topic Re: Information in ColdFire/68K Microcontrollers and Processors

Information

Dominici — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:09:31 GMT

Dear all,

that's my first message in the forum. I would like to move my first step in the coldfire world! I would like to develop a board with a coldfire 5282 using netburner for writing firmware. The question is: The only way to use netburner is to buy the MODXXXX from netburner or I can develop my board and then use the netburner environment to build the software?
There is any other possible solutions? My board will be a black box with different peripherals such as GPS and GSM modules. Moreover I will have an SD card a Bluetooth and a ZigBee module.

Thank you in advance for your support

Best Regards,
Fabrizio

Re: Information

admin — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:37:09 GMT

See www.netburner.com for a lot usable information, including the exact licence.

Just a few word resume for using NetBurner tools and the other software: this resource is licenced for use with any NetBurner hardware. In case of your own hardware, additional licence needs to be purchased.

By my experience, NetBurner hardware, software, and support are excellent.

Re: Information

Dominici — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:31:16 GMT

Hi Yevgen,

thank you very much for the information. I am sure that Netburner is a very good solution for use Freescale. The question is if it is better use Netburner board or if it possible use easily netburner with a board based on the same coldfire that they use. Netburner can be ported on a custom hardware?

Reading your post I think that it is possible with an additional licences but Do you have any experience on that?

thank you again for your help

Fabry

Re: Information

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:38:12 GMT

For my conservative taste, it's less risky to start the project from proven ready-out-of-box platform (hardware, examples of applications, drivers, RTOS, etc), than actually freeze the project until you build and debug the custom platform.

Check, if the examples of application cover area of your project. I find excellent examples for all the networking content. I was need to rewrite QSPI driver for intensive using of ADC. All the DSP content I was need to write from the beginning.

After you feel, that your first own simplest application (which is derived frome some example application) is alive, you can and add the desired features, including care the missing peripheral chips.

My project use mod5270 core module on top the custom main board. The main board holds custom peripherals and the power supply. Thus, my project doesn't need additional licence.

See many useful answers at the two dedicated NetBurner forums:

http://forum.embeddedethernet.com - the new

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/netburner_group - the old and still more popular

Re: Information

JimDon — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:54:49 GMT

If you want this done any time soon, you will have to use licensed software.

File system, Blue tooth stack, Zig Bee stack, TCP stack - you will need to purchase this items.
I strongly recommend you buy the Netburner. The real value is in the software.

Re: Information

Dominici — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:50:58 GMT

Hi Jim,

thank you for your suggestion. I think that I will buy the Netburner board and I will develop my hardware around the MOD5282. I have not a strong experience with netburner but my feeling is good. The doubt that I had was related to a future. The question is: If I will produce 100K board is conviniente buy MODXXX or Is better create my custom hardware? For the moment I think that is better base our develpment on MODXXX. Unfortunately other coldfire offer me useful possibility such as USB and encyption capability. I hope to find a way to solve this lack...

Just another question. Do you have experience using netburner for manage SD card? Are the functionality included in the standard packet? There are some exaple for hardware design?

Thank you again

Best Regards,
Fabrizio

Re: Information

admin — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:34:33 GMT

By the good development practice, the device significantly changes between stages of the development: alfa prototype (which works at your laboratory), beta prototype (which works at laboratory of carefuly selected potential customer), and industrial prototype (which can be sold to any customer).

If your device isn't trivial, producing the board in a 100k quantity will demand an unavoidable deep re-design, possibly including the custom hardware.

Trying to skip the stages isn't a good developing practice.

> The question is: If I will produce 100K board is conviniente buy MODXXX or Is better create

> my custom hardware? For the moment I think that is better base our develpment on MODXXX.

The other microcontroller module provides USB: MOD5272-100 or MOD5272-100IR See the selection table at http://www.netburner.com/products.html

Check option of replacing the microcontroller with the encyption enabled one. NetBurner mention possibility of light customization of their products. The encyption capability isn't included into the standard product due to the export regulations.

> Unfortunately other coldfire offer me useful possibility such as USB and encyption capability.

I havn't the practical experience with SD card.

Some NetBurner carrier board has the SD card connector.

The file system for the SD card is integrated into the standard development environment. The file system is get (free) from another company.

> Just another question. Do you have experience using netburner for manage SD card?

> Are the functionality included in the standard packet? There are some example for hardware design?

Re: Information

JimDon — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:09:17 GMT

For the most part encryption hardware is a marketing come on. In practice it is seldom worth it, as you would want your encryption code to run on all chips, and most likely would use open source code anyway.

You really don't need it.

As for 100K boards - if you have over 1M USD in capital (if each board costs only 10 USD to make you would need over 1 M) then you should have no problem buying a netburner.

I also recommend you hire an experienced Software Engineer, and have a board house layout the board.

Message Edited by JimDon on 2008-08-09 10:15 AM