--- In m..., Joe Radomski wrote: >
> I have only read specific sections of the book but I can highly recommend it.. Those new to the msp430 can really learn alot, those
experienced will probably learn a trick or two when it comes to saving
power on the msp430.. The book has very detailed examples on the
proper uses or the various subsections avaiable on the msp430.. such
as ADC, USCI, timers ect.. >
I'll jump in & recommend the book highly as well. I haven't had a
chance to get past Chapter 5 so far, but I can tell you as someone
who's worked with the MSP430 for a little while, and as someone
who's
worked with state machines *forever*, there is some really useful &
insightful content in the book.
Something to keep in mind... when you're doing a low-power design, any
tips/tricks/methodologies that save you even a few microamps here &
there are valuable. For example, if your average current is 100uA,
and the book helps you shave off 50uA, you just doubled your product's
battery life.
The book does a very nice job of bridging the hardware-software design
issues... issues like pin configuration, clock speeds, board
cleanliness (yes, unwashed flux becomes your enemy), low power modes,
etc... are covered. As others have indicated, there are also sections
on peripherals, such as timers, ADC, USCI (e.g., timer-based UART),
etc... Also issues such as button/switch polling & debouncing in a
very low-power approach.
What's nice is the book takes an approach of "first let's start
with
an obvious & easy to understand implementation, and then gradually
refine & improve it with incremental steps, measuring the effects on
the current draw."
The book gives a good introduction to the MSP430 - very valuable &
helpful to newcomers.
Most of all, the book helps you understand where the current is going
in a low-power design.... how much of the power is spent in active vs.
low power modes, design tradeoffs, how to measure the current & the
effects of changes on current draw, etc...
I have only read specific sections of the book but I can highly recommend it..
Those new to the msp430 can really learn alot, those experienced will probably
learn a trick or two when it comes to saving power on the msp430.. The book has
very detailed examples on the proper uses or the various subsections avaiable on
the msp430.. such as ADC, USCI, timers ect..
--- On Tue, 8/12/08, abernax wrote:
From: abernax
Subject: [msp430] Any one read the "MSP430 State Machine" book by Tom Baugh?
To: m...
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2008, 3:51 PM
Most of you guys are well advanced in the art of the MSP430, so this
book is probably not on your gotta-read-it- right-now list, but I was
wondering if anyone has read it and if they found it to be a good
practical guide with example code.
I have been dabbling with the MSP430F2232 and I would like to learn
more about:
a) doing multiple-channel (A0-A7) ADC10 reads
b) writing some config data to the flash
c) getting a uart debugger console operating
d) adding the ability to flash upgrade the MSP430 via craft
I have already completed portions of (a) and (c) above, but would
like to see other, more compact, that might utilize ideas I didn't
think of. And these are the sorts of modules that would be used from
project to project, so getting them working and using as little code
space as possible will be a big time saver down the road.
What I would like to get out of the book are blocks of useful code
already set up for the MSP430F22x2/ 22x4 processor that would allow me
to more quickly get to the nuts and bolts of actually coding my
widgets. I already know a fair amount about state machines (though
hopefully the book would teach me more about that since that is it's
title) and I am competent in reading data sheets and app notes and
have read numerous ones thus far getting the MSP430 up and running.
I'm just asking, for $40 bucks, is it really useful as a practical
guide or is it more of a collection of TI app notes that have been
bound together for convenience.
I guess my main question is: Will this book save me a bunch of time
in coding up some of these reusable blocks through the use of it's
code examples and explanations?
It might also be good as an indexed reference for configuring the
various peripherals of the 'F22x2 for a relatively new user such as
myself, but that is already pretty well documented in the User's
Guide.
Tom Baugh,
I know you often monitor this board and I hope this post does not
offend you (nor is it intended to). I'm just looking for info since
I checked Amazon and there were no reviews of your book posted yet,
so I thought I would just ask the group if any of them have read it.
I did look at the table of contents and a lot of subjects appear to
be covered. Oh, and does the book come with a CD that includes the
examples used in the book?
Thanks all.
Reply by "e.tury"●August 13, 20082008-08-13
--- In m..., "D" wrote: >
> From: "abernax" jburnham@...
> To: m...
> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 3:51 PM
> Subject: [msp430] Any one read the "MSP430 State Machine" book by Tom Baugh? >
> > Most of you guys are well advanced in the art of the MSP430, so this
> > book is probably not on your gotta-read-it-right-now list, but I was
> > wondering if anyone has read it and if they found it to be a good
> > practical guide with example code.
>
> I cannot elaborate fully as I have not read the entire book from cover-to-cover. > The bit that I have read has been my best read yet
regarding any text-based book > for any embedded microprocessor. One thing to
remember, most of the examples > given in this book are using using the IAR Embedded
Workbench along with one of > SoftBaugh's MSP430 evaluation PCBs using the
MSP430F2274 processor which I > purchased; the book is mainly written to be used
along with SoftBaugh's ES2274 > PCB. The schematics for his ES2274 PCB are included
so one should easily be able > to 'transpose' ideas and code to another
MSP430 processor / PCB. The book: http://www.amazon.com/MSP430-State-Machine-Programming-ES2274/dp/0975475\
924/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid18577000&sr=1-3 >
> Tom's 'State Machine' book is written as a tutorial as such
for working with the > 2274. It is written by a well-versed engineer on a
level for most anyone with an > relatively introductory background in electronics /
firmware. It contains > excellent examples and he uses real world examples
for many common day-to-day > problems we typically tackle. Tom stresses in many
places the need for really > low-power operation; he obviously has a lot of real
world experience on the do's > and don'ts on how to achieve the absolute lowest
power operation for the MSP430. > And of course, the book focuses on state machine
design.
>
> Other items are details about using interrupts, the ADC, Timers, I/O, UARTS, > using the low power modes, etc. And a lot of code
examples are given. Tom > generally starts out with minimal code examples in
order to get a peripheral > working (or getting peripherals working together) and
then evolves the code > showing reasons why he is doing it in a particular
way. In this way, you more > fully understand the details of the code he presents;
to me, this is the best > part of the book.
>
> And Tom has a great way of writing; he adds a humor throughout.
>
> He also has written his 'MSP430 RF Applications' book for use
with another one > of his MSP430 evaluation PCBs; I cannot fully
evaluate this book either as I > have only skimmed through it and I do not have the
evaluation PCB that is used > in that book.
>
> No, the books do not come with a CD; there is a good bit of info at the website. > And no, I do not work for Softbaugh nor am I
compensated by them in any way. >
> For me at 40 bucks US$, the book is a 'no-brainer'; if you add
the cost of the > optional ES2274 evaluation PCB, it's an
education that easily pays for itself. I > have many years experience working with embedded
products, and this book has > brought a good bit of additional real-world insight
to me. It's like learning > throught the trials, tribulations, and experiences of
others. That saves time > and effort...
> Danny
> I own it, and have read parts of it. Skimmed the rest. I believe it
is
worth the money.
I especially enjoyed page 593.
Edd
Reply by D●August 13, 20082008-08-13
From: "abernax"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 3:51 PM
Subject: [msp430] Any one read the "MSP430 State Machine" book by Tom Baugh?
> Most of you guys are well advanced in the art of the
MSP430, so this
> book is probably not on your gotta-read-it-right-now list, but I was
> wondering if anyone has read it and if they found it to be a good
> practical guide with example code.
I cannot elaborate fully as I have not read the entire book from
cover-to-cover.
The bit that I have read has been my best read yet regarding any text-based
book
for any embedded microprocessor. One thing to remember, most of the examples
given in this book are using using the IAR Embedded Workbench along with one
of
SoftBaugh's MSP430 evaluation PCBs using the MSP430F2274 processor which
I
purchased; the book is mainly written to be used along with SoftBaugh's
ES2274
PCB. The schematics for his ES2274 PCB are included so one should easily be
able
to 'transpose' ideas and code to another MSP430 processor / PCB. The
book:
Tom's 'State Machine' book is written as a tutorial as such for
working with the
2274. It is written by a well-versed engineer on a level for most anyone with
an
relatively introductory background in electronics / firmware. It contains
excellent examples and he uses real world examples for many common day-to-day
problems we typically tackle. Tom stresses in many places the need for really
low-power operation; he obviously has a lot of real world experience on the
do's
and don'ts on how to achieve the absolute lowest power operation for the
MSP430.
And of course, the book focuses on state machine design.
Other items are details about using interrupts, the ADC, Timers, I/O, UARTS,
using the low power modes, etc. And a lot of code examples are given. Tom
generally starts out with minimal code examples in order to get a peripheral
working (or getting peripherals working together) and then evolves the code
showing reasons why he is doing it in a particular way. In this way, you more
fully understand the details of the code he presents; to me, this is the best
part of the book.
And Tom has a great way of writing; he adds a humor throughout.
He also has written his 'MSP430 RF Applications' book for use with
another one
of his MSP430 evaluation PCBs; I cannot fully evaluate this book either as I
have only skimmed through it and I do not have the evaluation PCB that is
used
in that book.
No, the books do not come with a CD; there is a good bit of info at the
website.
And no, I do not work for Softbaugh nor am I compensated by them in any way.
For me at 40 bucks US$, the book is a 'no-brainer'; if you add the
cost of the
optional ES2274 evaluation PCB, it's an education that easily pays for
itself. I
have many years experience working with embedded products, and this book has
brought a good bit of additional real-world insight to me. It's like
learning
throught the trials, tribulations, and experiences of others. That saves time
and effort...
Danny
Reply by Tom Baugh●August 12, 20082008-08-12
Abernax,
Thanks for asking. I can answer some of the questions you ask:
> I'm just asking, for $40 bucks, is it really
useful as a practical
> guide or is it more of a collection of TI app notes that have been
> bound together for convenience.
The book is definitely NOT a collection of TI appnotes :-) That's
already been done... In fact, many of the techniques we show are to
overcome the "toy" nature of TI code samples. Their samples show how
to make various peripherals work with no context. Going from their
samples to useful applications is usually nontrivial. Our approach
in the book is from the other direction: how to architect the
application so that you can hang useful parts on that. We assume
that the reader can figure out bits from the TI documentation.
By the way, you might see an appnote from TI soon about "state
machines". Just as their answer to our MRF1611CC1100 (Q4 2006) and
our RF book (Mar 2007) was the ezRF thingy (Oct 2007). Curiously,
although the ezRF stuff raises unending postings, you hardly ever see
postings on this group from users of our MRF1611CC1100 having trouble.
> I guess my main question is: Will this book save me a
bunch of
> time in coding up some of these reusable blocks through the
> use of it's code examples and explanations?
Not a cookbook so much as a way of architecting applications that is
essential for ultra-low-power success without a lot of wheel
reinventing. New MSP430 people will get the maximum benefit by
avoiding mistakes that we all have had to learn the hard way.
Unfortunately, those new users are the most at risk for being led
down a primrose path by overzealous promises. By the time they
figure out what they need to know, they are already in too deep. We
hope to fix that.
> It might also be good as an indexed reference for
configuring the
> various peripherals of the 'F22x2 for a relatively new user such as
> myself, but that is already pretty well documented in the User's
> Guide.
Yep. We leave that to TI's documentation. Our 598 pages is new
stuff you won't see anywhere else.
> Tom Baugh,
> I know you often monitor this board and I hope this post does not
> offend you (nor is it intended to). I'm just looking for info
Of course not. Open discourse protects us all from marketing fluff.
> I checked Amazon and there were no reviews of your
book posted yet,
> so I thought I would just ask the group if any of them have read
Many have, but we're surprised about the lack of reviews, too. We've
had a lot of direct feedback so I guess the loop has been closed
there for them. The only negative we've received from direct
feedback is that the library for chapters 14 and 15 had to be updated
when the new linker stopped allowing it.
We do welcome ALL negative feedback. In many cases negative feedback
is a lot more valuable than kudos (I tell myself I'm right all day
long anyway ;-) A lot of the great features on our boards come from
stuff people didn't like about old versions. In fact, this most
recent book addresses some of the negatives in reviews for previous
books, ours as well as others'. And our next book will address some
of the stuff that people don't like about the MSP430 that we have
encountered over the last ten years working with it.
> I did look at the table of contents and a lot of
subjects appear to
> be covered. Oh, and does the book come with a CD that includes the
> examples used in the book?
No CD. We stopped making CDs long ago, since they get out of date so
quickly. All the supplementary material is on our website.
>
> Thanks all.
>
And thank you.
Tom
Reply by abernax●August 12, 20082008-08-12
Most of you guys are well advanced in the art of the MSP430, so this
book is probably not on your gotta-read-it-right-now list, but I was
wondering if anyone has read it and if they found it to be a good
practical guide with example code.
I have been dabbling with the MSP430F2232 and I would like to learn
more about:
a) doing multiple-channel (A0-A7) ADC10 reads
b) writing some config data to the flash
c) getting a uart debugger console operating
d) adding the ability to flash upgrade the MSP430 via craft
I have already completed portions of (a) and (c) above, but would
like to see other, more compact, that might utilize ideas I didn't
think of. And these are the sorts of modules that would be used from
project to project, so getting them working and using as little code
space as possible will be a big time saver down the road.
What I would like to get out of the book are blocks of useful code
already set up for the MSP430F22x2/22x4 processor that would allow me
to more quickly get to the nuts and bolts of actually coding my
widgets. I already know a fair amount about state machines (though
hopefully the book would teach me more about that since that is it's
title) and I am competent in reading data sheets and app notes and
have read numerous ones thus far getting the MSP430 up and running.
I'm just asking, for $40 bucks, is it really useful as a practical
guide or is it more of a collection of TI app notes that have been
bound together for convenience.
I guess my main question is: Will this book save me a bunch of time
in coding up some of these reusable blocks through the use of it's
code examples and explanations?
It might also be good as an indexed reference for configuring the
various peripherals of the 'F22x2 for a relatively new user such as
myself, but that is already pretty well documented in the User's
Guide.
Tom Baugh,
I know you often monitor this board and I hope this post does not
offend you (nor is it intended to). I'm just looking for info since
I checked Amazon and there were no reviews of your book posted yet,
so I thought I would just ask the group if any of them have read it.
I did look at the table of contents and a lot of subjects appear to
be covered. Oh, and does the book come with a CD that includes the
examples used in the book?
