Which platform to use for a custom product?

NETMF & Gadgeteer
1

Hi,
I am looking at developing a custom programmable logic controller for use with some machines at the place where I work. I would be designing a custom circuit board for this product. What are my options, and what does the community think is the best route to go for the system?

I would want to break out a large amount of the pins on the 100 pin chip including SPI, I2C, CAN bus, and UART ports. How can I access these through software? Each module I have used in the past has it’s own reference for the pins it breaks out. How do I access all of the pins?

Thanks,
Tom

2

You probably want to start with the NETMF beginner’s book: http://www.ghielectronics.com/downloads/FEZ/Beginners%20guide%20to%20NETMF.pdf

Specifically, nearly any of GHI’s offerings would be suitable, it depends on your specific requirements.

3

Take a look at EMX module http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/128

4

My question is more geared towards - if I use the 100 pin chip that GHI sells - which I am leaning towards, what software reference do I use so that I can access all of it’s pins?
Thanks,
Tom

5

Access them as GPIO? This should help GHI Electronics – Where Hardware Meets Software

6

More like, what reference do I load in C# so that when I set up an input port, I can access them all. For instance, when I add the FEZ Mini reference, it lets me use all pins particular to the MINI. How can I access the chip specifically - i.e. PWM ports, analog input and output ports, serial and I2C ports.
Thanks,
Tom

7

You need usbizi reference not fez mini.

8

Hi,
Below I have a sample code snippet defining an analog pin. What happens if I define the wrong pin? Is it always benign to the hardware? How hard is it to write a definition like the FEZ Mini has so that you cannot select the wrong pin for a task?
Thanks,
Tom

AnalogIn myIn = new AnalogIn((AnalogIn.Pin)USBizi.Pin.IO28);
9

The pins are for digital function only. For analog, use the enum from analog class not usbizi.