chipcon cc2420
I am planning to make RF cards for my ZigBee project. I have 2 RF transceivers schematics; first one is Microchips "PICDEM Z 2.4 GHz RF Card " and the sceond one is "MC13192 : 2.4 GHz, Low Power Transceiver for 802.15.4 "... Microchips circuit has 4 layer and Freescales has 2 layers. I know that soldering these components is not very easy. So which one can give me more headaches while soldering the components or in another situations. I also prefer freescales 2 layer circuit because of producing costs but do you know any advantages or disadvantages between these chips. Which one should i use?
I thing that the most problem are the stack and in my company we have purchase the microchip (ChipCon) and Freescale development boards, but particulary I thing the Freescale the best solution because the full source code (firmware) implemantation.
Gorkin
Hi
My problem is about RF trasceiver card, not about stacks, i will use microchips stack in beginning but first i have to make a good-working rf transciever
tx
OK, but before draw the schematic and the pcb of Your circuit You need define what chip, then I put my comentary about these diferent company.
Reading the Freescale documents (sch and pcb) You can see that the Frescale solution have some smd package seemed BGA. Then its the possible cause for using four pcb layers.
I think usual use two pcb layers for this project without problem.
Gorkin.
gorkin ..
have u tried to run the MAC code given by Freescale and see how it works and how much it supports ?
I am not have much experience with MC13192 and MC13193 Freescale ISM transceiver chips (The MC13192 are fully 802.15.4 compatible and MC13193 are fully ZigBee org compatible).
In my case I am currently use MC13191 because my application are proprietary and I am need cut the costs...
For MC13192 and MC13193 Freescale offers one object code for these transceivers with fully 802.15.4 compatible. For Zigbee fully compatible, we must joint the Zigbee aliance and buy one development software tools...
Gorkin.
Hi guys,
I don't really understand what you want because it's too much for me. But I worked for Freescale and I can tell you they are doing shit work, it's incredible. Just for that I would choose the other one! Not rational but if it can help to choose!
Can tell you more ...
I participate of one day trainning in Freescale design center in S?o Paulo, Brazil, in may and other in June of 2005. In these trainnings, we use the MC13192 SARD Boards and evaluate some functions of the Freescale microcontroller and ISM transceiver.
In the second seminar, we evaluate the aspects of the MAC software like described in 802.15.4 standard and ZigBee Stack.
The MAC code are disponible in object code by freescale and u must use code warrior HCS08 3.1 version (need fully license) and one of the HCS08 microcontroller (high than 16kB of flash memory).
For more information and documents, see the freecale website. The name of the stack library are SMAC.
Gorkin.
Dear Friends.
Now that Ti has bought Chipcon and ST Micro is licensing Ember's 260 chips, seem that these "diammond" ZigBee sponsors are scaring Ericson to the bones. They now plan some "improvements" on the Bluetooth stack.
Anyway, I've been trying to use all this stuff, negociate with these guys and, as sawn in the last San Diego ZigBee fair, all is vaporware.
Chipcon's is a lame 8051 and Ember's is another Cambridge 16 bit lame cpu.
If you really want to design serious stuff you must go with companies that have proven that they can deliver. ( Not buy from Mouser in a Pay First/ C Later ).
Please have a look on Jennic.
What i like most:
1- 32 Bit risc
2- IEEE802.15.4 stack in ROM
3- Boot loader from external serial eeprom. It has 96k internal RAM, but you may call the resident api in rom.
4- 4 ADC and 2 DAC, nice for even audio.
5- 2 RS232 TTL with CTS/RTS.
6- SPI with 5 CS (up to 32 devices).
7- TW (I2C) interface.
8- Internal 32KHz oscilator
9- Ready now and working fine, no vaporware.
Also price is very competitive...
Best
Pads