Silabs sells the 8051 board described on my page for $10 and you can use my free source code with it, unlike and arduino or a TI board for which you have to write your own code from scratch, so if you are looking for the rock bottom price, there is no better alternative. The LCD is $10 at Mouser.
But since some are willing to fork $160 for a closed source project that is already built, I thought I would offer an intermediate price point with open source software and a custom, professionally made board. 50 pieces is the smallest quantity I can have built at reasonable cost. Didier KO4BB Chris Albertson <[email protected]> wrote: >$60 seems high. Yes I understand why you'd have to charge that much >for a >low volume run. but an Arduino-like device costs $30 and TI sells their >"MSP430 Launch Pad for $10 (shipped) and all you need to add to it is >the >2x16 display and those or $6. So you could assemble something for >$20. > >What's going on is that TI builds tens of thousands of these and sells >them >at cost. It is really hard to DIY a uP on a PCB for less than a >LaunchPad. > > >On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 8:42 AM, Didier Juges <[email protected]> >wrote: > >> Looking at the high price (and closed software) of what is currently >> offered, I have been thinking of making a kit of my GPSMonitor (see >> KO4BB.com) >> >> I think I could sell an assembled and tested kit with a 2x16 char >display >> for $60 or so if I get 50 people interested. >> >> Of course, the source code is free. You can build your own using info >on >> my web site. >> >> If anyone is interested, send me a private message. >> >> Didier KO4BB >> >> >> Russ Ramirez <[email protected]> wrote: >> >Hi Chris, >> > >> >The fundamental issue was that the same code that worked elsewhere >> >could >> >not decode the 0x8F-AB packet data 100% of the time. I saw the >length >> >of >> >this packet vary by a few bits at the code level, so I used a logic >> >analyzer with serial decode to examine the raw data coming in to the >> >Arduino, but that was perfect 100% of the time, and thus the serial >> >port >> >breakout card was functioning OK as I expected. I am reasonably >certain >> >my >> >code was fine, but there is always room for some uncertainty there. >The >> >project was not so important to me that I was going to spend the >time >> >to >> >wrestle down the problem until it was solved. >> > >> >I like the Arduino platform, and because of Wiring and Processing it >> >definitely has a place out there and have had no issues using the >same >> >UNO >> >with XBee for example doing some neat mesh networking projects. I >also >> >have >> >a Leonardo and a Netduino and about a dozen other micro-controller >> >boards, >> >but I just felt that had I used a TI or a PIC board I would have >nailed >> >this first-time with less effort. As far as a PCB goes, you're >correct >> >of >> >course, but I already do that sort of thing and would not shy away >from >> >it. >> > >> >Yeah, if you can get a LH-like application, maybe optionally driving >a >> >color LCD, that would be very cool. For any of these TB apps, I >agree >> >that >> >using a PC is overkill, but when you already have them sitting >around >> >it's >> >not so bad. I like Adam's board, and any approach like this, because >> >when >> >you put together a TB and a power supply in an enclosure, you're >> >probably >> >going to have room to add a control panel and I think it makes for a >> >nice >> >self-contained solution. >> > >> >Russ >> > >> >What was the problem you found. Other then a "new to you" platform? >> >I'm >> >> trying to understand why reading serial data would be hard. >> >> >> >> An advantage of the Adruino is that you don't need to make a PCB. >> >Even if >> >> you want to do something like add a graphical display or and SD >card >> >for >> >> logging they just plug in, no solder required. >> >> >> >> Of course the pre-buillt display is even easier but can't be >> >modified. >> >> >> >> One of my loner term goals is to move lady heather like functions >> >onto a >> >> small uP based device. It seems wasteful to use a PC for this. >> >> >> >_______________________________________________ >> >time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] >> >To unsubscribe, go to >> >https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> >and follow the instructions there. >> >> -- >> Sent from my Motorola Droid Razr 4G LTE wireless tracker while I do >other >> things. >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe, go to >> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> > > > >-- > >Chris Albertson >Redondo Beach, California >_______________________________________________ >time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] >To unsubscribe, go to >https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >and follow the instructions there. -- Sent from my Motorola Droid Razr 4G LTE wireless tracker while I do other things. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
