MSP430F6736: Progamming production chips

BTW, firmware size is?

8 x $89 (for me) is too much, because you don't need development board. You can find only socket, for example here (I didn't search much) ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/152383436529

and mount 8 of them on one pcb, where only few lines (for SBW connection) connections are needed. No need to mount any electronic parts on pcb, except cap on VCC line.

Also, they can be flashed by my low-cost sbw+ programmer, that is 4 times faster than MSP-GANG, not limited to Windows only, and by dll.

In your case there is no any limitation for SBW+ rate, becasue there will not be cap + resistor combo on RESET pin.

If firmware size is small (10 KByte), than any SBW / JTAG flasher can be used, because speed boost is more or less irrelevant. If firmware size is big (512 KByte) than it is more comfortable (especially during development) to work with faster flasher.

For my SBW+ programmer CLI (open source) executable is needed on OS side, no dll / driver / installation, except (unsigned) inf file for Windows. It is working on:

• any Linux I tried: Ubuntu from 10 till 16, Fedora Workstation x86_64 23.10, openSUSE Leap 42.1 x86_64, CorePlus 6.4.1 (bootable USB stick)
• OS X from Lion (10.7.5) till Yosemite (10.10.5)
• Windows XP / 7

This one on picture can't blow 2xx fuse, but there is no any limitation regarding 5xx / 6xx family. It is using standard SBW with one extra line for communication with target. For this extra line can be used any port pin on target device, including port J (reserved for JTAG). Just drop me PM here, on e2e, if you have any questions.

 If you decide at the end to buy qfp100 sockets and made boards by yourself, use TI board as reference. I don't know this MSP that you are using, maybe something else beside VCC cap and VCORE cap is needed to run it. I didn't search much, maybe you can find same of compatible qfp100 sockets cheaper than one on posted ebay link.

EDIT:

One more thing. If firmware size is not big (for example 32 KByte), and process of exchanging target devices / sockets is not automated, than less number of target devices (at once) can be used, for example 4 or 2 or only 1, bringing cost down. Because flashing time (1.3 sec) is much shorter than preparing new device(s) for next flashing sequence.

tp:~/msp430$ flash -p /dev/ttyACM0 -f test_msp430f5510.txt -e -w -v -crcr -mrr

File: "test_msp430f5510.txt"
Address: 08000  Words: 16384
Size: 32768 bytes

Get Device
# JTID Fuse Device Core Hard Soft LotWafer DieX DieY
0  91   OK   3081  2106  10   10  B7A50951 0A00 1100
1  91   OK   3180  1104  12   12  013BB046 0D00 1E00
2  91   OK   5435  0100  10   10  ADE98146 0400 2000
3  91   OK   3180  1104  12   12  013BB046 1200 1E00
4  91   OK   3080  1104  30   10  B15B9446 2000 1700
5  91   OK   3180  1104  12   12  34449346 2200 3600
6  91   OK   3881  1106  10   10  219CA446 1800 0F00
7  91   OK   3180  1104  12   12  013BB046 2700 2E00

Erase

Write
Time: 423 ms  Speed: 75.7 KB/s

Verify
Time: 159 ms  Speed: 201.3 KB/s

CRC Rev
File  #0   #1   #2   #3   #4   #5   #6   #7
C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841
Time: 40 ms  Speed: 800.0 KB/s

Marginal Read Rev
Mode File  #0   #1   #2   #3   #4   #5   #6   #7
  0  C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841
  1  C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841 C841
Time: 460 ms  Speed: 69.6 KB/s

Release Device

Total Time: 1268 ms

tp:~/msp430$

thanks for all your input Zrno.

I was looking on ebay...the difference in price for 8 sockets + assembly time vs a 8 complete PCBs from TI is negligible in the grand scheme of things..we are talking about just 8 boards after all.
Similarly, the cost of the MSP-GANG is also insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

i see your solution as being of great benefit to the sole developer who has to be very cost conscious.

I personally use the MSP-FET for development, but i wouldn't use it in a production scenario.

If you decision is to go with MSP-GANG in combination with 8 TI target boards, just check if it is possible to place 8 boards around programmer for comfortable handling, due to short / wide flat cables.