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Hi, I found you via the Yahoo group for MSP430s. (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/msp430/message/21260)

I was hoping you would share with me info on making my own board for programming. I recently came into a handful of MSP430F20xx that I'd like to play around with, but my student budget isn't offering me the option of purchasing a decent board.

Please and thanks for your time

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One more option for playing with msp430 is Chronos watch: wiki.msp430.com/index.php/EZ430-Chronos, – msawicki Jan 30 at 15:41

3 Answers

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Also if you have a chance check out http://goodfet.sf.net/ . Travis Goodspeed developed an MSP430 JTAG programmer that is completely open source. If you contact him via email he might send you some boards at which point all you need to do is gather the various components so that you can build it.

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Hmm. I don't quite see how you could beat US$99 for the MSP-FET430UIF USB debugging/programming interface from TI, or US$49 for the MSP-FET430PIF parallel-port debugging/programming interface, by trying to design/build/test something yourself.

The MSP-FET430UIF also is part of TI's university discount program and is 50% off ($49.50 instead of the $99), not sure what the details to qualify, but contact your TI rep.

I like MSP430's; for a basic low-end microcontroller they have been the easiest series for me to use/debug because of the development tool set.

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You can easily beat that with the Goodfet ($10 parts, board free from Travis), or the ez430 stick ($20). I believe the Goodfet is a better design. The ez430/430UIF uses TI's 3410 USB->serial chip, but the Goodfet uses an FTDI chip with much better driver support. – markrages Feb 2 at 17:10
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I've got one of those MSP-FET430UIF interfaces, it's an excellent piece of kit. I use it with Rowley CrossWorks under Windows 7 x64. It also works OK with the free IAR tools available from TI.

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