MICRO/SYS Industrial Partner

Micro/Sys MCB08 - General Purpose HC(S)08 SNAP Microcontroller MCB08 Simple Type: Network Controller

The MCB08 offers a complete, easy to use hardware/software package for low-cost, low-power 3.3VDC embedded applications. The compact size of the MCB08 and low-power requirements allow it to be used in handheld, bench-top, and battery-operated applications, such as monitor/alarm systems, weather stations, and instrumentation. The MCB08 can be plugged into an OEM-designed board like an IC (with 0.1 ” headers) and is made to interface directly with LVC logic, CPLDs, FPGAs or other 3.3VDC designs. The board is held in place by two mounting holes with number 6-32 screws. The Metrowerks CodeWarrior C-compiler and assembler, running on Win98/NT/ 2000/XP, is used to create programs for the MCB08. These programs are then downloaded and debugged in the MCB08 flash, through the provided serial cable. This provides the system developer an easy to use software development platform. At the core of the MCB08 is a Freescale 8-bit HC(S)08 microcontroller which is ideally optimized for environments requiring high-performance, low-power controllers. High performance is achieved with 50nsec instruction times and a highly C-optimized architecture. Integer math can be performed at 100,000 instructions per second, while floating point math can be performed at 5,000 instructions per second. The HC(S)08 series of processors has multiple power management modes which provide low-power operation. When running at its fastest speed and not in shutdown, the MCB08 draws an economical 20mA of current. The MCB08 communicates with its surrounding environment through RS-232 and I2C. Either COM1 or COM2 can be directed to the DB9 connector through jumper settings, or COM2 through bottom-mounted headers. These headers also provide access for the 12C bus. The MCB08 delivers an extraordinarily high number of functions for its compact size. Some of these functions come standard on the board and others are options that must be ordered. (See Ordering Information) Most of the pins on the microcontroller have dual functions, however, all pins can be set for basic digital I/O, giving the user a total of 46 signals. A secondary function of the I/O pins is the 8 channels of 10-bit ADC, which are set up to read from 0 to 3.3VDC. The user circuit can scale this to read any voltage desired. Additional secondary functions include 8 channels of timer/PWM, an 8-channel keypad interface, and 16 pins of high current digital output (10mA). Bottom mounted 0.1 ” headers provide access for most of the signals coming into and going out from the MCB08. These 0.1” headers make it very convenient to plug the MCB08 into prototyping vector boards or ribbon cables. The signals are unaltered between the headers and the microcontroller, giving the user maximum flexibility. Since the MCB08 interfaces with 3.3VDC circuits, the signals are not 5VDC-tolerant. For powering the MCB08, an onboard jumper selects whether the board operates from 4VDC to 10VDC, or 1.8VDC to 3.6VDC. However, the RS232 operates from 3.0VDC to 10VDC, and the temperature detector operates from 2.7VDC to 10VDC. Power can be supplied from a 25V battery, or provided by a wall mount power supply. The development kit includes Metrowerks CodeWarrior, which combines the simplicity of drag-and-drop software “beans ” with a powerful C compiler. Teamed with the MCB08 internal debug module, this offers very simple debugging techniques rarely found on 8-bit micro-controllers.

Download the datasheet (PDF)