After using this neat little debugger/programmer for about a week, I am becomming a convert. wow. where else can you get something like this for $20? I wish it supported more than just the F2xx line, though. Hopefully, TI will continue to bring out new chips that support spy bi-wire. Definitely the right direction.
spy bi-wire isn’t quite as low resource as atmel’s debug wire but that debugger/programmer is $300 and they aren’t releasing the specs. as much as I like the Tiny line, that cost is completely nuts.
indeed TI made very smart move with spy-bi-wire on their new low pin count devices
the market is quite saturated with such little devices and everybody of the big ones have them: Microchip, Motorola, Atmel, now TI.
what TI did with ez430 was to give away full features programmer / debugger for their devices, yes this is what they do: open your ez430 and count the components and see their suggested retail prices for 1000 pcs on TI web, you will count around $40 worth of components used in this device and with the PCB, assembly, logistics perhaps it cost to TI around $60.
The $20 sale price probably cover the stocking and handling of the orders at TI
what TI did with ez430 was to give away full features programmer / debugger for their devices, …
They also included a full-featured assembler/c-compiler/linker/simulator/emulator. (The c-compiler has a 4KB object code limit. But the F2013 has only 2KB Flash. Thus I call it full-featured.)
and what I forgot to mention is that Texas Instruments disclosure their spy-bi-wire specs to all interested third parties so they could support them with their own programmers as well
I’ve been always puzzled why Atmel are hiding this info - they are afraid that other peoples will make programmers for their AVRs? or there are bugs or mess with the specs which shouldn’t be seen from anybody else than Atmel ;)?
OLIMEX:
and what I forgot to mention is that Texas Instruments disclosure their spy-bi-wire specs to all interested third parties so they could support them with their own programmers as well
I’ve been always puzzled why Atmel are hiding this info - they are afraid that other peoples will make programmers for their AVRs? or there are bugs or mess with the specs which shouldn’t be seen from anybody else than Atmel ;)?
I worked for a semiconductor company once - they made a rather popular microprocessor line. they had a division that had a P&L making development systems (ICE, that sort of thing). They sold boat-loads of expensive products. Because it was quite profitable, they were able to convince the parent company that they should with-hold some information (internal processor context data). I’m sure that’s what atmel is doing. the company? intel. I bet you would never see AMD doing that…
