TI Launches C2000 Launchpad (featuring Billy Mays)

The Texas Instruments MSP430 Launchpad is pretty popular in hacks, likely due to its low price. TI has recently released a new C2000 Launchpad device that offers more power and peripherals for $17. This board uses the C2000 Piccolo processor, which is meant for DSP applications.

Also included is an unrestricted version of the Code Composer Studio IDE and the controlSUITE software package. You can also run the free SYS/BIOS RTOS on this board. It’s nice to see TI providing a lot of free, non-crippled tools that could be used to power some pretty advanced hacks.

Most MSP430 Launchpad Booster Packs should be compatible with this board, and TI has a new layout for Booster Packs that use the additional pins. There is a C2000 specific LED Booster Pack available now for $30. There are also specifications for building your own Booster Packs for the C2000.

TI has released a slightly cheesy promotional video that features a [Billy Mays] like performance. Check it out after the break.


[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IyPz3zPb7U?rel=0%5D

28 thoughts on “TI Launches C2000 Launchpad (featuring Billy Mays)

  1. While it was mildly amusing, that was nothing like a Billy Mays performance. No loud voice. No adding in extras and doubling orders if you order now. And no stain removing power of oxygen.

    It was more of a 2 am on local cable access commercial.

    Still, I chuckled.

  2. Ordered one just for unrestricted Code Composer. Willing to give it a good go knowing if I put forth the effort to tackle the learning curve of a new IDE, I won’t have to pay top dollar to develop with TI components. Good Move TI!

  3. The coolest thing about this board is not the chip, but the xds100 programmer/debugger built into it. If you can use that for off board chips, and I don’t see why you couldn’t, that is a GREAT DEAL! The biggest problem with TI parts was the expensive toolchain you needed to program and debug. AWESOME!

    1. So I just got my board in the mail tonight.

      Taking a look at it, they didn’t make it quite as easy as the msp430 launchpad to use the built in programmer/debugger with external chips. The msp430 board had a header with all the necessary signals brought out. This board doesn’t. It looks like in order to do that with this board you will need to desolder the c2000 chip and solder on some jumper wires to an some external header connector. Not the end of the world but it pretty much means you either have a dev board, or a programmer/debugger, not both at the same time. Unless you get 2 :) Hope that helps someone.

  4. So, this board comes with an XDS100v2 debugger built in. The unrestricted IDE works as long as you use one of these XDS100 debuggers. According to TI, the XDS100v2 supports ARM Cortex-M3 as well.

    Conclusion: Cheapest USB ARM debugger I’ve found with a supported unrestricted IDE. Sign me up.

Leave a Reply

Please be kind and respectful to help make the comments section excellent. (Comment Policy)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.