Cheap C2000 Piccolo: F2806x MCU - $11

[GeekDoc 226]

@naturetm

Thanks for the CCS4 info

not me

That was bluehash (on first page).

 

There's a little "thumbs-up" you can click in each post (top right) to help show how helpful someone is. The total shows up with their name and icon on the right of their posts.

[JMLB 24]

just curious. what would be the advantages of floating point? I do all integer math on my code and never really had the need for decimals. what applications would it be handy?

 

also Thanks for the link lol. It will be hard to justify to my wife why she has to stay home to receive a package again and that I paid money for an other MC that I don't use (yet) lol.

[bluehash 1,581]

Easier when coding algorithms. Per unit coding which means you can visualize +-20Amps between +-1 as an example.

Shorter dev cycle.

 

 

If you are comfortable with fixed point, go for it.. it is faster and especially if the chip architecture does not have a floating point unit.

[michaelwei 3]

No open source compiler.

You can use the 38Kb limited edition CCS.

 

Actually, CCSv4 can be use for free, without code size limitations, with the controlSTICK and all of C2000's tools.

 

CCSv4 can be used for free under any of the below conditions:

- First 30 days

- Code size limited (32KB for C2000, 16KB for MSP430)

- Used with development kits

- Used with XDS100-class emulators

 

This means there's a small loophole for C2000 customers! C2000 primarily uses XDS100 emulators because of our DSP heritage.

 

For your designs, as long as you use an XDS100-class emulator (like the ones made by Spectrum Digital or Blackhawk), CCSv4 can be used for free.

 

The XDS100 is the lowest class of emulators for DSPs and C2000, and it can get painful trying to use it for the faster, 300MHZ+ DSPs (and for our C2834x family). But for all other C2000 devices, it's more than sufficient.

 

The CCSv4 install that comes on the DVD should automatically recognize this. If you don't have the DVD, simply download CCSv4 at http://www.ti.com/ccs

 

-Michael Wei

C2000 MCUs

Texas Instruments

[bluehash 1,581]

Its nice to have someone from TI here. So does the Piccolo have an XDS100 class emulator?

[thanhtran 10]

Hi Michael,

 

I got one of this kits arrived yesterday. It appeared to have the XDS100 emulator built-in (as seen from the Hardware under Device Manager. Does that mean I can use CCS4.2.1 (that comes with the kit) with this kit with no restriction?

 

Thanks

 

-Thanh

[GeekDoc 226]

It appeared to have the XDS100 emulator built-in (as seen from the Hardware under Device Manager. Does that mean I can use CCS4.2.1 (that comes with the kit) with this kit with no restriction?

That's how I read it.

[ZeroSkillz 11]

I'm totally new to all of this (n00b) but I had an idea to create something (industrial application) and a friend of mine (who knows what he's doing) told me to get a Dev. Kit and he'd help me out. I saw the LaunchPad and the Piccolo control stick and sent links to him and he said "Those would be PERFECT for what you want to do!" so I ordered 3 LaunchPads and one of these Piccolo control sticks! He was so impressed with the price/features that he placed the same order...which is good for me, since he'll be helping me a LOT (we live on opposite sides of the world so it's good that he'll have the exact same kits/stick that I have).

 

The Piccolo was waiting for me when I came home from work the very next day, TODAY as a matter of fact! Sadly, the LaunchPads are still in transit...and might not show up for a few days due to all the snow that's heading across the country.

 

BTW, I used the Piccolo Promo Code and it was still active (I was under the impression that deal was only good for the first 1000 customers. They MUST have sold 1000 of these things by now!??!?! how it is still working is beyond me.)

 

SO, I've been attempting to play with my new toy, my friend hasn't gotten his yet, so I'm flying totally BLIND. Device manager says "USB controllers: Texas Instruments Inc. XDS100 Version 1.0 A" and also "1.0 B" but nothing seems to recognize it as being there. I installed EVERYTHING included on the CD, but my name says it all.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

ZeroSkillz

[markey1979 4]

@ naturetm

Sorry, I must have been confused

 

@geekdoc

 

Thanks,

..... and you get "thumbs up" for the info.......

 

@ bluehash

I guess I'll be using TI CCSv4

 

@ Michaelwei

 

I got the picollo control stick today, and am installing the control suite software right now. I currently run xp sp3 and have the CCSv4 mcu edition. Do I have to install the "full" version to enjoy unrestricted evaluation of the f28069, or will the mcu core edition work ok? If I have to install the "full" version, will that affect my ability to program msp430 devices like the launchpad? I am a student, but my university is not part of your academic program.

 

.....It's just been a rough week out here in PA. :?

[michaelwei 3]

@bluehash

Yep, the XDS100 emulators work with all C2000 products. But like thanhtran mentioned, the controlSTICK (like most of our newer kits) have the emulator built-in so you don't need to go out and buy one.

 

@thanhtran

That's correct, CCS4.2.1 will work with no restrictions for the controlSTICK.

 

@ZeroSkillz

Well you managed to pick some good microcontrollers to start with so at least you have SomeSkillz

Those two items should be the only two that show up in the device manager, you won't see the device name there. Is Code Composer not recognizing the stick? Have you tried running the GUI yet (it's pretty cool)?

 

And ps, we built a *few* more than a thousand, we like making people happy. We can't sustain it forever, though!

 

@markey

You'll need to have both versions installed in separate directories. It's kind of a hassle, but it has to do with the mechanics of the linker.

http://e2e.ti.com/support/development_t ... spx#107178

 

-Michael

[thanhtran 10]

I too also wonder if the MCU core eddition of CCS4 would work without limit on this Piccolo kit. I saw that I had to install one of the .exe file under F28069 folder from the control suite so that the MCU core eddition can see the new Piccolo Control stick F28069.

 

I tried to get the demo working, but I keep seeing a message saying: "No FTDI port available". I do see two USB ports (COM13 and COM14) under the "Port" along with the Texas Instruments XDS100 USB under "USB" in Device Manager.

 

I also tried reloading the SineFFT32.out file into the stick through CCS4, and was able to run it from CCS4. Red LED is blinking afterwards (same condition as when I first got the control stick). But the demo application still says "No FTDI port available"

 

Anyone has this problem?

 

Thanks

 

-Thanh

[michaelwei 3]

Hmm, did you install all the drivers when it first popped up? There should have been up to three "New Hardware" dialogs, you have to install all three. The driver files are all located on the DVD.

 

If that's not the issue, I'd recommend heading over to our forums, it's a very active community. I'll continue to chime in here when I can, but our engineers regularly browse the E2E forums.

http://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontroll ... fault.aspx

 

-Michael

[thanhtran 10]

Hmm, did you install all the drivers when it first popped up? There should have been up to three "New Hardware" dialogs, you have to install all three. The driver files are all located on the DVD.

 

If that's not the issue, I'd recommend heading over to our forums, it's a very active community. I'll continue to chime in here when I can, but our engineers regularly browse the E2E forums.

http://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontroll ... fault.aspx

 

-Michael

 

Hi Michael

Thanks for your response.

Yes I did see a message popped saying new hardware detected, but Windows configured & install the driver without asking me to specify any software path or resource. I had a CCS V4 installation for the MSP430, and probably it has drivers for this USB emulator already? Also, it's not the first time I use FTDI device, so my PC probably has some FTDI driver installed too though I don't know if they could be any conflict or not.

 

Thanks

 

Thanh

ps. I went to e2e site last night trying to search for that issue, but my search didn't come up with anything related.

[ZeroSkillz 11]

@michaelwei

 

I got my ControlSTICK working and was able to run some of the demo programs in CCS. Anyone else having trouble, just follow the ControlSTICK Examples Overview (found in the ControlSUITE)...worked for me!

 

Wondering why the original Piccolo ControlSTICK (XP only version) came with a USB Extension cable and jumpers while the newer version (XP/Vista/Win7) does not....

 

Still waiting for my LaunchPads...I feel like a kid at Christmas...Suppose I should learn some C/C++ while I'm waiting . It's true, I don't know C/C++.

 

ZeroSkillz

[markey1979 4]

@thanhtran

 

... yea my controlstick works with the controlsuite demo also. It may be that when I installed the mcu core edition, I also installed c2000 because I have another c2000 evm. This may be why mine works, but zeroskilz got his working also.

 

@michaelwei

 

Thanks for the information. Do I really have to install another version in addition to the one I already have, or will the piccolo controlstick work with ccs in the linux beta edition that I have on my ubuntu box.

 

I guess I will have to play around with it later :idea:

 

also, I would kill to own a drv8811evm, but I cannot afford $150 as a poor college student. If any of you guys see a promo code for that let me know.