Microchip Delivers Where TI Fails

Finally, I achieve my wireless dream, with some help of course:)

In TI's defense, it must be noted that TI's target board consisting of the MCU, radio, crystal and chip-antenna is about the size of MCP's radio board. MCP is using a trace antenna, then the radio board goes into a daughter pigtail that plugs into a full-fledged development board. Unseemly, but functional.

Microchip Quality Policy

Do they have one? Listen to this presentation by GK and you really wonder :

http://techtrain.microchip.com/webseminars/ArchivedDetail.aspx?Active=147

Microchip Thermosat Example

Okay, they show you how you can take an 80's mechanical thermostat and put their parts in. But, why not go all the way and put a link in explaining how you can add ethernet or Wi-Fi connectivity so you can monitor and set this thing from anywhere in the world? How to set a 6 digit PIN, etc.

If you're out for the day, you sure want to turn the device off (or set the target so that you sae energy) and you want the thing up and running 10 minutes before you return home - so you'd ideally like to send the thing an email over the internet (how do you do a secure transaction unless you have the ability to put an embedded HTTPS server into your thermostat?) before you leave work.

Why not put together a demo showing how you can accomplish all this with products readily available from MCP and give the source code away and show people how to hack it and include the cost of developing this in the cost of the product? Some people see things as they are and ask why; I see things as they may be and ask why not.

What Microchip Doesn't Teach You

Okay, they have a PIC that you can directly connect to an RF45 ethernet jack. Nice. Now, what you want to do is go wireless. Or, even before that, how about putting an end-to-end demo like this :

Requirements - laptop or desktop, router or modem with multiple ethernet ports, demo board

Now, how do you connect this demo board to the router and get something to look at on your PC. Where is the source code so you can customize it?

Ultimately, any application has to have a wireless backup just for security reasons. You simply cannot depend on a wire that people can snap. Always build in as much autonomy as you can. Energy harvesting is definitely a plus. This is why TI is ahead of Microchip and will continue to remain so.

Customers

Maker,

Thanks for the info. I would like to get this setup working in our lab in x y so that we can do a better job of debugging yield issues. How do I get these boards and software?

I2C and SPI with Arduino

Didn't look deeply into SPI, but, considering they're both supported by the AVR feature set (look at the datasheet on Atmel.com), it ought to be simple. The thing about Arduino is that there are only so many pins available for expansion - so you have to give something up. My question is - WTH do you have to give up analog pins - why not digital? Anyhow, here's a guy who's been through it :

http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=241

Mission Impossible

Alright, I've had it. I need this gadget now. This is no simple MCU hack of course but..

See what you buy and where you prefer to buy it. Have a bar code reader on your fridge and check items in. Have one on your pantry door as well. Get an idea of the frequency at which you buy the stuff (so you don't have to install weight sensors:) On the other hand, you could check stuff out of the fridge as well - to keep track of usage. Anyway, bottom line is, your fridge will inform your gadget that you need item x.

Then, in the course of your weekly movement, you gadget will alert you when you're close to your chosen store. Sometimes, taking the right exit makes all the difference in gaining that extra half hour of life to do with as you please.

This is going to take GPS and a small form factor PC. But it will be done!