The smallest ARM platform in the world
This is the Catweazle Mini, a Trinket type embedded platform.
The main difference to the AVR Trinket is that this one runs an NXP LPC810 ARM Cortex M0+ MCU at 30MHz.
Yes, that is a real 32-bit ARM platform and the LPC chip costs only $1 !!!
The Catweazle Mini has 6 general purpose IO, 4K flash, 1K SRAM, 2 Timers, SPI, I2C and UART.
The built in bootloader enables flash programming with a serial FTDI cable. A jumper sets it in ISP mode.
The board also contains a 3.3v LDO regulator and a red LED for that blinky test.
Yes, it runs at 3.3v but the IO ports are 5v tolerant.
The development IDE is the LPCXpresso or my personal favorite the mbed online compiler.
The mbed compiler requires no installation on your PC and runs entirely online.
To upload hex-files to the Catweazle you can use the Flash Magic Tool and a FTDI type USB TTL Serial cable.
This is a DIY version built on perfboard that you can put together yourself.
It has pinheaders under the chip for easy breadboarding.
I'm going to sell the Catweazle Mini and the larger Catweazle (16K flash, 4K SRAM, 18 GPIO) as prebuilt boards on my website.
The schematic
Uploading code
Uploading code to the board is done with the free Flash Magic found at www.flashmagictool.com
This program uploads an Intel HEX file to the board over a FTDI USB/TTL Serial cable using only the Rx and Tx lines.
Choose the COM port for the cable, 115200baud as the speed and 12MHz for the oscillator.
The bootloader runs at 12MHz default.
The bootloader jumper needs to be bridged before powering the board to set the MCU in bootloader mode.
It has a Von Neuman architecture so it can run code uploaded to SRAM and testing does not have to be flashed.
Flash Magic
Not Wiring
The code example is not really Arduino code but an LPCXpresso C++ project with definitions to make the Arduino Blink code example compile.
The compiled code is about 750bytes.
It's still smaller than the Blink compiled on an AVR platform.
This is because the 32-bit ARM has a more efficient code than the 8-bit AVR.
The Catweazle can run code at a blistering speed compared to an AVR making it a great option for DSP or speed demanding applications. It can do a 32x32bit multiplication in a single clockcycle !!!
Sure, It does not have an onboard ADC converter for analog signals but it has an analog comparator that can do delta/sigma conversations in higher a resolution than any AVR chip is capable of. At CD-Audio speed.
The Arduino Blink example
Blink
The Catweazle
The larger board, The Catweazle, made it's first blink today.
It has 16K flash, 4K SRAM, an external 2Mbyte flash memory and 18 GPIO on the same small board size as the mini.
It uses the 32-bit NXP LPC812 ARM Cortex M0+ MCU at 30MHz.
The 2Mbyte extra flash makes it possible to store and run very large code for logging and RTOS applications.
Very fun toys to develop on.
The Catweazle vs. Mini
The most fun thing
I have found a PCB manufacturer in Sweden that will make my boards. Karlstad actually
Thanks Sebastian at PCBmanu.com
That is really great.
Made in Sweden full out and not in China.
The Catweazle PCB
Here is the SMT PCB for the Catweazle.
Its in Nano-style for use on a breadboard.
It also has an onboard 2Mbyte flash for code and loggingdata.
I haven't done it in the Uno footprint yet because I need to know the interest in it before ordering PCBs.
I plan to sell this pre mounted for $25.
That will include the USB/FTDI cable.
The PCB
Buy the Catweazle
I'm proud to announce that you can now buy the Catweazle Premounted PCB or kit with all the components including a USB-TTL Serial cable.
You can also preorder the Catweazle Mini and have it shipped when the PCB is available.
The Mini also includes the USB-TTL Serial cable.
The prices includes international shipping.
Buy the Catweazle
Order the Catweazle Catweazle Premounted $30.00 USD Catweazle DIY Kit $20.00 USD
The kit contains the chip and supporting components. Shipping is included in the price.
Preorder the Catweazle Mini
Order the Catweazle Catweazle Mini Premounted $15.00 USD Catweazle Mini DIY Kit $10.00 USD
Preordering the Catweazle Mini includes the PCB, the LPC810, the components and a USB-TTL Serial cable. Shipping is included in the price.
Now runs at 48MHz
With one waitstate on the flash it now runs at 48MHz on the internal oscillator like the Teensy.
I tried it at 72MHz and it runs but the SRAM and IO sometimes return false bits.
There is no way to add waitstates to the internal RAM.
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