Installation took a good while with many features for most if not all the MCU families that are used by the IDE
First off the software comes with a 30-day License
Support for the piccolo seems quite promising, as many of the queries on the forum are addressed.
The integration of controlSUITE answers a lot of the commonly addressed problems that are in demand by the newly accustomed user trying to get all the resources, libraries, updates, documentation, support and sample programs so that commonly used program structures don’t need to be reinvented.
Just pulling up the control suite shows the key features, example projects, documentation such as header files structures and ISR priorities, utilities and online resources for the Piccolo F2802x
Code composer (CCS) requested about 1gb of updates. Which I did not choose to select. But did not affect my evaluation of the MCU
The CCS shows multiple windows by default. And depending on the user, this may or may not be fantastic, depending on the users screen size. Me personally, working from a laptop, I’d only expect to see windows I require at the time of use. And at minimum project files and code. Windows such as console, problems, outline and welcome/cheat sheets. Are fine, however as said early, it depends on the screen size being used.
Without the guide, I would not have been able to setup the Piccolo with any hope at all.
In my experience with development environments, first times would be to select the target board, setup a workspace and start programming.
Selecting the target board/emulator was only difficult due to the extensive library of MCUs that the software caters for. So dropping down the list and trying to find TMSS32028027, when there is a hundred combinations and permutations with only 1 letter difference or 1 number missing. Other than that, setting up the workspace and programming were a breeze. Features of highlighted and predictive text, always a plus for the new user.
For PWMs, Peripheral communications, timer and interrupts, the piccolo is fully loaded with example projects to be sliced and diced. With 35+ examples, Evaluation of the Piccolo would be a breeze.
Just to sum it up. For approx $39, not bad, not bad at all…
Will definitely be considering using it for an upcoming motor control development project.
If I had to make my first experience better, I would have used a faster computer to install the IDE and bells and whistle that came with it, and used a larger screen.
Basic bread and butter of control programs are available that makes the step to the next level more reassuring that the MCU will be able to do as it is told. I would probably say this is the for the intermediate level and above, although the setup can guide the beginner, the software and instructions aren’t detailed to the nth degree for the new user. “add a variable to the watch list as listed by the project pdf” leaves too many unanswered questions. But for the initiated, they will get them into the run of things in no time, with plenty of program examples, stacking parts of projects together would be a breeze.
One thing that I think lacked, and this might just be me… but there was no push button. Call me old fashioned, but hey, not everything in the world is software controlled…
Any way, first review, hope you enjoyed.
Cheers
