DSC development kits from TI jump-start digital power and embedded control applications

To further reduce development time, each kit includes code examples and full hardware design details along with TI’s Code Composer Studio™ (CCStudio) 32 KB limited integrated development environment (IDE). To accelerate development of software controlled digital power applications, the Digital Power Experimenter’s Kit will be free to attendees of the one-day digital power workshops being held worldwide starting in June 2008. For more information on the kits and workshops, see www.ti.com/f28xkits.

Modular controlCARDS and Experimenter Kits provide low cost access to 32-bit DSCs
By adopting the new TMS320C2000™ controlCARDs, OEMs can rapidly build prototypes and even full production systems using the complete controller subsystem that comes on a small (90mm x 25mm) removable 100-pin DIMM form-factor card. Key analog, digital I/O signals and JTAG test pins are available through the controlCARD interface and only a 5V input is needed as all other power levels are provided on the board. The first two controlCARDs are based on the TMS320F28335 floating-point DSC (running at 150MHz and with 512KB of on-board flash) and the F2808 fixed-point DSC (at 100MHz and 128KB of on-chip flash memory). The F28335 and F2808 controlCARD are $69 and $59, respectively.

Starting at $89, the C2000™ Experimenter Kits include either the TMS320F2808 or floating point F28335 controlCARD and a docking station. Full access to all controlCARD pins is provided by the docking station, along with a 4-pin RS-232 interface, and a breadboard area for designers to add components. The Experimenter Kits also include a universal 5V power supply.

Industrial and consumer applications see benefits of digital power with new kits
Digital control of power conversion systems results in lower overall cost through the consolidation of functions on to a programmable controller while enabling real time intelligent monitoring of load conditions, and improved system reliability and efficiency. Three new Digital Power Application Kits help bring these benefits to digital power management in communications infrastructure, industrial and consumer applications.

The Digital Power Experimenter’s Kit is ideal for those new to software based digital power management by providing a high function development environment including a DC/DC motherboard using two of TI’s digital non-isolated PowerTrain™ modules along with an F2808 controlCARD. The DC/DC board also includes a digital multi-meter and an active load that design engineers can use to perform transient response analysis and tuning. The Digital Power Experimenter’s Kit comes with a universal 9V power supply and 32KB CCStudio IDE. A complete software package is available for free download that includes a working system and additional digital power instructional materials.

The DC/DC Digital Power Developer’s Kit targets multi-rail and multi-phase applications and using a F28044 DSC based controlCARD to demonstrate the capabilities of the device as a 16-rail digital power controller. The DC/DC Developer’s kit includes a DC/DC motherboard using eight of TI’s digital non-isolated PowerTrain modules useful for prototyping DC point-of-load power control in a wide range of equipments for industry, communications infrastructure and consumer electronics. The DC/DC Developer’s kit includes a 9V power supply, 32 KB CCS IDE, and downloadable software package.

The AC/DC Developer’s Kit is a complete, 80-Watt (max) rectifier development platform and uses a two-phase interleaved power factor correction (PFC) front end and a phase-shifted full-bridge secondary. The system is fully controlled by a single F2808 controlCARD and is useful for prototyping communications systems such as server farms and base stations, as well as telecom and consumer equipments. The AC/DC Developer’s Kit includes the 32KB CCS IDE and a complete, downloadable software package.

Workshops accelerate software controlled digital power applications
The C2000 digital power workshops are a one-day hands-on session and serve as an introduction to the concept of software controlled digital power supply design and use the Digital Power Experimenter Kit for exploration of digital power concepts and techniques.