3 ms·
The MSP430 is renowned for low power and will idle (i.e. suspended waiting for interrupts) at microamps. Architecturally it's a 16 bit Von Neumann architecture
by david-given 11y ago
The MSP430 is renowned for low power and will idle (i.e. suspended waiting for interrupts) at microamps.
Architecturally it's a 16 bit Von Neumann architecture at up to 16MHz with a remarkably elegant ISA and extensions to let it address more memory. Most interestingly, some devices have 64kB or 128kB of FRAM --- non-volatile RAM which operates at SRAM speeds! And because it's a Von Neumann architecture you can load programs off disk into it, which lets you do some cool stuff. (I ported Alan Cox's Fuzix to one.) Of course, an SD card will use loads more RAM than the CPU itself.
I believe you can run one with no external components whatsoever. Hook it up to 0V and 3.3V and it'll run at 8MHzish on its internal oscillator.
- dfox 11y agoAnother argument for MSP430 as a replacement for arduino and such is that even the smallest devices support reasonable debugger. As for external devices: at least G-series need external components to generate reset pulse to reliably boot (it mostly works with reset left floating, but whether it reliably works is function of how quickly the power ramps up, I got burned by this on last project).
- cnvogel 11y agoRegarding debugging: I don't know what additional hardware you need to debug MSP430, but there's Atmel's AVR "debugWire" which works ok with gdb. http://www.larsen-b.com/Article/315.html http://www.larsen-b.com/Article/315.html I used it with a AVR Dragon (a rather full-featured, but still relatively inexpensive AVR programmer). You can use it with Arduino boards, of course, when you solder in the 6-pin ISP socket. (e.g. the pin header on the right of https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardUno https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardUno ) http://www.atmel.com/tools/AVRDRAGON.aspx http://www.atmel.com/tools/AVRDRAGON.aspx