

Forget MSP430 Launchpad - TI ARM Cortex-M4 Launchpad at $4.99 - pietrofmaggi
http://hackaday.com/2012/08/31/preorder-tis-arm-cortex-m4-launchpad-for-5-delivered/

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eckyptang
Add this to it and it is very interesting: <http://armpit.sourceforge.net/>

(Yes I've ordered one)

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mvts
So what exactly can I do with one of these? What do I need apart from the
Launchpad to get started? Would someone be so kind to explain that to a
microcontroller-newb?

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tdicola
It looks like a nice 32bit ARM microcontroller, so its great for small
projects like talking to sensors, running servos & motors, etc. Compared to
other microcontroller platforms like Arduino, this Stellaris chip is much more
powerful (32bit vs. 8bit, 80mhz vs. ~16mhz, floating point support, etc.) so
perhaps it can even run an embedded linux operating system like the
Beagleboard, Rasberry Pi, etc.

If you just want to make an LED flash and play with a couple buttons you don't
need anything else--the development board includes everything to hook it up to
a computer and program it using Stellaris' software:
[http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontroller/arm_stellaris/code...](http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontroller/arm_stellaris/code_examples.page)

If you're totally new to electronics and microcontrollers, Make magazine has a
good book to check out: [http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-
Charles-Pla...](http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-
Platt/dp/0596153740)

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hatcravat
Are there embedded linux distributions that work without a memory management
unit? I ask is because it looks like the Stellaris doesn't have one. The
Memory Protection Unit allows the OS/monitor/etc. to limit access to specified
regions from unprivileged processes, but it does not appear to have any sort
of remapping facility.

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Joeboy
Apparently you can configure a vanilla linux kernel for mmu-less systems -
<http://opensrc.sec.samsung.com/>

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bluehash
There is a handy forum at <http://forum.stellarisiti.com/> if you want to
share your stuff.

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kanwisher
Bam ordered, this is really excited to have such a powerful core. I'm
wondering what the actual per chip price will be in bulk

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pietrofmaggi
TI sites states a €4.40 per 1000 units:
<http://www.ti.com/product/lm4f120h5qr#samplebuy>

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zrail
Ordered two. Can't wait!

