Processors with remote programming / debugging

Hello, I am looking into potential embedded microprocessors to use for a one time project. About 2-3 units will be produced. A good software library and a solid product are more important than volume pricing.

- Remote programming and debugging is necessary. This is a one time project that will be installed in New Mexico (I am in NY), and I need to be able to fix small glitches from home. This should happen over basic TCP/IP (not some crazy serial emulator I need to install everywhere). It is not practical to dedicate an entire computer towards acting as the host for this.

- I am looking for a microcontroller that does not emit much heat. It will be enclosed in a unit that will be in surrounding temperatures of

100+ (New Mexico).

- I plan on analyzing the input from 2 cameras at a rate of 2 frames per second. So 2x2 =3D 4 frames per second. A shadow tracking algorithm will be applied to one of the images. I am not sure how computationally expensive this will be but I don=92t expect it to be huge.

- Ethernet connection is necessary to upload images to a specified location (TCP/IP and FTP protocol support would be great).

- Thread support (or the likes). I don=92t want any network delays to interrupt the image analysis.

- File storage is not a huge deal but the easier the better. Any kind of file system support would be great, as I will most likely dump debugging information from time to time on the image algorithm.

Again this is low volume and time constrained, I=92d rather buy a lot of pre-working parts.

Currently the best thing I have found is the rabbit processors with the RabbitLink for remote debugging and programming. There seem to be various libraries for downloading images from cameras, etc. Down side is it is not ANSI C so I can not port code easily, and I hear it is a little annoying.

Can anyone offer any alternatives? I have seen quite a few options but it seems like no one else offers TCP/IP based remote programming/ debugging.

Thank you kindly! Lucas

Reply to
lucasvickers
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Hello, I am looking into potential embedded microprocessors to use for a one tim project. About 2-3 units will be produced. A good software library and solid product are more important than volume pricing.

- Remote programming and debugging is necessary. This is a one tim project that will be installed in New Mexico (I am in NY), and I need to b able to fix small glitches from home. This should happen over basic TCP/I (not some crazy serial emulator I need to install everywhere). It is no practical to dedicate an entire computer towards acting as the host fo this.

- I am looking for a microcontroller that does not emit much heat. I will be enclosed in a unit that will be in surrounding temperatures of 100 (New Mexico).

- I plan on analyzing the input from 2 cameras at a rate of 2 frames pe second. So 2x2 = 4 frames per second. A shadow tracking algorithm will b applied to one of the images. I am not sure how computationally expensiv this will be but I don?t expect it to be huge.

- Ethernet connection is necessary to upload images to a specifie location (TCP/IP and FTP protocol support would be great).

- Thread support (or the likes). I don?t want any network delays t interrupt the image analysis.

- File storage is not a huge deal but the easier the better. Any kind o file system support would be great, as I will most likely dump debuggin information from time to time on the image algorithm.

Again this is low volume and time constrained, I?d rather buy a lot o pre-working parts.

Currently the best thing I have found is the rabbit processors with th RabbitLink for remote debugging and programming. There seem to be variou libraries for downloading images from cameras, etc. Down side is it is no ANSI C so I can not port code easily, and I hear it is a little annoying.

Can anyone offer any alternatives? I have seen quite a few options but i seems like no one else offers TCP/IP based remote programming/debugging.

Thank you kindly! Lucas

Reply to
lucasvickers

We had a similar set of requirements for a building management system. *Much* to our surprise a PC came out tops! We used an eBox2300SX running Linux. See late on in

formatting link

Dirt cheap (~US120), well made, runs DOS, Linux and WinCE or WinXP (embedded) from a cheap Compact Flash card. The kicker was that the box and PSU are included. Total power consumption is 6w and it's fanless. There are a number of Linux-based ARM systems around around at a higher price, but which may save you a watt or two.

If you are already a Windows buff, the latest WinCE is dirt cheap in small volumes, and our Graham ported it in about two hours. However, I have absolutely no experience with current versions, so can't comment about reliability.

Stephen

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Stephen Pelc, stephenXXX@mpeforth.com
MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time
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Reply to
Stephen Pelc

See MPE's site for a suitable board based product that you can add the frame grabber hardware to and which will likely fulfil all of your goals.

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Paul E. Bennett...............
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Reply to
Paul E. Bennett

There is an ANSI C compiler for the Rabbit, although I do not know i existing Dynamic C libraries can be used/easily adapted or whether the provide there own libraries.

See

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that is WinIDE from Softools Inc.

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-Aubrey

Reply to
antedeluvian51

Lucas:

I am not seeing here what will disqualify Netburner. Any and all remote debugging will require you to open certain ports in the router at your NM site.

the Netburner MOD5270 is a fine product for your application

Chris

Reply to
Chris_99

That is interesting, and removes a major block to using the Rabbit. The other block (lack of full Z80 compatibility) is not removable. However the hardware should be able to implement full standard C. Does it comply with C99, or C90?

Please do not remove attribution lines for any material you quote. Those are the initial "joe wrote" lines.

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 [mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net) 
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Reply to
CBFalconer

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