A complete microcontroller development kit for little more than the cost of a bare chip? That’s what STMicroelectronics is promising with their STM8S-Discovery: seven dollars gets you not only a board-mounted 8-bit microcontroller with an decent range of GPIO pins and functions, but the USB programmer/debugger as well.
The STM8S microcontroller is in a similar class as the ATmega328 chip on latest-generation Arduinos: an 8-bit 16 MHz core, 32K flash and 2K RAM, UART, SPI, I2C, 10-bit analog-to-digital inputs, timers and interrupts and all the usual goodness. The Discovery board features a small prototyping area and throws in a touch-sense button for fun as well. The ST-LINK USB programmer/debugger comes attached, but it’s easy to crack one off and use this for future STMicro-compatible projects; clearly a plan of giving away the razor and selling the blades.
The development tools are for Windows only, and novice programmers won’t get the same touchy-feely community of support that surrounds Arduino. But for cost-conscious hackers and for educators needing to equip a whole classroom (or if you’re just looking for a stocking stuffer for your geeky nephew), it’s hard to argue with seven bucks for a full plug-and-play setup.
[thanks Billy]
Their climber was so skilled it made taking down the diseased tree look easy. We have had some real winners?!?!?
Worthless.
I bought several of things, thinking they’d be awesome.
Instead they’re reliant on $1000 compilers (and the demo versions require you to register — no, not that simple kind of web based register, like as in, you have to email a sales rep kind of register…)
What’s worse, after a failed attempt at registering a demo compiler from either of the two companies that make them (that’s it, only two companies exist that I could find), they’ve started calling me to solicit more crap (registration requires a phone number and a valid street address, and all kinds of craziness!).
Mikey,
There a 16KByte free C compiler, I don’t know what are you talking about. $1000 is a full version C compiler @ raisonance.
There will be a free 32KB version soon. be patient
By the way, someone has to develop and valid the C compiler. These developers have to be paid, no. Do you work for free?
Joe,
A full evaluation board is existing for $200. Its a bit costly, but you get all the functionalities. May be a good idea for a local business?
I know you can find cheaper stuff in China.
Patrice
@Patrice,
I was referring to other microcontrollers providers full evaluation boards cost, just to make a comparison like picdem 4.
He, he,
pretty much animated discussion here. But seriously, this STM8 micro is really fast. Further up I read someone stating it was X86 modified core, but that’s kinda wrong. The STM8 core seems more like an improved ST7 core (also from ST) which was basically an HC05 core.
But the STM8 is really a speedboat. At 16MHz undivided clock, it takes average 1.6 cycles per instruction. And the instruction table has been reviewed drastically. The instructions that are most used in C-compilers are now the shortest ones. That gives you a significant thrust and the code is also smaller. Try to hand-code something more efficient as the C-compiler for STM8 delivers and then compare with the HCS08 for instance. You’ll see …
And now they even start to distribute those kits for free on shows.
Check this out:
http://www.st.com/stonline/products/families/embedded_2010.htm
If this becomes a habit and as Pat says the 32K Compiler version will be for free in the future ?
Who will then pay for any development tool ?
Cheers
Zaga
On the subject of development under Linux, I can confirm that USB communication does work if you run Windows in VirtualBox. You need to ensure you are using the USB-capable version of VirtualBox, and set up a filter for the USB device within the VM’s settings. It’s not ideal but it’s a solution that might be appropriate for some people while native tools do not exist.
Anyone have an idea when the compiler will be expanded to 32k? Will it happen?
Hello iDave,
look at the website of Cosmic. http://www.cosmicsoftware.com
They offer a free compiler up to 32K as a special offer in March 2010.
Concerning the Linux support ST is currently trying to identify a way of how to let open source developers have access to the debugger protocol specification (1st contacts made during the embedded world show).
Maybe there will be some native Linux support soon.
Greetings
Zaga
Hi,
I have downloaded the 32k compiler, the licence I´ve got after 3 minutes. The STM8S Kit is ordered.
regards Michael
Repost of 4.3.1: http://www.mediafire.com/?z2yf4gzmmjj
hi,
i have some questions about TSL for the stm8s discovery.
i have made a layout for a wheel with 8 electrodes and now i want to use it with the touch sensing library.
in the tsl config i introduced the mckey with 8 channels.
so far all right.
now i don’t know how i have to introduce my wheel in the main.c data.
firstly i just want set the led when i touch a position at the wheel but i don’t really know how.
i hope you can help me perhaps somebody has a example for a wheel used with stm8s controller.
thank you in advance
greetz
Sorry, I have absoultely no interest in trying one of these after reading all of the negative reviews. They better get their stuff together for future releases is all I can say.
Hello Guys,
Does anyone tryed the STM8L-Discovery ? This is the Ultra low power version of this kit.
Thanks a lot.
Nakim.
@Nakim, not only Low Power, but comes with LCD on the board. One can find it for arround $10 at “standard” retalers :)
Got it the other day, still in a blister package, can’t find time to play with it
Thanks Miroslav. If some has already played with it I will be very interrested to get some exemples.
Thanks a lot & have a nice day.
Hello all,
Happy new year 2011 first :-).
If you are interested in dedicated ultra ow power microcontrollers go to check my new web site. This one is deditaced for ultra low power STMicro, TI & Microchip^. Feel free to comment.
http://www.mcu4ulp.com
Have a nice day :-)
Spent day off today downloading the tool chain for this board, got one off Mouser, kind off a rip for shipping and tax take this to 20$… however shipping same day so good service, still good deal I think.
IDE looks very strong, lic. for 32k compiler took less than hour to receive. Debugger is very strong inside IDE, steps like a dream.
Nice simple libs for peripherals, clean coding style well commented.
This chip/board is a sleeper. Peripheral on cpu bus are kind of whimsical. Beep register for example… looks like fun!
ST IDE/compiler chain for STM8S works perfectly with Virtual Box/XP instance under Ubuntu Maverick.
St-Link debgger JTAG.