mcu

Posted on by Debashis Das - No Comments on Microchip dsPIC33CK low-cost motor control MCU sells for $0.51 and up

Microchip dsPIC33CK low-cost motor control MCU sells for $0.51 and up

Microchip dsPIC33CK low cost Value Line DSC motor controller

Microchip has expanded its dsPIC33 lineup with the dsPIC33CK Value Line family, a new series of low-cost 16-bit digital signal controllers (DSCs) designed for motor control applications. The devices deliver up to 100 MIPS of deterministic performance and integrate high-resolution PWM and a 12-bit ADC, making them suitable for motor Field-Oriented Control (FOC) and precision sensing tasks. These DSCs are designed to bridge the gap between basic microcontrollers and higher-end dsPIC33A devices. It offers flash memory from 32 KB to 256 KB, supports function consolidation to reduce component count and BOM cost, and is available in automotive-grade (AEC-Q100 Grade 1) versions with secure boot. Microchip dsPIC33CK specifications: MCU Core – 16-Bit dsPIC33CK CPU operating up to 100 MHz / 100 MIPS and DSP with 40-bit wide accumulators Memory & Storage 8 KB to 16 KB Data RAM 32 KB to 256 KB Program Flash with Error Correction Code (ECC) 384 […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - 4 Comments on MuseLab nanoCH32H417 – A $17 WCH CH32H417 RISC-V MCU development board with USB 3.0, Fast Ethernet

MuseLab nanoCH32H417 – A $17 WCH CH32H417 RISC-V MCU development board with USB 3.0, Fast Ethernet

nanoCH32H417 Development Board with Displa

Designed by MuseLab, the nanoCH32H417 is a development board for the WCH CH32H417 dual-core RISC-V MCU, which we covered earlier this year for its USB 3.0 (5 Gbps), UHS, and Fast Ethernet support. At that time, only the official CH32H417 development board was available, but this board adds a third-party option. The board exposes various features of the MCU, including one USB 3.0 port, two USB Type-C ports, a 100Mbps Ethernet interface, and a MicroSD card slot. It also simplifies the prototyping workflow by integrating a WCHLink-E debugger directly onto the board, meaning you won’t need to wire up an external programmer to flash the MCU or view serial output. MuseLab nanoCH32H417 specifications: MCU – WCH CH32H417QEU6 MCU QingKe RISC-V5F up to 400 MHz QinKe RISC-V3F up to 144 MHz GPU – Graphics Processing Hardware Accelerator GPHA Memory – 896KB SRAM Storage – 960KB Flash Storage – MicroSD card slot Display […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - 3 Comments on $13 Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK offers Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 connectivity (Bouffalo Lab BL618 inside)

$13 Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK offers Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 connectivity (Bouffalo Lab BL618 inside)

The Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK

Back in November 2024, we wrote about Qualcomm’s QCC730M and QCC74xM modules for low-power IoT devices, but at the time, there was no evaluation board EVK for those SoCs. Fast forward to today, and the official development boards for the QCC74x series have finally been released, complete with a surprisingly affordable price tag. The Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK is a tri-radio evaluation board with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and IEEE 802.15.4 (Thread/Zigbee) with a price tag of just over $13. But what is interesting is that, while it carries the Qualcomm brand, documentation from the Zephyr Project clearly shows that the QCC74x series is actually based on and mostly equivalent to the Bouffalo Lab BL61x series, specifically the BL618. Qualcomm QCC74xM EVK specifications: Wireless Module – Qualcomm QCC74xM LGA Module (QCC743M, QCC744M, or QCC748M depending on the board variant) CPU – 32-bit RISC-V processor (RV32IMAFCP) @ up to 325 MHz with FPU […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - 2 Comments on Microchip PIC16F132 and PIC18-Q35 low-power 8-bit MCUs feature CPLD-like Configurable Logic Blocks (CLB)

Microchip PIC16F132 and PIC18-Q35 low-power 8-bit MCUs feature CPLD-like Configurable Logic Blocks (CLB)

PIC16F13276 and PIC18 Q35 families of Configurable Logic Block MCUs

Microchip Technology has introduced the PIC16F132 and PIC18-Q35 8-bit families of MCUs, as an upgrade over the PIC16F13145, which combine traditional embedded control with integrated Configurable Logic Blocks (CLB), to bring CPLD-like programmable logic directly onto the microcontroller die. The main difference between the two families is in logic density, where the PIC16F132x includes 32 Basic Logic Elements (BLEs), and the PIC18-Q35 offers 128 BLEs. Alongside the CLB, these MCUs also integrate security and voltage management features. Programming and Debugging Interface Disable (PDID) provides anti-tamper protection against unauthorized firmware access, and Multi-Voltage I/O (MVIO) allows direct communication across different voltage domains without external level shifters. The company also mentions that by executing logic functions on dedicated hardware rather than in software, the CLB architecture reduces CPU load and power consumption while ensuring deterministic behavior. This makes the devices well-suited for timing-critical applications such as motor control, industrial automation, consumer electronics, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments on BeagleConnect Zepto – A “$1 computer” based on TI MSPM0L1117 Cortex-M0+ MCU

BeagleConnect Zepto – A “$1 computer” based on TI MSPM0L1117 Cortex-M0+ MCU

BeagleConnect Zepto

BeagleBoard.org Foundation’s BeagleConnect Zepto “$1 computer” is an upcoming open-source hardware board powered by Texas Instruments MSPM0L117 Cortex-M0+ MCU, part of the MSPM0 family introduced in 2023. It’s a tiny board with mikroBus-compatible headers, a TAG-CONNECT JTAG connector, two Qwiic connectors for expansion (or one Qwiic connector + USB-C depending on the variant), Boot and Reset buttons, and an RGB LED. BeagleConnect Zepto specifications: MCU – Texas Instruments MSPM0L117 CPU – 32MHz Arm Cortex-M0+ core Memory – 16KB SRAM Storage – 128KB dual-bank flash Package – QFN32 (5×5 mm) USB – Optional USB-C port for power (multiplexed with one of the Qwicc JST connectors) Expansion mikroBUS headers supporting a choice of about 2,000 ClickE add-on boards; one of the sides is compatible with some Raspberry Pi HATs (note limited to 12 pins) Up to 2x Qwicc connectors with full Grove function: I2C, UART, ADC, GPIO Debugging – 8-pin TAG-CONNECT JTAG […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 12 Comments on $2 WeAct CH32V006F8U6 Mini Core board features CH32V006 RISC-V MCU, supports 3.3V or 5V I/O voltage

$2 WeAct CH32V006F8U6 Mini Core board features CH32V006 RISC-V MCU, supports 3.3V or 5V I/O voltage

WeAct CH32V006 Mini Core Board

WeAct CH32V006F8U6 Mini Core is an inexpensive, tiny development board based on the 48 MHz CH32V006 RISC-V microcontroller and equipped with a USB-C port, a Reset button, and two rows of 12-pin headers for I/Os using either 3.3V or 5V voltage. WCH introduced the CH32V006 in 2024 as an update to the popular CH32V003 with more memory (8KB vs 2KB SRAM), storage (62KB vs 8KB flash), additional GPIOs, a wider supply voltage range, and an upgraded 32-bit RISC-V2C core. I just hadn’t seen any third-party CH32V006 boards so far. The WeAct Studio board changes that. WeAct CH32V006F8U6 Mini Core board specifications: SoC – WCH CH32V006F8U6 CPU – 32-bit “RISC-V2C” core up to 48 MHz Memory – 8KB SRAM Storage – 62KB flash + 3KB “boot” flash USB – 1x USB Type-C port for power and debugging Expansion 2x 12-pin headers with GPIO, ADC, USART, I2C, SPI I/O Voltage – 3.3V […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - No Comments on Nuvoton NuMicro M3331 Cortex-M33 MCU features built-in ARGB LED controller, optional USB 2.0 OTG interface

Nuvoton NuMicro M3331 Cortex-M33 MCU features built-in ARGB LED controller, optional USB 2.0 OTG interface

M3333 Series MCU

Nuvoton’s new NuMicro M3331 is a series of 32-bit Arm Cortex-M33 MCUs clocked at 180 MHz that integrate an ARGB LED controller, a DSP instruction set, a single-precision FPU, and TrustZone security for smart factories, renewable energy systems, and consumer devices. In the past, we have written about other Cortex-M33 MCUs like the STM32U3B5/C5, Texas Instruments MSPM33C321A,  Nordic Semi’s nRF54LM20A, and various others, but the Nuvoton M3331 series specifically features a built-in Enhanced LED Light Strip Interface (ELLSI) and up to 10 standard LLSI channels. This allows the MCU to natively support gaming ARGB Gen1 and Gen2 LED control protocols, completely offloading the CPU to run fluid, dynamic LED effects. It comes in two variants, the M3333 series and the M3334 series, with the latter adding a high-speed USB 2.0 OTG controller with an integrated PHY. NuMicro M3331 specifications: MCU core – Arm Cortex-M33 32-bit CPU @ 180 MHz with single-precision […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment on Telink TL3228 – Low-power, low-latency dual-core RISC-V wireless MCU supports Bluetooth 6.0, 802.15.4, and 2.4 GHz proprietary

Telink TL3228 – Low-power, low-latency dual-core RISC-V wireless MCU supports Bluetooth 6.0, 802.15.4, and 2.4 GHz proprietary

TL3228

Telink has launched the TL322x wireless MCU family, starting with the TL3228, featuring a 192 MHz dual-core RISC-V MCU, and supporting Bluetooth 6.0, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, RF4CE, and proprietary 2.4GHz protocols for Smart Home, asset tracking, “8K” gaming accessories, and more The chip supports the recent Bluetooth features such as Channel Sounding, AoA/AoD, and LE Audio, as well as the company’s proprietary HDT technology delivering up to 6 Mbps data rate and ultra-low latency. Telink TL3228 specifications: Dual-core CPU 32-bit Andes D25F RISC-V core with FPU up to 192 MHz 32-bit Andes N22 RISC-V core Memory – 384 KB SRAM Storage – 2.5 MB of NVM (Flash + RRAM) Connectivity Bluetooth 6.0 Channel Sounding Mesh Networking Bluetooth LE AoA/AoD location services 802.15.4 radio for Zigbee, Thread, Matter, RF4CE 2.4GHz Proprietary 2.4GHz radio data rates – 1Mbps, 2Mbps, 4Mbps, 6Mbps; Bluetooth LE PHY: LE 2M, LE Coded Bluetooth LE Multiple Connections – 4x […]

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