Launchpad or eZ430

Ilmars said:

ez430 is old, more expensive "starter" product

Besides this, the EZ430-F2013 USB stick was a programming interface (and target board) for a different product. It is not onbsolete at all, it is just for a different target. It supports the EZ430-T2012 target boards and the EZ430-RF2500 wireless target board. And is still active.

Jens-Michael Gross said:

Besides this, the EZ430-F2013 USB stick was a programming interface (and target board) for a different product.

Not quite. Launchpad is programming interface and target board for F2012/F2013 (DIP packages) either.

Actually it is programming interface even for T2012 and EZ430-RF2500 target boards, just 6-pin connector and removal of jumpers needed. BTW EZ430-F2013 USB stick lack serial i/o because it have just 4-pin instead of 6-pin target connector (you so conveniently miss this point here).

Main point of this discussion is: there is no any reason for starting amateur to buy EZ430-F2013 USB stick instead of LaunchPad today.

Ilmars said:

Not quite. Launchpad is programming interface and target board for F2012/F2013 (DIP packages) either.

Ilmars said:

Actually it is programming interface even for T2012 and EZ430-RF2500 target boards, just 6-pin connector and removal of jumpers needed.

note that I never denied that the LaunchPad can be used. I just said that it isn't the intended tool.

Jens-Michael Gross said:

Not quite. Launchpad is programming interface and target board for F2012/F2013 (DIP packages) either.

Well, I'm not sure it ahs officially announced so.

[/quote]

The MSP-EXP430G2 Launchpad does officially support programming the eZ430-RF2500T, eZ430-Chronos watch module, and the eZ430-F2012T/F2013T using connector J4. This is documented in the Launchpad User's Guide in section 4.4 Program Connected eZ430 Target Boards on p. 11.

Conversely, the USB stick programmer from the eZ430 kit only supports F20xx and F22xx (documented in eZ430 User's Guide section 5 Supported Devices on p. 10), and the same goes for the Chronos and some of the other RF kits - they pretty much only support the parts in their kits. You can find examples on this forum of people having issues trying to program other parts with the USB sticks from these kits - the firmware in these USB stick programmers only supports a limited set of devices.

The Launchpad emulator, on the other hand, can program the parts from any of these eZ430 kits mentioned as well as all MSP430F20xx, F21x2, F22xx, G2x01, G2x11, G2x21, G2x31, G2x53 devices. See Table 3 of the Launchpad User's Guide for a list of supported devices in the Launchpad socket and section 4.8 for a list of all devices supported by the on-board emulator.

Regards,

Katie

Jens-Michael Gross said:

And most professional developers don't care for $5 vs. $30.

Thank you for telling obvious things (grin). I know developers which don't care to manufacture (single) prototype/development 1000$ board and this is right way so what? You (conveniently) forgot what actually we are talking about:

M. Joshi said:

I'm looking to start learning how to program the MSP430 microcontroller. 

Ilmars said:

You (conveniently) forgot what actually we are talking about:

M. Joshi said:

I may want to do some wireless interfacing later on.

I'd then go for the EZ430-RF2500, as if comes with two target boards that have RF already on.  The USB stick also takes the EZ430-T2012 sensor targets like the EZ430-F2013 stick does.
But unfortunately, it's out of stock :(

So I agree, that the LaunchPad is an option even for the T2012 targets. Personally, I just prefer a handy USB stick over a breadboard, if available and even if a few bucks more expensive.
Or both. Luckily, one ios not limited to one development tool :)

Jens-Michael Gross said:

I'd then go for the EZ430-RF2500

If just 2.4 GHz transceivers needed - yes (49$). But again here in this thread best choice after Launchpad purchase is this one:

http://www.ti.com/tool/430boost-cc110l (19$)

Ilmars said:

http://www.ti.com/tool/430boost-cc110l (19$)

But you'll need a second LaunchPad too. And it is a breadboard application, big and vulnerable. And requires additional supply.
The EZ430-RF2500 did come with a battery pack and doesn't need a second programmer.

Well, the price is interesting, though.

Jens-Michael Gross said:

And it is a breadboard application

When you are playing with plain uC and/or radio then breadboarding is no-use. But how often your final design will be just plain uC? I love to have possibility to quickly not only code snippets but also solder some.

Jens-Michael Gross said:

big

Come on :)

Jens-Michael Gross said:

and vulnerable

Really? Which development board (from any chip manufacturer) is not vulnerable then? Oh, I know one - EZ430-F2013 you mentioned here. - Which is not vulnerable as long as you leave it in plastic enclosure and don't connect/solder anything to uC. When you do then vulnerability (disconnect-ability) of tiny FET connector becomes BIG issue.

I decided to go for the Launchpad!

I received it today and was wondering why the crystal is supplied separately and not soldered on the board?

What happens if I don't use the crystal then?

M. Joshi said:

What happens if I don't use the crystal then?

1. You don't have comparably precise timing/clock source with precision in range 5ppm to 30ppm (0.0005% to 0.003%)

2. You have to use DCO oscillator for timing/timers which is not so precise as 32KHz oscillator. DCO have factory calibration precision 1% and even worse. Even using your own DCO calibration you can't match fork oscillator freq and drift precision.

3. Good thing is - if your application does not need precise timing, then you have extra two pins for i/o ;)