Realistically priced debugger/programmer for low volume users

[richardfritz]

Atmel, Microchip and STM all have ARM family mcu debuggers programmers available that are priced in the $100 or less price range [not starting at $599].

Even NXP has one for LPC ARM chips...for $25...

>>The LPC-Link 2 JTAG/SWD Debug probe brings exceptional value
to the LPCXpresso tool chain since its debugging functions can be
used with any other LPC evaluation board. That means engineers
can use the same tools with other boards, including those used in
final production. <<

Now how about K series? Low cost eval boards...BUT the stinker is they CAN NOT be used on an external mcu chip even a prototype. It is at this point I moved to STM.

[ErichStyger]

Hi @richardfritz ,

Even NXP has one for LPC ARM chips...for $25...

Not only LPC, but as well Kinetis and i.MX RT.

I use the LPC-Link2 (or embedded circuit of it on the boards) for all kind of the Kinetis devices (Kinetis-K, Kinetis-L for example) including the i.MX RT parts with the MCUXpresso IDE. You might be confused by the naming of the probe (agreed, probably for historical reasons), but it is *not* only for LPC, but as well for Kinetis and i.MX RT parts. Have a look at https://www.nxp.com/design/microcontrollers-developer-resources/lpc-microcontroller-utilities/lpc-li... which lists the supported devices.

The LPC-Link2 is priced $20, but since some time there is the MCU-Link (notice the name) which is the successor of the LPC-Link2 and costs only $10 (see https://www.nxp.com/design/development-boards/lpcxpresso-boards/mcu-link-debug-probe:MCU-LINK or my articles https://mcuoneclipse.com/2020/11/29/new-mcu-link-debug-probe-from-nxp/ or https://mcuoneclipse.com/tag/mcu-link/ ).

So I feel both the LPC-Link2 and MCU-Link are very well priced, and they support the NXP micro-controllers (LPC/Kinetis/RT). And the LPC-Link can be turned into a OEM Segger J-Link too (which I usually do).

Of course the other probes (PEMicro, Segger) have their own unique advantages, and I'm using them too.

I hope this helps,

Erich