BeeStack Vs Z-Stack

[niuxiao]

Not exactly a question, but some suggestions or complaint...

Well, TI has recently made the formerly costly Z-Stack available for FREE download. And Microchip has been offering their stack for free all the time. I really think Freescale should also make BeeStack free. Come on, Freescale is a chip maker and software is not your focus. The 1K license fee won't give you much profit, but it will very likely scare away lots of customers.

Anybody agree with me?

[picnuela]

if you find more .... Texas,national, and more offer ZStack free for their microcontrollers, and for all have to pay for licencing C language

[Neil1]

I too am looking for an inexpensive "ZigBee" (or similiar) development path.

I have lots of computer experience, but this is my first brush with MicroControllers.

I have purchased (over a year ago) some componets to development Zigbee control Apps for my home using the Freescale MC9S08GT60 with the MC13193 transceiver (Specifically 3 of the 13192SARD boards.), which appeared to be cost effective, until I discovered that to develope my apps with the Zigbee "Z-Stack",  a surprisingly expensive (64k) CodeWarrier Development system is required.. It appears that he ‘Special’ edition of CodeWarrier (limited to 16k) which I have downloaded, is deficient.  Also the 'hidden' liscensing cost that is discussed in this thread seems prohibitive. 

Does anyone have a solution?   It DOES seem that Freescale is trying to get into the software business, instead of the Microprocessor chip business.

Thank You

[CecchiSandrone]

The problem is that don't exist licences for universities from what I know. My laboratory purchased two 1321-NSK kit and we have some students working on a project. We can't buy a single license for every student. It's too expensive for us.

[rocco]

Hi, niuxiao:

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niuxiao wrote:
. . . The 1K license fee won't give you much profit, but it will very likely scare away lots of customers.

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Yes, I agree with you, but it may be intentional. Who it will really discourage is the hobbiest, and I believe a stiff licensing fee will send  them back to Microchip, where they belong.

I anticipate that Zigbee will be difficult for Freescale to support, and this may keep the support issues confined to those intending to buy lots of chips.

We switched our Zigbee projects over to ChipCom (now TI) a year ago, because of support issues.