Joke: 'C' stands for "Connected"

Don't forget the missing I2S!

These are the first members of a series. Wait a little while and you'll no doubt find other forms of connection appearing.

It's the groaning irony of the fact that you choose this moment - just when people are bemoaning the loss of connectiviy - to come up with this particular slogan!

As it's been 3 months since the products which had these features went NRND, isn't about time we were told when new ones will become available? I'd like to know if I'll have true I2S on a TI MCU or if I'll have to go through the SSI emulation route.

Andy Neil said:

How can you seriously say that with no Ehternet option?!

Recent announcements have turned this place into a bit of a Eh?-ternet

Kieran M said:

As it's been 3 months since the products which had these features went NRND

Exactly.

So why choose now to launch the new name? Why not hold on "just a little longer" until the features that justify the name are actually available - or, at least, anounced?!

Andy,

Sales report will verify if this TI marketing/sales geniuses idea was good. There are many other manufacturers. I really do not see a reason to make 30 posts on how TI is bad and stupid. 

Ethernet is indeed essential part of connectivity nowadays and Stellaris had a really nice Ethernet PHY equipped devices. It certainly feels like taking candy away. Sometimes we engineers cannot get what we like. In that cases we need to find workarounds. This is what engineers do ...

I really hope you did not catch Polish life approach living in UK :( 

Regards,
Maciej 

I would like to add to the chorus that are stating that TI should have developed "C" for connectivity devices before establishing the "C" for connectivity series.

We were happily going along with the LM3S9D96 for connectivity and the now "C" for ... what was it? ... for the Cortex M4 with floating point unit for ... well, non connectivity applications. In fact we are currently designing a product with a Stellaris LM4F, oops Tiva "C" series device for signal processing and a LM3S9D96 for ... yes you guessed it ... connectivity (and user interface. Nice combination.

There are many microcontroller manufacturers around and most are cheaper then TI, which is very important in many applications. One of the key selling points is how quickly a suitable microcontroller can be selected. Taking a journey into the Tiva "C" for connectivity series will be difficult to find the Ethernet device.

In summary, please devleope ARM Cortex M4F devices with connectivity and then change the name and start a series. This is really *** about. /rant

MaciejKucia said:

There are many other manufacturers

But I still don't think there is any other manufacturer offering on-chip MAC and PHY ?

I think that remained a unique selling-point of Stellaris LM3S ?

I have a felling that you did not read my post. I sympathise with you in terms of irritation.

Fun fact: there is a manufacturer of SoCs with PHY+MAC http://www.asix.com.tw/products.php?op=ProductList&PLine=72&PSeries=103 It is 8051 though. 

Edit: I think that some Coldfire MCUs have PHY+MAC. (Are there forum rules somewhere? Will I get banned linking to TI competition?)

So there are alternatives. Unfortunately you cannot use ARM knowledge and tools with them.

Regards,
Maciej 

MaciejKucia said:

there is a manufacturer of SoCs with PHY+MAC http://www.asix.com.tw/products.php?op=ProductList&PLine=72&PSeries=103 

Thanks - that's interesting to know!

Now that's what I call a properly Connected microcontroller...

I just got an email from Texas Instruments titled "Change is hard – let us help make it easier!" It states that "TI introduced the Tiva C Series ARM Cortex-M4 MCUs April 15, 2013. The "C Series" represents the "connectivity" capabilities...". So the slogan continues. How can this claim be made without Ethernet capability?

The email contents can also be found at http://links.mkt102.com/servlet/MailView?ms=NDE2ODQ4NTES1&r=MzUyNzgxOTI4MDES1&j=MTkwNjk4NjA4S0&mt=1&rt=0

Also the email states "You will see more ARM MCUs with specific capabilities introduced to the market over the next 18 months". Does this mean we are asked to wait 18 months for Ethernet? Or perhaps wait 18 months to see if there even will be Ethernet?

This is waaaaaaaay too long for me. I need a definite date for Ethernet (and 96 kB RAM) noooooooow.

The microcontroller market is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. Texas Instruments is going backwards.

The recent email points to a "transition" document that says on one page that the ethernet from the Stellaris part is "NA" on the TM4C123x, but then later goes on to say:

If you have an urgent need to Ethernet in your project, I would strongly encourage you to contact your local TI FAE since they may be able to help you out.

Dave Wilson said:

If you have an urgent need to Ethernet in your project, I would strongly encourage you to contact your local TI FAE since they may be able to help you out.

Because, although I can hint wildly, I'm not allowed to preannounce new products. FAEs can do this if you sign an NDA.

Wht purpose would an NDA serve? Normally, an NDA is signed when a new product is under developemnt and the existing product needs to be marketed. In this case TI has already "killed" off the existing product.

The only effects of an NDA would be:

1) Money spend on legal advice at both TI and many customers.

2) It will stop me on commenting on what is a truley ridiculous situaiuton.

3) It may highlight that Ethernet chips are a long way away (and I can't complain about it on a public forum).

Dave, please talk to your manager and get this information out now. It's the least TI can do following the damage already done.

Vito,

  Until products in development are publicly announced, they are considered confidential and information about them is only disclosed under an NDA. This has been true in every company I've worked for over the last 25 years and is not specific to TI. Decisions to announce products are made way above my level so I'm afraid there is absolutely nothing I can do to help other than suggest you follow the FAE route. Sorry.