Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework.

Contributing to the .NET Micro Framework

Are there features you would like to see added to the Micro Framework?

There are plenty of ways to get involved with the future of the Micro Framework through the netmf.com web site.  You have been able to participate in feature discussions for while.  Now Microsoft has posted more information on how you can contribute to the core implementation, so others can benefit from your coding genius!

Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework.

New pricing for Innobedded Rich Media Extensions

If you are developing .NET Micro Framework applications that require user interface we recommend you check out Rich Media Extensions from Innobedded.  It provides a complete set of controls for application development and can be customised to match the look you need.

The commercial license has been reduced in price to US$249, and there is a new low-cost non-commercial license.

You can also try it out for free!

Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework, Tahoe-II.

BETA firmware for .NET Micro Framework v4.1 available for Tahoe-II

Microsoft released a refresh to the 4.1 beta late last week and we have firmware available for you to try out on Tahoe-II!

One of the biggest reasons to take a look at this is the support for Visual Studio 2010 (including the express edition).  Other features are listed in this post.

The downloads page has the new Tahoe-II firmware and a new SDK. 

Something to watch out for when converting your projects: VS2010 does a good job most of the time, but we have found at least one instance where it wasn’t 100%.  If your application is not working correctly (especially when deploying or starting), either review the .csproj file and make sure it is not referencing the 4.0 tools, or create a new project in VS2010 and move your code into it.

Let us know what you think.

Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework, Tahoe, Tahoe-II.

Micro Framework v4.1 Firmware Released

Yesterday, Microsoft announced the availability of v4.1 of the .NET Micro Framework.  This has a number of new features (including support for Visual Studio 2010) and is the first release to include code contributed from the community.

You can try out this new release on Tahoe and Tahoe-II boards.  The new firmware, and supporting SDK is available for download here.  An update to our Board Support Package and firmware for Meridian/P will follow in the next few days.

Posted by Martin Welford & filed under Topaz.

Long term support for Topaz

If you are looking to design a product with a long life-time, one of the big questions you consider is component availability. Having to re-design in 3 years just to account for an end-of-life part is an unnecessary cost and drain on resources.  Designing with a CPU module takes away a lot of this pain (and transfers it to us!).   We manage the availability risk for the components that go into the module, and can re-design if necessary, while keeping the interface to your board the same as before.

The only really hard part to manage is the processor – without the i.MX25, we couldn’t really make Topaz!  Fortunately, Freescale have a longevity program that clearly indicates how long a part will be supported for.  In the case of the i.MX25, this is 15 years from launch.  You can look this up here – filter on MX25 to find it quickly.

Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework, MeridianCPU.

New Meridian Development Kit!

Sytech Designs are shipping their new Micro Dev Board.  This board uses the Meridian CPU and adds some of the main features found on Tahoe-II, but in a smaller form factor.

The small size and feature set make it ideal for low-volume production, or as a low-cost development platform for the .NET Micro Framework.  You can order it online direct from Sytech Designs.

Features include:

  • Meridian CPU (100MHz ARM920, 4MBytes Flash, 8MBytes RAM)
  • Ethernet
  • SD card
  • 2 x Serial Ports (1xlogic level, 1xRS232)
  • USB function for download/debug or application use
  • SPI
  • I2C
  • PWM
  • Frequency counter
  • Power via external 5V or USB
  • Expansion for LCD touchscreen
  • All Meridian signals on 0.1″ header
  • JTAG connector
Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework, MeridianCPU, Tahoe, Tahoe-II.

.NET Micro Framework Board Support Package for Meridian CPU

Today we are very pleased to announce the release of a .NET Micro Framework Board Support Package (BSP) for our Meridian CPU and development boards.  The BSP adds Meridian specific code to v4.0 of the .NET Micro Framework Porting Kit released by Microsoft late last year.   It means you now have control over every aspect of the code on a Meridian device AND all the tools to do so are FREE!  Yes – the BSP is available to download from our web site at no charge.

You need the Board Support Package to develop custom images for use on Meridian based hardware.  We have included everything you need to build the same firmware we build for Tahoe-II, Tahoe and Meridian/P boards.  With the BSP, you can:

  • Support custom Meridian-based hardware.  You can ensure the right set of software features are included in your image, and that they are configured for your new hardware.
  • Develop custom device drivers.  Sometimes you need to support custom devices and can’t do it in C#.  You may also need to modify existing drivers.  Native code is the place to get this done.
  • Speed-up time-critical code.  For that algorithm that has to go as fast as possible, you can use the interop functionality in the .NET Micro Framework and move it into native code.  This will give you a significant performance improvement.
  • Support a new LCD.  You can do this with the tool from Jan Kucera, however you will speed up production time by creating dedicated firmware that supports your display.

The Porting Kit is quite a complex beast – especially when compared with writing applications in C#!  Before you jump in, you should have a reasonable knowledge of C.  We have provided some batch files and a step-by-step guide to get you started with setting up the build environment and doing your first build.  From there you can dive into the porting kit documentation.

Just like the Micro Framework Porting Kit, we are providing the BSP for free!   Of course, we are not able to include any support at this price :-)  We will try to answer simple questions posted on the forums, but you will need to purchase support for complex questions and issues that require investigation.

As always, we value your feedback on all of our products and love hearing about your projects!

Posted by Martin Welford & filed under .NET Micro Framework, MeridianCPU, Tahoe, Tahoe-II.

5 Ways to get Support for Tahoe-II and Meridian

Here are the best ways to get answers to questions about our products:

  1. FAQ.  Check out our just added Frequently Asked Questions section.
  2. Forums.  Search the forums to find answers or sign up and post a question.  You are also very welcome to answer questions!  We will have more about opportunities to join our support team in a future post.
  3. Check the Help File.  The SDK comes with a help file that integrates into Visual Studio.  The reference section covers all Meridian and Tahoe specific functions.
  4. Check the downloads page for new SDK or firmware releases.  We may have fixed the issue you are struggling with.
  5. Premium Support.  We do our best to answer simple questions on the forum, however issues that need engineering time need to go through our paid support channel.