TI Wi-Fi CC3200 LaunchPad & CC3100 BoosterPack

dont worry , TI has support for Linux (For Example CC2538 via XDS100v3 Debugger). only problem is that the support is really buggy and unstable. While i was using XDS100 i had to replace the .gel file (acc to e2e) and still the flashing will sometime work/sometime Not

Posted on e2e and will update if I get any info on those two examples.

Thanks

I think this is incorrect

• "4 Layer PCB with 6 mm spacing and track width"

I highly doubt it is even 1mm...

As far as I am able to tell so I would say 99%, note this is the libraries supporting the internal components mostly, for instance I have been playing with he eZ430-Chronos-915 watch, there is no way it will compile completely with in the limits of CCS but as most of it is pre-compiled I am able to add menus and other items without hitting the limits. Now I did try to change one of the headers linked to a pre-compiled bits and immediately trigger a size error so had to find another way

So yes in principal that's how it works. The pre-compiled libraries don't count in the size limit. This makes it much more palatable with the exception CCS is a pig to learn. Probably similar to going from the Arduino IDE to the Atmel Studio coding direct to the hardware vs via the Wiring abstraction layer

also companies like AAeron who build the sub 1Ghz modules also put out pre-compiled libraries that can help a lot too.

fire off an inquiry on the TI Forums and see what they say, but I'm pretty sure of my intel. I just cant guarantee it.

Hey Peter,

Asking not to be rude but because of my situation (have not asked on e2e yet) are you 100% sure. I can't get "get_time" and "get_weather" to run because of a size limit error, they are both demos for the CC3100.

Actually Code restrictions are not as bad as they seem to be. If the target MCU has libraries already available pre-compiled for a booster pack / external device as a lot of the CCS samples do, then they don't count in the code size. It is only the stuff that has to be compiled

so you can have a significant library for networking and the like, if you simply include it then call it from you code, the library does not count in the restriction

when you look at the Tiva C Connected Launchpad and the Tiva C Launchpad. Libraries for all the internal workings are already included into an embedded ROM on the chip so libraries to use ADC, Interrupts, Ethernet and other on chip devices do not even need to be uploaded. How cool is that. Now for the ones that are not in the ROM, if they  are part of TivaWare and the likes, you will notice only the header files are showing in the folders, the rest is already compiled and will not count in your code size. The same basic principal goes for the smaller MSP430 chips, less the ROM. The irony is the Tiva C MCUs have masses of FLASH and RAM where as the MSP430s do not and could therefor do with the ROM , ah well

Hey,

The CC31XXEMUBOOST is some what useful but really only to run some of the demos, but after that an MSP430F5529 would be much more useful as that is what all the demo code is written for. The most useful thing would be a direct line with TI's WiFi dept to help you get past the initial setup and stuff. Otherwise I would love a full CCS version so that you can use this guy to its max (so far two examples won't run due to code size restrictions). Who ever wins this I would LOVE to collaborate with them as two brains are better than one

Hi Vishnu,

I agree, your understanding is correct. I've just clarified my comments above, it looks like the firmware is resident on an external SPI FLASH chip, but the principle is the same. It would be good though to have the CC31XXEMUBOOST just to be sure the latest firmware update is possible. Hi doctorcdf it looks like the CC31XXEMUBOOST may be very useful to be part of the roadtest, is this planned to be included?

Thanks!

Hi Gurinder,

If you are correct about the FTDI part, then I think, Linux host support will also be not available .

So what I understood is we can use it to kickstart the project with some launchpad and we need a CC31XXEMUBOOSt only when I want to update the firmware. I hope it will be coming will preprogrammed firmware. Thanks @shabaz for the reply.

Hi!

Basically, the CC3100 board contains pretty much just the CC3100 chip and a few extra bits including a SPI FLASH chip which holds the firmware. It has no additional hardware on-board to program any firmware updates (which uses an SPI interface through the CC3100 to program the SPI FLASH chip).

The firrmware programming could be done using any microcontroller in theory, but while developing this will be quite an infrequent task (i.e. only needs to be done when there is a firmware update available from TI), and there is a board (CC31XXEMUBOOST) that can be used for the firmware updating. It sits in-between the PC and the CC3100 board, and allows you to run some other test applications too.

In normal use, once the firmware is updated, and you've developed some application on a LaunchPad to use the CC3100 board, you wouldn't need to use the CC31XXEMUBOOST.

I hope it comes with the CC31XXEMUBOOST (it might), but if it doesn't, it looks like it is not too expensive (£13).

EDIT: Added SPI FLASH information after looking at the documentation is a bit more detail

Hi, Vishnu Raj CC31XXEMU Boost has an FTDI chip i.e. I guess it is some kind of JTAG. Now Ti could have used a TivaC MCU if they wanted to implement an ICDI DEbug interface, so I wont bet on ICDI. That leaves with none other than XDSxxx series of JTAGs.

In Short you cant use any one of the following Launchpads:

Any MSP430 Series : as they have ez-FET

TM4C123Gxl LP : Uses ICDI

TM4C1294 CLP : Uses ICDI

Now I have a doubt about Hercules LP as they have XDS100 Debugger with Standard JTAG interface so probably you can use them, or Max you have to do is change the FTDI Firmware http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/CC31xx_%26_CC32xx_FTDI_Flashing#CC3100.2FCC3200_FTDI_Programming_Steps

and I bet you can use the CC3200's Dbg/Emu for programming the CC3100 Somehow.

Disclaimer : I do not posses any of the Hercules LP or CC3xxx BP's so I can't claim which will work, my comment is based on my experience with Ti's Product's/LP's/BP's

hello all,

after going through the specs, I found that  CC31XXEMUBOOT is required for flashing the CC3100 booster pack. Could you please tell me under what conditions I have to flash CC3100 booster pack? I was under the assumption that I can directly plug this into my launchpad and have to program only the launchpad.

Peter Oakes no doubt that you need a MCU as the CC3100 is just a network processor, TI do have a Emulation Booster pack with JTAG interface to program the launchpad. donno weather they will be giving that. and the CC3200's Emulation is the same one, so maybe like Ti's other launchpad's we will be able to remove the debugger-device jumpers and connect to the CC3100 Module ?

+1 Kas Lewis , You are absolutely Rt. I was playing with the TivaC 1294 CLP and their demo code took me a lot of time to understand.

Spent a bit of time with both the CC3000 and the CC3100 and I will say this, they are not for the faint of heart. If your programing is not up to the point you can read someone elses code (the examples) and understand it there is almost no chance of getting these things to do what you like, look through the e2e forums and you will see what I mean... That being said if you can get these guys to work they are AWESOME especially with the boosterpacks since they open up so much possibility. Robert Peter Oakes this would work great with the Fuel Tank (besides the pin conflict) as it would allow you to do something remotely fully removed from any power or communication cables. I would love to really get into the CC3200 and see how it compares to the CC3100 as I have not had a chance to play with that one yet and would really help with my temperature sensor project.

A thing to note here is that the CC3200 is a complete micro-controller (Arm Cortex) and embedded WIFI

The CC3100 booster pack is just the WIFI module so you will need to have another Launchpad if you want to test the two talking to each other.

This will not prevent you having either one talking to a WIFI network, only if you want to use them both at the same time

I am not 100% sure if you can use the CC3100 on the CC3200 Launchpad as the 2 WIFI modules are the same chip-set , it will depend on how well the drivers are built and if they can distinguish between the two radios, ie do they have different chip selects etc.

either way this will be an interesting road test and I look forward to the opportunity to play with these modules.

Wooo Hooooo !!