NXP announce Arm Cortex M0 parts in DIP packages - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 04:44:55 pm
content: Yes really... ARMs in DIPs!Also SO and TSSOPCan't see them selling may DIPs, but SO20 and SO28 are very welcome additions, and will undoubtedly increase competitiveness with 8-bit chips, though as we all know 8 bit will never die.http://www.nxp.com/news/press-releases/2011/10/nxp-cortex-m0-microcontrollers-in-high-volume-tssop-and-so-packages-target-8-16-bit-applications.html

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 05:17:19 pm
content: That's going to shake hobby market a bit, beginners finally won't be so afraid to try bigger and "harder" (I hate this word when it comes to electronics) 32 bit ARMs, especially if they'll be as cheap, even at three times the stated unit price for a non-corporate customer.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 05:57:42 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on October 25, 2011, 04:44:55 pmyes! at last! i'm the lucky generation!Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on October 25, 2011, 04:44:55 pmthats the atomic figure for digital world. a magic number.

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 06:22:02 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on October 25, 2011, 05:57:42 pmNow wait for a full FPGA in DIP.QuoteSo that's why 8 ball is the most important on the pool table?

author: gregariz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 07:28:08 pm
content: Mikroe is working on a set of Basic/Pascal/C compilers for the NXP arms so that should also be a shot in the arm for those chips. Lack of a supported interface libraries and an affordable compiler has been an issue for sometime.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 08:20:30 pm
content: Quote from: gregariz on October 25, 2011, 07:28:08 pmIAR's kickstart versions of embedded workbench for ARM is excellent - 32K code limit, which isn't a problem for the lower-end parts.I know a lot of people do commercial development with gcc as well.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 08:44:42 pm
content: Quote from: gregariz on October 25, 2011, 07:28:08 pmI guess the bad code generation is less of an issue on a fast ARM Cortex core compared to the slow 8-bit MCU's. But what's wrong with the various packaged gcc+Eclipse solutions like Code Red or Atollic?

author: shadewind
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 08:49:20 pm
content: I seriously don't understand why anyone would use a crippled commercial compiler when there is GCC with full support for all ARM versions that matter (if not all).

author: ToBeFrank
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 09:15:38 pm
content: Quote from: shadewind on October 25, 2011, 08:49:20 pmFrom what I've read, the Keil compiler produces smaller code, especially for C++.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 09:21:08 pm
content: Yes, Keil is probably the top ARM compiler (aren't they owned by ARM?). Quite sure MikroE doesn't produce smaller code than gcc, though

author: gregariz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 09:54:21 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on October 25, 2011, 08:20:30 pmThanks for that. I havent tried the IAR compiler. I have used Winarm (gcc) somewhat however.Quote from: shadewind on October 25, 2011, 08:20:30 pmMikroE seem to make their living with the bundled libraries they include. Its kind of nice not having to decipher a TFT controller chip in order to write drivers for it. Thats the reason to move to a commercial compiler IMO... I just don't have the time to be writing everything from scratch.Beyond that however the Pic series is kind of nice in that some of the compiler companies provide a pretty seemless toolchain from pic8 through to pic32. Arm however has some really crunchy top-end processors that keep microchip out of that game.. but thats not where I live.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 09:54:36 pm
content: Quote from: shadewind on October 25, 2011, 08:49:20 pmBecause it's a commercial quality compiler with a very well integrated debugging environment and good documentation. Also because it's available for a number of different MCU families so you don't spend time re-learning tools when changing devices.The crippledness is not an issue on smaller parts - obviously you need to take this into consideration based on the sort of stuff you do - it does get expensive for bigger parts.

author: Zad
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2011, 10:26:30 pm
content: We just have the problem now of where to buy them. In the past it was possible to get samples from NXP, but they really clamped down on it and it tends to take a stupid amount of time (and mark-up) before they hit Farnell etc.

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2011, 08:17:25 am
content: Quote from: McMonster on October 25, 2011, 06:22:02 pmI think that it would be really fun to see something like 780 pin DIP package, that would be some serious chip.Regards,Janne

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2011, 09:47:18 am
content: Quote from: Squonk on October 26, 2011, 09:29:06 amI meant that the package would be so insanely large and heavy that it would be interesting to see just for funInserting or removing that in/from the socket would probably need an hydraulic pressSeriously speaking, I have some applications in mind where logic cell usage would be substantial but I'd need very few IO's, but then I guess that the chip would be too large to encapsulate in SO/DIP package.Regards,Janne

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2011, 11:41:55 am
content: Quote from: jahonen on October 26, 2011, 09:47:18 amThat makes me thinking if anyone ever decapped FPGA or some other large IC? 8-bit micros are the typical target and I've seen it a lot on the Internet, but never anything larger or even anything that's not a microcontroller.

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2011, 07:06:59 am
content: QuoteLibrary issues?The PIC32 (MIPS core) experience with cutting ties to proprietary Microchip libraries has been ... educational.

author: calin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2012, 11:19:45 pm
content: Now going back all the way .... almost 4 months back when NXP announced this... can anyone find a place to get even one of these chips. I think NXP should have market these like this - "Hey!.. we are planning to sell some Unobtainium .. anyone interested ! Is just around the corner but you can't have it because is way too cool for ya to handle and the blue giants will take your head for it !! " . This remembers me by some other very illusive parts from MAXIM - remember trying to get your hands on a MAX6675.Now in all seriousness ... I think all NXP did was to pull a stunt & test the waters to see if there is any response from the engineering and hobby communities for this. You can't find anywhere an Cortex M0 in that package.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2012, 11:46:55 pm
content: Announcing parts to test the water is a very common approach. Much cheaper than going through the process of qualification and production - they're not just going to stick some in Digikey and see what happens....NXP want to see if there is demand from big customers for these before committing - they are still shown as in development on the NXP site.4 months from announcement to availability isn't that long for some companies - Xilinx typically announce parts over a year before mere mortals can buy them.I do have a recollection of seeing these being advertised in the trade press very recently (like last week).

author: Rufus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2012, 11:54:23 pm
content: Quote from: calin on January 30, 2012, 11:19:45 pmNXP only list one LPC11xx part with a DIP package option and its status is "Development". No one is going to buy DIP packages in volumes NXP cares about.It is not even a skinny DIP so you could stick a SOIC or TSSOP part on an adapter with the same footprint, 2 boards + pin headers for $3 from ebay.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 12:14:18 am
content: My guess is DIP was a gimmick and may get quietly dropped, but SO's and TSSOPs are more likely.

author: calin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 06:04:38 am
content: Yup, I hope we can see at least a SO or TSOPAt least in the meantime I perfected my DIY PCB making to be able to do LQFP M05. Stellaris Cortex M3's from TI pack quite a punch for how much they cost. Still, would be nice to have a simpler alternative in a more friendly package. LQFP on a home made board sill requires quite a bit of "luck" to get it right. I know prototype PCB services are cheap .. but they are sooo slooow that they manage to cut your enthusiasm. You forget what u're building until the boards arrive

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 09:11:44 pm
content: i wonder how much of the market is hobbyist based ?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 09:28:13 pm
content: Quote from: siliconmix on January 31, 2012, 09:11:44 pmFor all intents and purposes, zero.

author: djnz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 07:28:21 am
content: And six years later, the DIP packages are extinct again for ARM chips. I was quoted a lead time of 40 weeks by Arrow for the LPC810 in a DIP8 package!

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 08:19:04 am
content: you should go get a pic32mm then

author: HalFET
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2018, 08:31:41 am
content: Talk about a grave dig!*grabs shovel*It's less than a year so they'd probably still make them if a few other folks pitched in a sizable order. Seems unlikely though, honestly I ponder what they were ever thinking by releasing these in DIP packages, must be that a large customer asked for them.And eventhough it's 6 years late:Quote from: shadewind on October 25, 2011, 08:49:20 pmGCC is a buggy steaming pile of horse manure, especially the newer versions are questionable if you compare them to something like LLVM. They should just rewrite it from scratch at this point.