Author Topic: MSP430 LaunchPad - $4.30 (Read 52122 times)

TheDirty · « **on:** June 22, 2010, 02:40:13 pm »

Looks like an Arduino style hardware breakout, but you still use a standard C development platform for compiling/programming. It comes with the programmer on board. $4.30

I've used MSP430's for a while, but I've pretty much given up on them since they had a huge supply issue for about 6 months. Looks like they still don't have the 22xx series in at Digikey in QFN.

I might order one just for the price, though. Free Shipping, but I'm not certain what the shipping area is. Might be just NA, or USA.
https://e2e.ti.com/videos/m/microcontroller/185811.aspx
http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Launchpadwiki?DCMP=launchpad&HQS=Other+OT+launchpadwiki
http://hackaday.com/2010/06/22/ti-makes-a-big-bid-for-the-hobby-market/

EDIT: The chips supplied with the board are simple tiny 2k chips, so keep that in mind.

Rhythmtech · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2010, 06:07:37 pm »

Dude, that's pretty cool for $4.30

saturation · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2010, 06:22:31 pm »

Wow. Is the 'hobby' market that big? Thanks for the links will give it a test run.

desolatordan · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2010, 07:00:30 pm »

Quote from: saturation on June 22, 2010, 06:22:31 pm

Wow. Is the 'hobby' market that big? Thanks for the links will give it a test run.

Not sure if it's the size of the hobby market, as much as the impact it could have on other markets. Your electrical engineer will likely have a bias towards what they've used in the past, be it school or hobby.

allanw · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2010, 07:32:07 pm »

Been trying to load TI's eStore to buy it for the past few hours but no luck. Mouser looks like they'll have 10k in stock on 7/5.

TheDirty · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2010, 08:33:00 pm »

I don't think I'll be ordering after all. It looks like it's limited to the Valueline of chips which have a max flash RAM of 2k. I'm just not going to use this.

If you want to get into MSP430's in general the best option for a hobbyist is still the eZ430. The eZ430-F2013 is still just $25.00. With an adapter the EZ430 USB dongle can in circuit program and debug most of the Spy-By-Wire enabled chips. I'm using the dongle from the EZ430-RF2500, which I got on a TI deal day.

Like this:

EEVblog · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2010, 12:34:21 am »

I just shot a rambling drivetime rant on this one.

Dave.

Time · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2010, 02:37:37 am »

Quote from: EEVblog on June 23, 2010, 12:34:21 am

I just shot a rambling drivetime rant on this one.

Dave.

Post it already!

TheDirty · « **Reply #8 on:** June 23, 2010, 02:52:37 am »

Too bad, I won't see it until next Tuesday. I'm outta here to act crazy for 6 days.

EEVblog · « **Reply #9 on:** June 23, 2010, 03:04:38 am »

Quote from: Time on June 23, 2010, 02:37:37 am

Quote from: EEVblog on June 23, 2010, 12:34:21 am
I just shot a rambling drivetime rant on this one.

Dave.

Post it already!

Gotta wait till I get home, then edit and render, then post-process into MP4 HD and Podcast versions, and generate the MP3 audio version, then upload and publish. Makes me dizzy just typing it...

Dave.

johnboxall · « **Reply #10 on:** June 23, 2010, 03:39:08 am »

Quote from: EEVblog on June 23, 2010, 03:04:38 am

Quote from: Time on June 23, 2010, 02:37:37 am
Quote from: EEVblog on June 23, 2010, 12:34:21 am
I just shot a rambling drivetime rant on this one.

Dave.

Post it already!

Gotta wait till I get home, then edit and render, then post-process into MP4 HD and Podcast versions, and generate the MP3 audio version, then upload and publish. Makes me dizzy just typing it...

Dave.

You need an intern.

dmlandrum · « **Reply #11 on:** June 23, 2010, 03:56:45 am »

Good rant or bad rant? I'm thinking about snagging one of these just for the hell of it, since I can actually afford this one. Is there really anything to lose at $4.30?

Time · « **Reply #12 on:** June 23, 2010, 03:58:08 am »

Quote from: dmlandrum on June 23, 2010, 03:56:45 am

Good rant or bad rant? I'm thinking about snagging one of these just for the hell of it, since I can actually afford this one. Is there really anything to lose at $4.30?

my thoughts exactly.

EEVblog · « **Reply #13 on:** June 23, 2010, 04:04:32 am »

Quote from: dmlandrum on June 23, 2010, 03:56:45 am

Good rant or bad rant? I'm thinking about snagging one of these just for the hell of it, since I can actually afford this one. Is there really anything to lose at $4.30?

Good and bad.
As always I find something to have a whinge about!
Outstandingly good value, get one.

Dave.

KTP · « **Reply #14 on:** June 23, 2010, 04:26:45 am »

Do they have really cheap or free shipping or is it $4.30 + $25 shipping?

The store was down when I tried to find out.

DJPhil · « **Reply #15 on:** June 23, 2010, 04:35:25 am »

Quote from: KTP on June 23, 2010, 04:26:45 am

Do they have really cheap or free shipping or is it $4.30 + $25 shipping?

The store was down when I tried to find out.

After trying occasionally all day I just my order in. For one unit, directly from TI's Estore, the shipping was free.
There was an ominous mention of calling their service line for a ship date, but I'm not in a hurry.
It'll make for a nice surprise when it does show up.

I've seen it said that Mouser will have a couple thousand in early next month, but I'd expect those to go wicked quick.

Mechatrommer · « **Reply #16 on:** June 23, 2010, 06:02:57 am »

i feel a pain when switching from atmel to pic vice versa. now this new cheap item is coming, i'm in dilemma. it might be good, or bad in term of application.
surely the price is nonlogically cheap! its like just giving it away for free, u only pay for a cheap shipping. i suspect they want to penerate the atmel or pic market.
my dilemma will be, is it worth it? the time that i need to spend to learn this new chip? features? whats so good about the msp430 line that we cannot get in atmel or pic? will it be easily available for a long time to come? just as pic well known reputation is? for me, its not just the cheap price, but the future long term investment, time, effort and productivity?

johnboxall · « **Reply #17 on:** June 23, 2010, 08:13:34 am »

Quote from: DJPhil on June 23, 2010, 04:35:25 am

Quote from: KTP on June 23, 2010, 04:26:45 am
Do they have really cheap or free shipping or is it $4.30 + $25 shipping?

The store was down when I tried to find out.

After trying occasionally all day I just my order in. For one unit, directly from TI's Estore, the shipping was free.
There was an ominous mention of calling their service line for a ship date, but I'm not in a hurry.
It'll make for a nice surprise when it does show up.

I've seen it said that Mouser will have a couple thousand in early next month, but I'd expect those to go wicked quick.

Tried to order from the launchpad wiki, and it directed me to Mouser, but they wanted $30 shipping to Australia.
Just ordered 2 from ti-estore, there was a $0 FedEx shipping option, selected that and the order was accepted.
Should be a nice surprise whenever it finally arrives, can always give them away to interested people locally.

EEVblog · « **Reply #18 on:** June 23, 2010, 10:49:34 am »

Quote from: tronixstuff on June 23, 2010, 08:13:34 am

Quote from: DJPhil on June 23, 2010, 04:35:25 am
Quote from: KTP on June 23, 2010, 04:26:45 am
Do they have really cheap or free shipping or is it $4.30 + $25 shipping?

The store was down when I tried to find out.

After trying occasionally all day I just my order in. For one unit, directly from TI's Estore, the shipping was free.
There was an ominous mention of calling their service line for a ship date, but I'm not in a hurry.
It'll make for a nice surprise when it does show up.

I've seen it said that Mouser will have a couple thousand in early next month, but I'd expect those to go wicked quick.

Tried to order from the launchpad wiki, and it directed me to Mouser, but they wanted $30 shipping to Australia.
Just ordered 2 from ti-estore, there was a $0 FedEx shipping option, selected that and the order was accepted.
Should be a nice surprise whenever it finally arrives, can always give them away to interested people locally.

Free Fedex to Oz?
I'm in!
I've ordered 3.
Interestingly you can't order more than 3.

Dave.

saturation · « **Reply #19 on:** June 23, 2010, 10:56:28 am »

All your questions, I have the same. In the end for $5, is it worth learning something new?
If it bombs, you are out a sandwich or coffee, so I think I'll bite and check it out.

Quote from: shafri on June 23, 2010, 06:02:57 am

i feel a pain when switching from atmel to pic vice versa. now this new cheap item is coming, i'm in dilemma. it might be good, or bad in term of application.
surely the price is nonlogically cheap! its like just giving it away for free, u only pay for a cheap shipping. i suspect they want to penerate the atmel or pic market.
my dilemma will be, is it worth it? the time that i need to spend to learn this new chip? features? whats so good about the msp430 line that we cannot get in atmel or pic? will it be easily available for a long time to come? just as pic well known reputation is? for me, its not just the cheap price, but the future long term investment, time, effort and productivity?

Polossatik · « **Reply #20 on:** June 23, 2010, 01:53:15 pm »

Also ordered a few, one to mess around and some to give out to people here ...

KTP · « **Reply #21 on:** June 23, 2010, 02:37:43 pm »

they have some pretty cheap pretty neat items on that page.

I like the 2.4Ghz wireless usb stick development board that comes with 2 transceivers:

http://focus.ti.com/graphics/tool/ez430-rf2500.jpg

I may have to look into these devices...I have always been an atmel person but...

Hypernova · « **Reply #22 on:** June 23, 2010, 04:48:23 pm »

In for 2.

Is is just me or is ti store getting hammered from all the traffic looking into this?

Quote from: KTP on June 23, 2010, 02:37:43 pm

they have some pretty cheap pretty neat items on that page.

I like the 2.4Ghz wireless usb stick development board that comes with 2 transceivers:

http://focus.ti.com/graphics/tool/ez430-rf2500.jpg

I may have to look into these devices...I have always been an atmel person but...

The 50USD RF watch with 3-axis accelerometer certainly got my attention
http://www.ti-estore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=eZ430-Chronos-433
Might get on of those when I got the time.

Mechatrommer · « **Reply #23 on:** June 23, 2010, 08:08:04 pm »

i tried to order but got problem when trying to pay by creditcard. it said unable to connect, unauthorized server ti.estore or something like that.

DJPhil · « **Reply #24 on:** June 24, 2010, 05:04:28 am »

Just an update, from an email I received from TI a few hours ago.

Quote

Thank you for recently requesting semiconductor EVM sales samples from Texas Instruments. The items below are currently on back order.

Part Number Qty Ordered Qty Shipped Status
-------------------- ----------- ----------- ------------
MSP-EXP430G2 1 0 BackOrdered

Please contact your local Product Information Center (PIC) for updated lead times. http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/dsnsuprt.tsp

I guess they had a bit more demand than they expected.


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Author Topic: MSP430 LaunchPad - $4.30 (Read 52122 times)

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