A tiny RoHS-compliant microcontroller board released by Micro/sys offers low-power, low-cost control for simple applications.
The MCB08, part of the Micro/sys Snap series of microcontroller boards, is based on the Freescale HC(S)08 microcontroller, and measures 43 x 30 x 21mm (1.7 x 1.2 x 0.85in).
This 8-bit microcontroller chip enables the MCB08 to perform at high speed (40 MHz) while requiring a typically low 100mW for power. This is the same draw as two LEDs, which makes battery-operation a possibility and also means that no cooling is required. This combination of compact size and low-power requirement allows the MCB08 to be used in handheld, benchtop, and battery-operated applications such as monitor/alarm systems, weather stations, and remote instrumentation. The MCB08 operates in an extended temperature range of -40 to +85 degrees C.
Despite its small size and low power, the MCB08 benefits from a 40MHz HC(S)08 CPU with a fast instruction time of 50ns. The CPU is also highly integrated with up to 46 multipurpose I/O lines. The I/O pins can be used as digital I/O, or they can allow access to eight channels of the 10-bit analogue-to-digital converter (ADC). Other functions include eight channels of timers or pulse width modulators (PWM), an eight-channel keypad interface, and 16 pins of high-current (10mA) digital output. Two RS232 serial ports and an I2C port complete the wide range of I/O available.
The MCB08 has 60kbytes of program/data flash and 4kbytes of SRAM. The highly efficient Freescale Codewarrior compiler, which is included in the development kit, combines the simplicity of drag-and-drop software module 'beans' with a powerful C compiler. Programs can be compiled, downloaded to the onboard flash with the provided serial cable, and then debugged without leaving the integrated development environment.
Single quantity pricing for the MCB08 is EUR59 (USA$75) and significant OEM discounts are available.
For more information, visit www.embeddedsys.com
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