To help designers create energy-efficient and ultra-low power applications quickly and easily, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) has broadened its portfolio of MCU development tools by adding three new tools for TMS320C2000 32-bit real-time microcontrollers (MCU) and one new tool for the 16-bit MSP430F5xx ultra-low power MCU series.

Expanding TI's controlCARD offering, the 32-bit C2000-based Resonant DC/DC Developer's Kit, Renewable Energy Developer's Kit and Peripheral Explorer Development Kit speed development and enhance functionality for energy-efficient, real-time digital power applications such as solar inverters, uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), telecom rectifiers and LED lighting.

The MSP430F5438 MCU Experimenter's Kit helps designers to quickly develop with and learn about the new F5xx MCUs, which provide the industry's lowest active power consumption, more memory and leading integration for applications such as energy harvesting, wireless sensing and automatic metering infrastructure (AMI).

$299 Resonant DC/DC Developer's Kit (TMDRESDCKIT) key features and benefits

·TMS320F2808 controlCARD for DC/DC power conversion in UPS, telecom rectifiers and LED lighting applications

·Single transformer LLC type digital power EVM with four distinct feedback methods

·Lossless current sensing circuit for fault protection and active load for transient response tuning

·On-board USB JTAG emulation with connection for external emulator and power supply

·32 KB limited Code Composer Studio IDE, open source hardware and software

·Future plans to support TMX320F28027 (Piccolo) controlCARD

$349 Renewable Energy Developer's Kit (TMDSENRGYKIT) key features and benefits

·F2808 controlCARD for DC/AC power conversion in solar, wind and fuel cell applications

·Front end single-phase boost; board designed for single or three-phase output

·Battery charging and management; includes relay switch between battery and solar panel

·AC line sensing and synchronization to detect if main grid goes down

·Voltage and current measurement for maximum power point tracking and anti-islanding

·15-20 V DC input, 30 V AC output; 5 V power supply for C2000 MCU and board components

·32 KB limited Code Composer Studio IDE, open source hardware and software

·Future plans to support TMX320F28027 (Piccolo) controlCARD

$169 Peripheral Explorer Developer's Kit (TMDSPREX28335) board key features and benefits

·Teaching tool for new users or students to demo key C2000 peripherals (ePWM, ADC, McBSP, eCAP, CAN, I2C, SPI, GPIO)

·F28335 controlCARD included with peripheral explorer baseboard for full board development

·5 V power supply for powering C2000 MCU and board components

·32 KB limited Code Composer Studio IDE, open source hardware, documentation and open source example software

$149 MSP430F5438 Experimenter Kit (MSP-EXP430F5438) key features and benefits

·Based on new MSP430F5438 MCU for ultra-low power designs that need enhanced functionality for wireless sensing applications, smart metering and energy harvesting

·Socket allows for easy upgrades and quick application changes

·Fast low-power-wireless development with support for various TI low power wireless RF evaluation modules, which cover the sub-1 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands

·Multiple input/output options allow for fast system development, including microphone, joystick control, two push buttons, dot matrix LCD, USB connectivity and a 3.5 mm headphone jack for audio output

·JTAG headers make the device accessible for real-time, in-system programming and debugging

·16 KB limited Code Composer Essentials IDE, documentation and open source example software

Availability and Pricing

The $299 C2000 Resonant DC/DC Developer's Kit, $169 C2000 Peripheral Explorer Developer's Kit and $149 MSP430F5438 Experimenter's Kit are available for order now via the TI e-store www.ti.com/estore or authorized distributors. The $349 C2000 Renewable Energy Developer's kit will be available in early March 2009.

Related links:

C2000 MCU tools

MSP430 MCU tools

TI microcontrollers