STMicroelectronics has a new “evaluation board” for its “value line” of STM32 microcontrollers, priced at “under $10″. (Product page) This seems to be a follow-up to its little brother: the STM8S Discovery board: (Product page) STMicroelectronics seem to have ceded the 16-bit hobbyist market to TI’s MSP430 LaunchPad (Product page) which, at $4.30 is the most inexpensive evaluation board I’ve seen offered for any microcontroller. Despite STM’s claim of “under $10”, the STM32 Value Line Discovery board is selling at Mouser for US$11.85, and at Arrow for 13,16 EUR. The STM8S Discovery board can be had for US$9.60 at Mouser (up from ~US$7.20 release price back in November 2009).
The STM32 Value Line Discovery board has many familiar features to the MSP430 LaunchPad crowd. There is an integrated USB programmer/debugger, two user LEDs, a user button, and a reset button. All of the uC’s pins (plus some others) are broken out to headers along the edges of the board. There is a free programming tool chain available, as well as several example programs.
Despite many similarities to TI’s LaunchPad, the STM32 Value line Discovery board (and the STM8S Discovery board) have some distinct differences. The processor on these boards is a surface-mount type and thus, soldered on. The programmer/debugger cannot be separated from the uC, physically or electrically (except, in the case of the STM8S Discovery, by snapping the board apart). The STM uCs also seem to require several external components for operation; rather inconvenient if one is accustomed to the self-contained MSP430.
The STM32 is, however, quite a capable uC. I didn’t grab all the specs, but the family is listed as being: “An advanced ARM-based 32-bit MCU with 16 to 128 KB Flash, 12 timers, ADC, DAC & 8 comm interfaces.” Now, the specs I did see on the STM32F100RB chip on the board included 7 16-bit timers plus some specialty timers, 16 12-bit ADCs, 2 12-bit DACs, 2 SPI, 2 I2C, and 3 USARTs. In lowest power mode, it can run on 1.7uA.
If you need this kind of power, the STM32 Value Line Discovery board is available now. Me? I’m sticking with the MSP430 LaunchPad. It’s plenty powerful enough for me, and I like being able to remove the uC from the board and use it in my own circuits. Now, if TI would just release those 20-pin models; I could use the extra I/O pins!
For the price, that’s a nice board. Shame that the license agreement stinks:
EVALUATION PRODUCT STATUS. The Evaluation Product allows You only to evaluate and test the ST products. You are not authorized to use the Evaluation Product in any production system, and may not be offered for sale or lease, or sold, leased or otherwise distributed. If the Evaluation Product is incorporated in a demonstration system, the demonstration system may be used by You solely for your evaluation and testing purposes. Such demonstration system may not be offered for sale or lease or sold, leased or otherwise distributed and must be accompanied by a conspicuous notice as follows: “This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased or otherwise distributed”.
RESTRICTIONS. You may not sell, assign, sublicense, lease, rent or otherwise distribute the Evaluation Product for commercial purposes (unless you are an authorized ST distributor provided that all the other clauses of this EV ALUA TION PRODUCT LICENSE AGREEMENT shall apply entirely), in whole or in part, or use Evaluation Product in production system. Except as provided in this Agreement or in the Evaluation Product’s documentation, You may not reproduce the demonstration software or related documentation, or modify, reverse engineer, de-compile or disassemble the demonstration software, in whole or in part.
Yeah, TI’s is not nearly as restrictive. That’s why I like the LaunchPad so much; they have no problem with you using the LaunchPad to program the chip, then using the chip in a commercial product. TI FTW!
The STM license looks like you could still do hobby stuff like most of us and post how-tos on the web. As long as you’re not selling the board as part of your system. I have a couple of STM8S Discovery boards that I bought when they were the cheapest/best development board (pre-LaunchPad). I’ll probably use them in a project somewhere and leave them there. I won’t be spending much time with them.
Looks like a really capable processor… readily able to run a moderately complex robot I would imagine. But would be nice to be able to pull the mcu out and stick it into a custom pcb, etc. Hard to justify yet another new toolchain and MCU right now. Am still trying to find time to tinker with the LaunchPad… not to mention the Propeller Schmartboard I got several months ago… –Michael