Evaluated TI Stellaris ARM Cortex M3 development platforms


Introduction

Time (and tech) marches on. The LM3S9B96 Development Kit was apparently functionally replaced by the DK-LM3S9D96. The DK-LM3S9B96 Firmware Development Package is OBSOLETE, the DK-LM3S9D96 Firmware Development Package is NRND, but described as applicable to both kits. TI explains the difference as:

NRND Not recommended for new designs. Device, tool, or software is in production to support existing customers, but TI does not recommend using this part in a new design. TI encourages designers to consider alternative products for new designs (alternative suggestions are provided when possible).
OBSOLETE TI has discontinued the production of the device, tool, or software.

Regardless, I evaluated the LM3S9B96 Development Kit and the RDK-BLDC, (which also appears to be unavailable).

Evaluating the platforms

I found these platforms generally a pleasure to use. TI includes a selection of embedded software tools from leading providers. I found those tools less convenient than TI's free Code Composer Studio (CCS) Integrated Development Environment (IDE), mainly because of the additional licensing requirements. That inconvenience might be warranted where a prior familiarity or legacy code base is involved. One tool or another might have capabilities the other lacks, and vice-versa. As I recall, all the tools were relatively heavyweight IDE environments, i.e., Eclipse or Eclipse-like, that need capable hardware to perform well.

What made the TI platforms pleasurable was the relative simplicity of the embedded code base, the ability of the tools to build and run the example code, and the documentation that supplied quick, and in-depth, guidance. TI features a good, bottom-up professional-level embedded code library that offers high-functionality on minimal platforms. By contrast, platforms like Arduino and Raspberry Pi, while arguably more cost-competitive in low volume, understandably lack that pedigree. Platforms like Raspberry Pi typically leverage Linux, and need work to achieve necessary embedded performance like a tolerable boot time. While I might prefer Arduino for low volume or quick-and-dirty embedded work, and perhaps Raspberry Pi where the Linux software base offers advantages, for a more serious embedded product, I would consider TI ARM platforms that might offer greater advantages in the vast design space in between Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

© Copyright 2015 by Mike Ferguson. All rights reserved.