Freescale RD3803MMA7660FC review issues

Hi,

Totally agree with you. But if something is called as a development kit then programming with that development kit should be provided as well as development platform and sample source codes. As far as i know, it is not a development kit, just an evolution or demonstration kit. So we only have a chance to try it out, that is all. Not sure but if it was announced as a development kit then there is a big wrong here. Invalid naming happens then.

Anyway, as you have already stated, being the sensore a .1 inch socket type makes it great to unplug and plug in a self made board, even on a breadboard.

FIRAT KOCAK

Hi guys,

I have worked with some of the Freescale parts and yes, the demo firmware coming with this kit could have been better. Probably, they just put something in the hurry in order to promote the accelerometer part.

Too bad, because they also added that QG8 uC. They could have put a simple bootloader in it, so the interested parties would have had the possibility to create their own application and use either uC's serial port or the entire kit USB-serial and custom firmware for this. After all the uC has some 8KB of flash and would be quite enough for some custom applications.

I had a look onto the schematic and there's hope. I saw they left the BDM port connection. So, the QG8 part can pe reprogrammed. This would need a BDM type of debugger. Here, there are a few options:

- buy a BDM kind of debugger

- build your own

The 2nd option is much more interesting. Freescale has been sampling a version of their uC (having USB device peripheral) which was used as the building brick for a BDM debugger. I myself built one and it works fine. The BOM is very short and beside the uC (I got it in the sampling program), I only had to add a 74VHC125 as the active parts. Otherwise there are a few resistors, caps and that would be all. And last but not least, it is supported in CodeWarrior.

So, if your interested in programming the uC on that kit, I'll be glad to help you.

Cheers,

Bogdan

Now the details

Here's the link where you can find all the necessary resources for building the JB16 BDM debugger (like in my case) http://forums.freescale.com/t5/OSBDM-JM60-Open-Source-BDM-for/USBDM-Version-2-JB16-Version/td-p/49363

Thanks to pgo, the Freescale forum user who spent so much of its time having this neat thing working and being open source).

As a personal advice please check the Freescale website for available samples. JB16 is still in sampling program so you can have a few chips of this kind. I personally got more than one and used some other in a small USB I/O expander project of my own. Quite a handy tool.

I want to try to build the OSBDM version of the debugger since this kind of debugger supports some other families of Freescale uCs (HCS08, RS08, Coldfire V1 - V4, and the 56F series of DSCs). I think the idea of having a unified debugger is great!

The OSBDM is based on the MC9S08JM60 uC, which is in sampling program as well. So, if you want a simple version of the debugger, go with the JB16 version. On the other hand the OSBDM is more versatile but the final decision on which one to start is yours.

Being open-source, you have access to the firmware source code as well as the host DLLs. And there's support for Linux as well.

Keep in touch

Bogdan

Hi Robert,

I have only built the 908JB16 debugger so far. The OSBDM (having the JM60) would be a much better choice due to at least the higher clocking. The idea of reprogramming the OSBDM with another pod anytime you need a target change (different CPU family) seems a little bit odd. A bootloader in the OSBDM would do a much better job. I have found a document on the Freescale website detailing the OSBDM and its internals.

http://cache.freescale.com/files/soft_dev_tools/doc/user_guide/OSBDM-JM60_Users_Guide.pdf?fsrch=1

Have a look onto page 16 on this document. Jumper J3 is used for bootload mode enable. So, I don't see a need for a separate pod to do the OSBDM firmware reprogramming.

I am planning to build/buy the OSBDM since I am working quite often with a few CPUs from Freescale. I'll let you know about it when I'll have it. Maybe write a review about it ... Would this be of any use for the other members?

Cheers,

Bogdan

Hi Robert,

The debugger looks so neat! I was thinking of OSBDM because I might try in the future the 56F series of DSPs. But this is not certain.

Otherwise, the JM60 version of USBDM is quite enough for my needs. And its performance is even better than the PE's version.

How much did it cost you to build your version? Looks very good! I might change my mind and go for the USBDM.

Regards,

Bogdan

You don't need a full oven as there are hand held hot air soldering equipment too.

Chinese hardware is available for 50€ already and these with solder paste make soldering any SMD stuff a breeze.

Cheapest reflow ovens are available for around 300€ but they usually are also shipped from China so you will have customs in addition.

If you have the paste in an injector with a small needle you need steady hands to replace a stencil so this is not required either.

We have successfully soldered for example LGA14 footprint chips from freescale to our CNC machined pcb's so they do not have any solder mask.