Re: Need advice for a micro

From: Jonathan Kirwan (jkirwan_at_easystreet.com)
Date: 07/22/04 

Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 18:06:45 GMT

On 22 Jul 2004 00:18:13 -0700, p_anagiotis@hotmail.com (panagiotis) wrote:

>What do you think about the MPLAB ICD2 and the "USB Pic" in general ?!
>MSP430xxxx lowers, would you switch to PIC? Is there some USB based
>developpement board for MSP430 I ignore ?!?

MSP-430 is targeted for markets dealing with extremely low power. This doesn't
mean that it can't be used in situations where such lower power requirements
aren't so important (I'm doing projects both having extremely low power as a
requirement and not having it, with the MSP-430.) It just means that TI is
initially fleshing out their product lines with features that emphasize this
focus. For example, an external bus for memory implies added power consumption
and there are no parts featuring one, for now. On the other hand, LCD
applications often select LCD *because* they require long operation on battery
and the MSP-430 initially included such an interface.

It's a different focus, entirely. I certainly don't speak for TI, but I believe
TI is trying to hack out a niche and they are doing this by focusing narrowly on
an area where they believe they can win almost 100% of the time on the merits.
And that is in very low power situations.

So they allow folks to make their own decisions and, if they don't need
extremely low power, then they can still select the MSP-430, of course. But
they will do it for reasons of their own, not so much for direct reasons that TI
is focused on, for now.

I think. And I think TI has done very well, overall.

Jon