zeke

All righty then.
 
The footprint for the TiWi module matches the data sheet (pg 28) exactly. Good job!
 
The only gotcha that I can see is the ground plane.
 
On page 28 of the datasheet, Layout Notes #1 & #2 are the gotchas.
 
Gotcha #1: The manufacturer is expecting the user to create a 4 layer pcb where the second layer is a ground plane. I believe you're making a 2 layer board.
 
Resolution: You create a ground pour on your bottom layer underneath the device on the top and the bottom layers.
 
Gotcha #2: The manufacturer is expecting the user to create a solid ground connection between top, bottom and inner layer 2 (GND) using Ample Vias.
 
Resolution: You add in zillions of vias to connect the top and the bottom ground pours. Pick a standard sized via. Datasheet says 0.4mm diameter. Space them 1mm apart in a grid pattern. That's going to be a lot of vias but don't sweat it.
 
 
If you ground the H. E. double hockey sticks out of the board then it will work well.
 
Does that help?

Ah nuts. I'm 200 miles away from home and all I have is my iPod touch. It's useless for checking layouts.
 
I'll be back home tomorrow and I'll check it out then.
 
Hopefully Designspark is easy to work with.
 
I can also work with gerber files too. Actually that might be better. Can you post a link to them for me?
 
We'll make sure this is right.

It looks good, but make sure they fit lenght wise. Also take into account that the cables connecting to your device are bulky and don't interfere with the one next to it.
 
No LED? Not needed, but a suggestion.

This is a tiny printf() function that can be used with the chips that come with the Launchpad. Code size is about 640 bytes with CCS.
 
There are 7 format specifiers:
%c - Character
%s - String
%i - signed Integer (16 bit)
%u - Unsigned integer (16 bit)
%l - signed Long (32 bit)
%n - uNsigned loNg (32 bit)
%x - heXadecimal (16 bit)
 
Field width, floating point and other standard printf() features are not supported.
 
printf() code

#include "msp430g2231.h" #include "stdarg.h" void putc(unsigned); void puts(char *); static const unsigned long dv[] = { // 4294967296 // 32 bit unsigned max 1000000000, // +0 100000000, // +1 10000000, // +2 1000000, // +3 100000, // +4 // 65535 // 16 bit unsigned max 10000, // +5 1000, // +6 100, // +7 10, // +8 1, // +9 }; static void xtoa(unsigned long x, const unsigned long *dp) { char c; unsigned long d; if(x) { while(x < *dp) ++dp; do { d = *dp++; c = '0'; while(x >= d) ++c, x -= d; putc(c); } while(!(d & 1)); } else putc('0'); } static void puth(unsigned n) { static const char hex[16] = { '0','1','2','3','4','5','6','7','8','9','A','B','C','D','E','F'}; putc(hex[n & 15]); } void printf(char *format, ...) { char c; int i; long n; va_list a; va_start(a, format); while(c = *format++) { if(c == '%') { switch(c = *format++) { case 's': // String puts(va_arg(a, char*)); break; case 'c': // Char putc(va_arg(a, char)); break; case 'i': // 16 bit Integer case 'u': // 16 bit Unsigned i = va_arg(a, int); if(c == 'i' && i < 0) i = -i, putc('-'); xtoa((unsigned)i, dv + 5); break; case 'l': // 32 bit Long case 'n': // 32 bit uNsigned loNg n = va_arg(a, long); if(c == 'l' && n < 0) n = -n, putc('-'); xtoa((unsigned long)n, dv); break; case 'x': // 16 bit heXadecimal i = va_arg(a, int); puth(i >> 12); puth(i >> 8); puth(i >> 4); puth(i); break; case 0: return; default: goto bad_fmt; } } else bad_fmt: putc(c); } va_end(a); }
 
test code

#include "msp430g2231.h" void serial_setup(unsigned out_mask, unsigned in_mask, unsigned duration); void printf(char *, ...); void main(void) { char *s; char c; int i; unsigned u; long int l; long unsigned n; unsigned x; // Disable watchdog WDTCTL = WDTPW + WDTHOLD; // Use 1 MHz DCO factory calibration DCOCTL = 0; BCSCTL1 = CALBC1_1MHZ; DCOCTL = CALDCO_1MHZ; // Setup the serial port // Serial out: P1.1 (BIT1) // Serial in: P1.2 (BIT2) // Bit rate: 9600 (CPU freq / bit rate) serial_setup(BIT1, BIT2, 1000000 / 9600); printf("%s", "\r\n*** printf() test ***\r\n"); s = "test"; c = 'X'; i = -12345; u = 12345; l = -1234567890; n = 1234567890; x = 0xABCD; printf("String %s\r\n", s); printf("Char %c\r\n", c); printf("Integer %i\r\n", i); printf("Unsigned %u\r\n", u); printf("Long %l\r\n", l); printf("uNsigned loNg %n\r\n", n); printf("heX %x\r\n", x); printf("multiple args %s %c %i %u %l %n %x\r\n", s, c, i, u, l, n, x); printf("\r\n*** Done ***\r\n"); for(;; }

I don't have an HF radio right now so I take advantage of some generous HAM's online.
 
Check out http://www.websdr.org/. There you'll find SDR's worldwide that you can listen to.
 
I usually listen to the eastern seaboard using http://w4ax.com/ in Atlanta,GA.

I don't have an HF radio right now so I take advantage of some generous HAM's online.
 
Check out http://www.websdr.org/. There you'll find SDR's worldwide that you can listen to.
 
I usually listen to the eastern seaboard using http://w4ax.com/ in Atlanta,GA.

I don't have an HF radio right now so I take advantage of some generous HAM's online.
 
Check out http://www.websdr.org/. There you'll find SDR's worldwide that you can listen to.
 
I usually listen to the eastern seaboard using http://w4ax.com/ in Atlanta,GA.

I don't have an HF radio right now so I take advantage of some generous HAM's online.
 
Check out http://www.websdr.org/. There you'll find SDR's worldwide that you can listen to.
 
I usually listen to the eastern seaboard using http://w4ax.com/ in Atlanta,GA.

I'm a HAM as well (VE6ZEK).
 
I run an FT-7R and an FT-8800R.
 
I built my own J-Pole antenna from aluminum stock at home depot. Does that count?

I'm a HAM as well (VE6ZEK).
 
I run an FT-7R and an FT-8800R.
 
I built my own J-Pole antenna from aluminum stock at home depot. Does that count?

Yes, I have read Peter's comments. My interpretation of them is that TI clearly doesn't understand just what a huge favor he is doing for them.
 
 
I believe there are growing number of people on this forum is because it has achieved "critical mass." If there were really a lot of interest, 430h would be seeing more competition. And really, aside from a few low-volume mailing lists and TI's forums (which are rather a joke) there simply isn't anything out there in terms of msp430 community.
 
But yes, I am all about choosing the right tool for the job. Unfortunately, the MSP430 really only has one raison d'etre: low power applications. And unfortunately this comes at a price premium.
 
However, the MSP430 is also an *excellent* choice for education. The architecture is exceptionally clean. 27 instructions and a fully-orthogonal instruction set make the instruction set a breeze to learn. Lots of registers and 16 bit operands keep code tight. Von-Neumann architecture and memory mapped I/O are much more similar to desktop PCs that most other MCUs that use the Harvard architecture. The peripherals are well thought out. The low-power model is highly conducive to event-driven programming. And finally, the data sheets are well written.
 
But unfortunately, there is almost no good introductory material on the MSP430. TI's example code is a joke. There is only one good book on the MSP430 -- the Davies book. The learning curve for someone who has never used a microcontroller before is incredibly steep. I can't count the number of people I have seen drop into #43oh in a state of utter confusion and then just disappear.
 
Where the Arduino is full of win is that it is accessible to newbies. You can get up and running with Arduino in almost no time at all. There is plenty I dislike about Arduino, which is why I don't use them, but there is no denying this is one area where Arduino truly shines.
 
So this is yet another area where TI has failed. They have the chip most suited to education, and they have reduced the cost of the development environment to not much more than the cost of a Happy Meal, but they simply don't have the tools and materials to get people hooked before they give up and go away frustrated.

I immediately think of mdfly.com.
 
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=203&start=10

If you're like me, you realize that TI makes a lot of components - not just MCUs. Figuring out how to use them in a circuit is challenging. Fortunately for us, they employ super smart people who know how to write. :thumbup:
 
Partial list of Design References:
1. Analog Applications Journal
2. Op Amps for Everyone!
3. Power Supply Design Seminar
4. Amplifiers and Bits: An Introduction to Selecting Amplifiers for Data Converters
5. Sensor to ADC

After redesigning my board over and over, I have finally settled on the final version.
It has 16 channels, uses 28pin 2553, has zero-crossing detector, MIDI, audio spectrum analyzer chip, and a configuration header.
This is the controller board only, the power board is next.
 

I am finally done with the power board design (unless I come up with new ideas yet again.)
8 channels, can be expanded to 16 or more ( 8 or 16 with a single Control Board or 8+ using serial in/out.)
Can be used with inductive loads.
The board is 4" x 4" (created using free version of Eagle )
 

Make sure USB-FET430 is plugged into USB port before trying this.
 
1. Open CCS.
2. Open desired project
3. Right click on project name
4. Click on Properties at the bottom of the list
5. Click on CCS Debug in the left pane
6. Click on Debugger Tab
7. Select "Connect to exact CPU" radio button
8. Choose the option that says FET430 in the name.
 
Come back and tell us if it worked for you.
If it didn't then we have to find "the other" place to reconfigure CCS.
 
Hit the Thumbs up button on this post if it did work.

Don't feel bad!
 
Making mistakes is perfectly normal and they are perfectly acceptable. Anyone who criticizes you for making a mistake deserves to be knocked to the ground!
 
Making mistakes means that you're that much closer to achieving your goal!
 
The first thing that I would recommend is that you go to your local tool store (Harbour Freight, Princess Auto) and buy a set of digital calipers. Use them to measure all the important mechanical dimensions of your parts. Compare them to the datasheet. If they agree then create the component footprint yourself. When it comes to datasheets, they LIE sometimes. Engineers are not known for their love of documentation. They hope no one notices.
 
The second thing to do would be to have someone you trust to take a look at your schematic and layout. Ask them to be objective and act as an Editor. Give them permission to question your design decisions. They just might save your bacon with a simple question "Does this look right?"
 
 
In the future, I would be willing to take a look at the pcb layout and offer comments if you think you might benefit from that.
 
And that offer stands for anyone else doing pcb layouts.

My 3rd grader is taking an after school robotics class. They're using Lego NXT in class. Those kits are cool but wicked expensive. I decided to surprise her and ordered one of the Magician Robot Chassis (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10825) & a TB6612FNG (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9457) motor driver from Sparkfun and a Launchpad from TI.
 
It all arrived today and I've never seen homework get done so quickly. We're going to assemble it all this evening and over the next few days, make a line follower like this one http://www.ermicro.com/blog/?p=2104.
 
[attachment=0]linefollower.jpg[/attachment]
 
I hope any of you guys with kids get them into this kind of thing too.

Also, notice that you can enter to win a Fluke meter here.
 
Yes. It's a second contest.

Hello everyone,
 
There has been alot of good questions going on in the past few weeks - accompanied with very good discussions. One way you can show your appreciation is by using the "Thanks" or "Thumbs up " button on the top right. It may be hard to notice but a screenshot always helps:

 
Use it if you have received something useful from a member. It takes time to write those posts and code. Consider it as karma, that's as good as it can get. :mrgreen:
 
Thanks everyone..and wish you a happy new year.

Its probably late, but someone asked if the traces for USB were ok. The following "High Speed USB Platform Design" application note was published by Intel:
 

 

I thought we should have a post that we collect useful PCB guidelines, tips, tricks and calculators in.
 
Here's some contributions:
 
1. UltraCad's PCB Calculators and Tools
2. Saturn PCB Design Toolkit
3. High Speed USB Platform Design Guidelines
4. Dave Jones' PCB Layout Tutorial
5. TI's PCB Design Guidelines For Reduced EMI
6. Altera's High-Speed Board Layout Guidelines
7. SMPS' Power Supply PCB Design Guidelines
8. Maxim's General Layout Guidelines for RF and Mixed-Signal PCBs
9. High Voltage PCB Design
10. Op Amps for Everyone - Chapter 17: Circuit Board Layout Techniques
 
I think I touched on most of the important design topics. Low noise A2D pcb design is one I didn't track down yet.

I immediately think of mdfly.com.
 
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=203&start=10

I thought we should have a post that we collect useful PCB guidelines, tips, tricks and calculators in.
 
Here's some contributions:
 
1. UltraCad's PCB Calculators and Tools
2. Saturn PCB Design Toolkit
3. High Speed USB Platform Design Guidelines
4. Dave Jones' PCB Layout Tutorial
5. TI's PCB Design Guidelines For Reduced EMI
6. Altera's High-Speed Board Layout Guidelines
7. SMPS' Power Supply PCB Design Guidelines
8. Maxim's General Layout Guidelines for RF and Mixed-Signal PCBs
9. High Voltage PCB Design
10. Op Amps for Everyone - Chapter 17: Circuit Board Layout Techniques
 
I think I touched on most of the important design topics. Low noise A2D pcb design is one I didn't track down yet.

I thought we should have a post that we collect useful PCB guidelines, tips, tricks and calculators in.
 
Here's some contributions:
 
1. UltraCad's PCB Calculators and Tools
2. Saturn PCB Design Toolkit
3. High Speed USB Platform Design Guidelines
4. Dave Jones' PCB Layout Tutorial
5. TI's PCB Design Guidelines For Reduced EMI
6. Altera's High-Speed Board Layout Guidelines
7. SMPS' Power Supply PCB Design Guidelines
8. Maxim's General Layout Guidelines for RF and Mixed-Signal PCBs
9. High Voltage PCB Design
10. Op Amps for Everyone - Chapter 17: Circuit Board Layout Techniques
 
I think I touched on most of the important design topics. Low noise A2D pcb design is one I didn't track down yet.