you select this option, you will receive no components, you will only receive the PCB.
Without FTDI USB (MSP430 Assembled) - $35
This option is for those of you who do not need USB communication abilities and just want to use the MSP430F5510. If you select this option, you will receive a mostly assembled PCB. Everything needed to program and use the MSP430F5510 will be soldered onto the board but everything relating to the FTDI USB circuit (including the USB connector and the FTDI jumpers) will not be soldered to the board, and the parts will not be included. Male headers are also provided to connect to the MSP430's pins (the headers will not be soldered onto the board).
Full Board (Assembled) - $45
This option comes with everything already soldered onto the board. Male headers will also be included to connect to the MSP430's pins, but they are not soldered onto the board.
Example Code
Every DEV.BO which will have the MSP430 F5510 soldered onto it (Options: Without FTDI USB and Full Board) will come with a modified version of the LaunchScope code which samples at a rate of 4kHz. This code will be released as it's own post in the upcoming weeks once I have a chance to fully document it.
A New DEV - The DEV.BREAK
The second product available in my new online store is the DEV.BREAK! This board is simply a breakout board for the MSP430F5510 (or really any other chip with the 48LQFP package).
Do you want to build a small project on a breadboard with one of the most powerful MSP430s out there? Then this board is for you!
This board doesn't require much explanation as it just breaks out all of the MSP430F5510's pins to a breadboard-able size. In a standard breadboard the DEV.BREAK leaves room for one row of wires on each side.
Purchasing Options
There are two options when purchasing this board. The first is to simply purchase the bare PCB for $9 with no chip soldered on, you will receive only the PCB (no MSP430 or headers). The second option is to buy the PCB with the MSP430 soldered onto it with headers included (but not soldered) for $20.
Do you want to build a small project on a breadboard with one of the most powerful MSP430s out there? Then this board is for you!
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| The bare DEV.BREAK PCB |
Purchasing Options
There are two options when purchasing this board. The first is to simply purchase the bare PCB for $9 with no chip soldered on, you will receive only the PCB (no MSP430 or headers). The second option is to buy the PCB with the MSP430 soldered onto it with headers included (but not soldered) for $20.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Housekeeping and a Store
I have just finished created a page which lists the most popular and important past posts. There are many times where I am asked a question on a newer posts which I answered at length in a previous post. Hopefully this page is found to be useful for many of you. If you find any typos anywhere, please let me know. As always, feel free to contact me via email: webmaster at msp430launchpad dot com.
Lately I have been putting my efforts into updating the look and feel of my blog to make it a bit more reader friendly. There is still much work to be done to make the new template really look and feel good, but I feel like I have made a lot of progress on organizing the blog and getting ready for the future.
One of the things which I have been working on behind the scenes, is a small web store where I will be selling a few boards I have created. This includes the DEV.BO, which I wrote about here, and a few other simple breakout boards which are pertinent to the LaunchPad and the MSP430.
Let me know what you think and stay tuned...
Lately I have been putting my efforts into updating the look and feel of my blog to make it a bit more reader friendly. There is still much work to be done to make the new template really look and feel good, but I feel like I have made a lot of progress on organizing the blog and getting ready for the future.
One of the things which I have been working on behind the scenes, is a small web store where I will be selling a few boards I have created. This includes the DEV.BO, which I wrote about here, and a few other simple breakout boards which are pertinent to the LaunchPad and the MSP430.
Let me know what you think and stay tuned...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Appearance Change
I finally got around to changing the template for the blog since I was not happy with how the old version looked. Now everything should be a bit easier on the eyes and hyperlinks show up much better now.
Please let me know if there is anything I forgot to change or something else that I did not notice. Hope you like it!
Please let me know if there is anything I forgot to change or something else that I did not notice. Hope you like it!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The DEV.BO is Born!
I would like to introduce you all to the DEV.BO prototype. This board is built around the MSP430F5510, it not only includes the typical on-board items, but also an FTDI chip.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I was using the MSP430F5528 in a personal project of mine (which I will be posting when I have more time). TI just released a new set of chips in the MSP430F55xx series, one of which caught my eye, the MSP430F5510. This chip has all of the features I needed the 5528 for, but is half the price! Granted the 5510 does has less memory and a less precise ADC (and is lacking a few other things) but this was not important to my project.
Note: The MSP430F5510 on the DEV.BO is the 48 pin version which has a bit less peripherals than the larger sized MSP4305510 package.
I needed to get a board made for my project and decided to just go ahead and make a small target board which I might start selling if all goes well. Keep in mind this just a prototype and I need to test at least one more version before I can start selling them.
Some DEV.BO’s Features
I am still here and working hard, sorry that my last posts have been quite sporadic. I love how the DEV.BO came out and am excited to get it more finalized in the upcoming weeks. It makes programming the 5510 a breeze because of how simple it is to connect to the LaunchPad. I was very frustrated with my MSP430F5528 target board and how many wires I needed to get things up and running. Mouser just got the MSP430F5510 (in the correct package) in stock, so I can start pushing things along.
The reason I wanted to post this now was because my next two posts will be about one of my latest mini projects - a heart beat detection algorithm implemented on an MSP430F55xx. Once I finish those posts I will delve into the details of I2C because it can be a very confusing topic for beginners (and even advanced developers!).
 |
| The Dev.BO |
Note: The MSP430F5510 on the DEV.BO is the 48 pin version which has a bit less peripherals than the larger sized MSP4305510 package.
I needed to get a board made for my project and decided to just go ahead and make a small target board which I might start selling if all goes well. Keep in mind this just a prototype and I need to test at least one more version before I can start selling them.
Some DEV.BO’s Features
- Based on the MSP430F5510
- Max clock speed of 25MHz
- Integrated 32kHz crystal
- 25K of flash memory
- 1 USCI_A (UART/LIN/IrDA/SPI)
- 1 USCI_B (I2C/SPI)
- 2 16-bit (3CCR), 1 16-bit (5CCR), 1 16-bit (7CCR)
- 10-bit SAR ADC
- Much more!
- Connectors for both SBW and JTAG
- USB interface (FTDI323RL)
- 1 programmable push button
- 1 programmable LED
- Much more!
 |
| DEV.BO size comparison |
As you can see in the picture above, it is quite small. For me, it replaces the MSP430F5528 target board on the right and the FTDI breakout board from SparkFun on the upper left.
I am still here and working hard, sorry that my last posts have been quite sporadic. I love how the DEV.BO came out and am excited to get it more finalized in the upcoming weeks. It makes programming the 5510 a breeze because of how simple it is to connect to the LaunchPad. I was very frustrated with my MSP430F5528 target board and how many wires I needed to get things up and running. Mouser just got the MSP430F5510 (in the correct package) in stock, so I can start pushing things along.
The reason I wanted to post this now was because my next two posts will be about one of my latest mini projects - a heart beat detection algorithm implemented on an MSP430F55xx. Once I finish those posts I will delve into the details of I2C because it can be a very confusing topic for beginners (and even advanced developers!).
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Getting a PCB Made
I was recently asked where I get my PCBs made and realized that many people do not know of the great online PCB services which are available to hobbyists.
A few months ago I needed to get a PCB made for the first time in years and started the search for cheap places to get my board manufactured quickly with reasonable tolerances. I needed small quantities of a duel layer, surface mount, board with solder-mask and silkscreen on both sides. This usually adds more money to a PCB order than I was willing to spend on my small quick prototype board.
I found three services which met my cost requirements and did not have an unreasonable lead time. Here are my thoughts and a review on the PCB service I used.
MakePCB.com
http://makepcb.com/
This was the first board house I found which has reasonable pricing and a simple online quote system that you do not need to sign up for. I hate those websites where you have to give your personal information in order to receive a quote. This option seemed to be the best for me while I was living abroad since shipping to Europe was the same as the US. I ended up not using this service because there was no information on the website about how long it takes get your board. The major benefit to using this service is that if you want medium sized quantities the pricing scales very well. Check out their online quote calculator.
If anyone has used this service, send me a note or comment here. I'm very interested to see if anyone has had a good experience with this board house.
BatchPCB
http://batchpcb.com
This is a service run by SparkFun electronics and seems to be a great option when you do not need a board quickly. As with MakePCB, I ended up not using this service. On their FAQ page they say that it takes anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 weeks to receive your board. For the price this is very reasonable - considering most hobby projects are usually not time critical. One great feature of this website is that they save your board design and you can get new boards made at less cost; you can even sell your designs!
The pricing is "$10 setup fee (shown as a handling charge) - $2.50 per square inch for 2 layer designs". This makes the pricing better for larger boards than the last service I mention here.
This site has great reviews from a multitude of people. Check out this forum for more reviews and information on the service.
Dorkbot PCB Group Order
http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order
This service works in a similar way as BatchPCB does. The person who runs the website fills up a large panel with multiple orders from hobbyists in order to keep costs very low. They are very helpful and answered all the questions I had; they also check to make sure your design is saved in the right format for their process and the boards are spaced properly. They send the boards out as soon as a panel fills up or a certain date has passed. Recently the boards have been filling up quickly and there has been more than one order per month.
This service is great for very small sized boards, which is a major reason I used this site for my boards. My board size was slightly more than 4 square inches and my design was ready a few days before the panel was due to go out. The overall lead time once the panel is sent out, is about 2 weeks. This works great if you can plan to have your board ready a few days before the panel goes out.
I received three copies of my board which can be seen in the previous two pictures. The solder-mask was purple (which looks awesome by the way), the silkscreen is clear and readable, and the boards work perfectly! The build quality was spectacular and I am very impressed. I HIGHLY recommend this service to anyone who wants a PCB made. Like BatchPCB they also have a 4-layer service. International shipping is also very reasonable.
I also wanted to thank Doc for telling me about this service. As you can see by his blog post, it is very important to double and triple check a design before it is sent off to the board house. :-)
Final Thoughts
On a side note, my larger board (which can be seen in the pictures above) does have an MSP430 on it. The design uses a MSP430F2013 with the GND, RST, and TEST pins brought out through headers for programming.
I hope some of you find this information useful and possibly end up turning one of your small projects into a real permanent "product". It's very rewarding to see one of your designs working on a PCB. If you have used any other great cheap services, comment away.
A few months ago I needed to get a PCB made for the first time in years and started the search for cheap places to get my board manufactured quickly with reasonable tolerances. I needed small quantities of a duel layer, surface mount, board with solder-mask and silkscreen on both sides. This usually adds more money to a PCB order than I was willing to spend on my small quick prototype board.
I found three services which met my cost requirements and did not have an unreasonable lead time. Here are my thoughts and a review on the PCB service I used.
MakePCB.com
http://makepcb.com/
This was the first board house I found which has reasonable pricing and a simple online quote system that you do not need to sign up for. I hate those websites where you have to give your personal information in order to receive a quote. This option seemed to be the best for me while I was living abroad since shipping to Europe was the same as the US. I ended up not using this service because there was no information on the website about how long it takes get your board. The major benefit to using this service is that if you want medium sized quantities the pricing scales very well. Check out their online quote calculator.
If anyone has used this service, send me a note or comment here. I'm very interested to see if anyone has had a good experience with this board house.
BatchPCB
http://batchpcb.com
This is a service run by SparkFun electronics and seems to be a great option when you do not need a board quickly. As with MakePCB, I ended up not using this service. On their FAQ page they say that it takes anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 weeks to receive your board. For the price this is very reasonable - considering most hobby projects are usually not time critical. One great feature of this website is that they save your board design and you can get new boards made at less cost; you can even sell your designs!
The pricing is "$10 setup fee (shown as a handling charge) - $2.50 per square inch for 2 layer designs". This makes the pricing better for larger boards than the last service I mention here.
This site has great reviews from a multitude of people. Check out this forum for more reviews and information on the service.
Dorkbot PCB Group Order
http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order
(Image from http://dorkbotpdx.org/wiki/pcb_order)
This service works in a similar way as BatchPCB does. The person who runs the website fills up a large panel with multiple orders from hobbyists in order to keep costs very low. They are very helpful and answered all the questions I had; they also check to make sure your design is saved in the right format for their process and the boards are spaced properly. They send the boards out as soon as a panel fills up or a certain date has passed. Recently the boards have been filling up quickly and there has been more than one order per month.
This service is great for very small sized boards, which is a major reason I used this site for my boards. My board size was slightly more than 4 square inches and my design was ready a few days before the panel was due to go out. The overall lead time once the panel is sent out, is about 2 weeks. This works great if you can plan to have your board ready a few days before the panel goes out.
I received three copies of my board which can be seen in the previous two pictures. The solder-mask was purple (which looks awesome by the way), the silkscreen is clear and readable, and the boards work perfectly! The build quality was spectacular and I am very impressed. I HIGHLY recommend this service to anyone who wants a PCB made. Like BatchPCB they also have a 4-layer service. International shipping is also very reasonable.
I also wanted to thank Doc for telling me about this service. As you can see by his blog post, it is very important to double and triple check a design before it is sent off to the board house. :-)
Final Thoughts
On a side note, my larger board (which can be seen in the pictures above) does have an MSP430 on it. The design uses a MSP430F2013 with the GND, RST, and TEST pins brought out through headers for programming.
I hope some of you find this information useful and possibly end up turning one of your small projects into a real permanent "product". It's very rewarding to see one of your designs working on a PCB. If you have used any other great cheap services, comment away.
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