I have been in the mood of designing development boards... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 03:11:36 am
content: Last night while submitting LSOF boards for a next batch, I decided to cook up yet another dev kit. This time it is SiLabs C8051F330.That board is designed in the form factor of a 0.6in DIP-18 size. Comes with onboard USB-serial and a CMSIS SWD connector for C2 debugging. Due to the size, it has been quite a squeeze to fit everything in.I have been in the mood cooking up dev kits recently: LPC2103+DAP42 SushiBits ARM Classic Pro, STM32L4+XC2C32A SushiBits Duplex Mini, and this C8051F330 one M1DKv1-C8F330

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 05:47:50 pm
content: Are you actually trying to market these boards or are you mostly in it for the exercise itself?

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 06:31:24 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on November 08, 2018, 05:47:50 pmSushiBits ARM Classic Pro is being marketed - currently available on my Tindie store.SushiBits Duplex Mini is currently a POC.M1DKv1-C8F330 is not determined.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 06:39:31 pm
content: Quote from: technix on November 08, 2018, 06:31:24 pmIn that case, can you perhaps tell us a bit more about what gap in the market you saw that needed filling and which role each of your boards plays in that?

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 07:14:29 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on November 08, 2018, 06:39:31 pmSushiBits ARM Classic Pro is yet another Arduino Uno compatible board, but this time it is based on ARM7TDMI core. "Pro" in the name means it has an onboard CMSIS-DAP based debugger.SushiBits Duplex Mini is a multi-POC for both some concepts I have in mind and some aspects of another project. Following somediscussionI do see that project being revised into a MCU + FPGA + QSPI board in Arduino Uno form factor.M1DKv1-C8F330 is an evaluation board for C8051F330, and also a C2-SWD interfacing POC (I am using the ARM CMSIS debug connector for a lot of things, and since at least on J-Link v9 SiLabs C2 interface also uses SWD format I am curious to try.) Currently it is essentially a breakout board with onboard USB serial and power regulator.

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2018, 03:06:50 am
content: Quote from: technix on November 08, 2018, 07:14:29 pmMr. Scram was prodding you gently to consider the end market appeal of your dev boards.I don't want to be harsh I simply don't see them as being particularly compelling.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2018, 03:54:44 am
content: Quote from: chickenHeadKnob on November 09, 2018, 03:06:50 amSince two out of three are more POC than anything...None of them are intended for end market purposes anyway, all of them intended for developers.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2018, 03:42:26 pm
content: Quote from: technix on November 09, 2018, 03:54:44 amAre developers not an end-market for dev boards?

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2018, 07:58:08 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on November 09, 2018, 03:42:26 pmBeing POC, I don't see selling them to anyone.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2018, 11:57:04 pm
content: Quote from: technix on November 10, 2018, 07:58:08 amOh ok, so there is no market to talk about then!