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Nice sensor rf ev from Cypress — Parallax Forums

Nice sensor rf ev from Cypress

kelvin jameskelvin james Posts: 531
edited 2009-01-26 05:28 in General Discussion
Check out "watch the demo", and then check the buy now price of the rf eval board! Take a boo at the manual, lots of toys to play with. I2C expansion port <> Propeller?

www.cypress.com/?id=1539


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Comments

  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2009-01-26 02:38
    A colleague of mine that is a cypress nut and I are working with these now to develop an RF DMX receiver for our Christmas light setups for this year. Our hope is to make it simple enough for non-cypress users make use of it as well for other projects.

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    Andrew Williams
    WBA Consulting
    IT / Web / PCB / Audio
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-01-26 03:01
    What advantages and differences do these modules offer over something more common, like the RF modules parallax or sparkfun sells?
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2009-01-26 05:28
    That's a question that unfortunately requires a very complex answer. However, to simplify our decisions for using it, here's a few comments:

    1) Range. When powered by two AAsand a proper antenna, the RF output can be a max of +20dBm which equates to just over 1000' of line of sight range. (the FAQ on range states 400 meters). With the evaluation kit and code modified for full power RF, we have already seen ranges around 300'.

    2) Power requirements. With proper design, you can run a node at ultra low power off a coin cell and get 30m LoS range. This means a node can be designed down to the size of a 9 volt battery.

    3) Simplicity in design. Since he already uses Cypress parts in other designs, adding the RF ability is a piece of cake. It's just another module in the existing IDE, all free and fully supported by Cypress with appnotes, online training, etc. The IDE, PSoC Designer, is not the simplest to pick up, but with the low cost evaluation kits and training, it's easy to get involved with it. I have the $20 first touch capsense kit (now called the FTMF multiexpansion card) and I have been able to do quite a bit with it with my only programming experience being with the Stamp. (if you rule out turtle on the TRS-80 from junior high)

    The best way to answer your question is for you to peruse the user guide that's for the eval kit:
    download.cypress.com/firsttouch/documents/CY3271KitGuide.pdf
    Page 97 has the range FAQ.

    The RF kit is only $70 at Digi-key, so it's easy to start playing with it.
    search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=428-2272-ND

    The interesting thing about Cypress's solution is that someone at UC Berkeley did the same thing in 2004 using the pairing of TI's MSP430 uC and the CC2420 radio chip for a thesis on mesh networking. That design is commercially made by a few companies, including Sentilla. www.sentilla.com/hardware.html

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    Andrew Williams
    WBA Consulting
    IT / Web / PCB / Audio
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