Need help switching to the correct TI MCU/MPU

Dmitry Ponomarev

Prodigy 140 points

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DAC8568

Good Morning,

I wanted to use a TI MCU for an large GPIO board and I need some help

We need the MCU to meet these requirements

30 Digital Outputs
8 Analog Outputs - this many AO's may not exist in any MCU, but we can use PWM w/filter or a DAC8568 chip
10 Digital Inputs
10 Analog inputs
(if possible) Ethernet controller - is there an implemented TI TCP/IP stack?

I also have some questions, I would like to know ahead of time,

What is the IDE for programming these MCUs, does it come with a compiler/flashing utility or are these separate programs?
What is the recommended programming/debugging device for TI MCU
Is there a getting started section/tutorial
Will these tools work with all TI MCU's and ARM processors, or do they require a different IDE

I wanted to note that my choices are not limited to the Hercules MCU, I posted in this forum becasue I couldn't find a general MCU discussion and it seemed that Hercules platform will be the closest to what I need. With the falling costs and increasing capabilities of ARM devices, I would prefer using ARM, although it may be overkill. Does TI provide a toolchain for programming the ARM from scratch? My only experience was with a BB w/Omap3,

Thanks,

over 13 years ago

0 Hari Pendurty over 13 years ago

TI__Intellectual 1480 points

From an Hercules family you can look at the RM4X parts .

Regarding your requirements

30 Digital Outputs : requirement satisfied with the above parts
8 Analog Outputs - this many AO's may not exist in any MCU, but we can use PWM w/filter or a DAC8568 chip : Should be able to use the timer outputs for PWM w/filter
10 Digital Inputs : requirement satisfied with the above parts
10 Analog inputs : requirement satisfied with the above parts
(if possible) Ethernet controller - is there an implemented TI TCP/IP stack? : for the TCP/IP use can use micriums TCP/IP stcak for RM48X devices pls refer to http://micrium.com/page/downloads/ports/ti/rm48 OR alternatively for TI's lwIP 1.3.2 TCP/IP stack ported for RM48xx/TMS570xxx based EMAC drivers refer to http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/HALCoGen_Ethernet_Driver_and_lwIP_Integration_Demonstration

for the Below question :

What is the IDE for programming these MCUs, does it come with a compiler/flashing utility or are these separate programs?

Ans >> TI's code composer studio IDE does all the above . Please refer to the following page : http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Category:Code_Composer_Studio_v5

What is the recommended programming/debugging device for TI MCU

Ans >> you can use any of the RM4X hercules development kits available at the following website :

http://www.ti.com/mcu/docs/mcuprodtoolsw.tsp?sectionId=95&tabId=2836&familyId=1931&toolTypeId=1

Is there a getting started section/tutorial

Ans >> data sheets and user guides can be found at

http://www.ti.com/mcu/docs/mcuprodtechdoc.tsp?sectionId=95&tabId=2837&familyId=1931&techDoc=6&docCategoryId=1&docCategoryId=6&docCategoryId=2&viewType=mostrecent

Software utilities can be found at :

http://www.ti.com/mcu/docs/mcuprodtoolsw.tsp?sectionId=95&tabId=2836&familyId=1931&toolTypeId=1

Will these tools work with all TI MCU's and ARM processors, or do they require a different IDE

Ans >> Yes CCS will work with ARM processors

0 Dmitry Ponomarev over 13 years ago in reply to Hari Pendurty

Prodigy 140 points

Thank you for the answers,

I apologize if this question is answered in the reading material you've listed, but if I was to program a blank RM4X directly on a custom PCB, not one of the dev kits, is there a programming tool that perhaps connects to some pins on the MCU through a header and flashes the firmware?

Thanks,

0 Hari Pendurty over 13 years ago in reply to Dmitry Ponomarev

TI__Intellectual 1480 points

dimitry,

CCS is the programming tool to flash the firmware. depending on your cost and performance requirements you can select your emulator

i would suggest that you look at the emulator selection guide at spectrum digitals website:

http://www.spectrumdigital.com/index_orig.php?cPath=22&osCsid=3ee5eab9827dcf63dfa032fd2b8033de

Hercules support forum

0 Dmitry Ponomarev over 13 years ago in reply to Hari Pendurty

Prodigy 140 points

Good afternoon,

I've been reading through some of the documentation, but I'm still a little confused on these emulators. They seem like they are only used to in-circuit debug the MCU that is already programmed with firmware. Can I use the same tool to program the MCU from scratch? For example, I've used Pickit3 with Microchip and MKII with Atmel and these would directly connect to a few proprietary programming pins on the chip. Is programming performed the same way on the TI chip? Or does it use a more general method (which I'm probably not familiar with)?

I'm looking for some schematic drawings for the circuit that can includes this programmer interface.

I'm concerned that if I get a development kit, the chip will come pre-flashed with a boot loader and programming will be done using a different interface like UART. I would like to start development by ordering a few chips and building the circuit myself.

Thanks again,

Arm-based microcontrollers

Arm-based microcontrollers forum

Need help switching to the correct TI MCU/MPU