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Confused about CC3100 - did I buy the wrong kit?

Tobie Kristoffersen
Prodigy 40 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: CC3100, MSP430G2553, CC31XXEMUBOOST, MSP430F5529, CC3100SDK

Hi there, I am new to the forum and new to the CC3100.

I discovered CC3100 through TI's website and especially the following caught my attention:

  • CC3100 - A Wireless Network Processor with on-chip Wi-Fi, internet, and robust security protocols. It can be used to connect any low-cost, low-power microcontroller (MCU) to the Internet of Things (IoT)!

Seeing that I have a Launchpad and a few MSP430G2553's, I want to create a super simple temperature monitor or so, and then push the data to the CC3100 via UART or I2C or some other serial communication. I want to keep costs low so the MSP430G2553 powered by a couple of AA batteries with the CC3100 at $20 seems like a very cheap IoT solution.

My understanding was you can program the CC3100 to do a certain thing, and then it will just keep on going being in a e.g. station mode, sending out a UDP packet or even making HTTP requests to a server on the local network.

So I went ahead and bought the CC31000BOOST and the CC31XXEMUBOOST.

I am confused though. I can't find a way to simply load some code onto the CC3100 and then leave it to do its thing - such as receiving input from any other MCU and then running some custom code.

Does it seem like I should have bought the right kit for what I want?   Should I have bought the SimpleLink CC3100 Module Boosterpack instead? (i.e. http://www.ti.com/tool/TIDC-CC3100MODBOOST)

Thanks

  • 0
    Guru 85845 points
    Hi Tobie,

    Download and install CC3100 SDK. At CC3100 SDK platforms folders there are example programs for MSP430 + CC3100 BP. Try to make it work at your MSP430 + CC3100 BP using CCS.

    - kel
  • 0 in reply to Markel Robregado
    Prodigy 40 points
    That can't be correct. I see there are examples for MSP430F5529 etc, which is different. I am talking about the low power MSP430's from the MSP430G2 launchpad. The chip I have in mind is MSP430G2553 which is in DIP packaging.

    So although I appreciate your response, it does not really answer my question.

    Should I have bought this bundle? store.ti.com/cc3100boost-cc31xxemuboost-exp430f5529lp.aspx
  • 0 in reply to Tobie Kristoffersen
    Guru 85845 points

    Yes, it would be a good idea to buy that bundle if you want to learn MSP430 + CC3100 BP using CC3100 SDK MSP430 platform examples program as reference. You can then later port the code for other MSP430 variants.

    - kel

    edited . . . 

  • 0 in reply to Markel Robregado
    Guru 85845 points
    Added "learn" at my earlier reply. My cheap keyboard can't keep up with my typing speed :).

    - kel
  • 0 in reply to Markel Robregado
    Prodigy 40 points

    I agree I should have bought the MSP-EXP430F5529LP launchpad as well, in order to learn how to look it up and how it works.

    I am still not clear on this....

    Are you certain that eventually I can hook up a MSP-EXP430G2  launchpad (or simply a MSP430G2553 chip) to the CC3100? This is my actual question.

    I can't really see a serial protocol reference anywhere. If the CC3100 allowed "AT" commands to control connecting to WiFi networks that would be all I need, but I can't find this anywhere.

    The example code for MSP430 that comes with the SDK is specifically for larger MSP430 devices with a lot more RAM and flash storage.  Remember, the MSP430G2553 chip only has 0.5kB RAM and 16kB of non-volatile memory.  

    TI claims that "any MSP430" can talk to the CC3100, so I need to know whether I can drive the CC3100 from the MSP430G2553 or not. I am happy to experiment with the F5529, but my end goal is to use the G2553.

  • 0 in reply to Tobie Kristoffersen
    Guru 85845 points
    Hi,

    The CC3100 don't work with AT Commands. I suggest you review the example program located at "C:\ti\CC3100SDK_1.1.0\cc3100-sdk\platform\msp430f5529lp" to understand how the MSP430 chip communicates with CC3100. There is also the programmers guide which you can learn from located at "C:\ti\CC3100SDK_1.1.0\cc3100-sdk\docs\simplelink_api".

    I am not an expert with MSP430G2553 to give a relevant advice regarding RAM and flash storage, to work with CC3100. Much better to ask this at MSP430 forum.

    - kel
  • 0 in reply to Markel Robregado
    Prodigy 40 points

    Hi Markel - thanks, I understand more now. I've started looking at that msp430f5529lp source code already, as well as the SimpleLink studio source code. 

    In theory, any device capable of UART should at least be able to send a subset of the commands required to become a station and send out UDP packets (as an example). So I'm going to continue playing around with this.

    Thanks!

  • 0 in reply to Tobie Kristoffersen
    Guru 85845 points
    Hi,

    Since you "understand more now", mark this post as "Answered".

    - kel