Anyone using the Lantronix XPort?

I agree, the dev kit they supply doesn't let you develop the system code for the processor. I was told to ask my distributor for the relevant SDK. If you can get your hands on it then you can develop code for it using Borland C Builder. I gave up waiting and found another solution so no points to Lantronix there.

As for the .cob file, it's just a java archive so you can read it with any ZIP decoder.

Peter

I read Jeff Bachiochi's Jan 04 Circuit Cellar article and thought it was just the Client Development Kit (it was called the CDK). I think he had just the XPort and not the dev kit. I think Lantronix should rename it to Demo kit as that's what it really is. I've blasted an email off to Lantronix and I'll see what info I can get. Thanks

I took a look at the .cob file under Unix and 'file' only knows it as a data file. A .jar file comes up as a Zip archive file. I think they put the jar file and the index.html together somehow and you get a cob file.

I sent an email to Lantronix and they responded back this morning. Basically I can get the sdk but I'll have to sign an NDA. I really don't have a problem with this but I first want to read the NDA to see what it limits me to doing. For my first project I don't need to modify the firmware but for a couple of others I need to make changes. We'll see how things go. I really believe in Open Source but that doesn't mean that Closed Source can't get along. There is plenty of place in this world for both.

This looks like an interesting alternative to the Lantronix module:

Its basically the same concept, but using a NetSilicon ARM7 core, 2M Flash, 8M RAM.

It also allows access to the RJ45 pins which means you should be able to implement power over ethernet, which I don't think is possible with the Lantronix module. I have not used this device, but I'd be interested to know if anyone out there has.

Martin

I'd love to know the price for the individual part and for the dev kit. I checked the site and the distributors but no pricing (actuall not much info at the distributors).

The SDK is US$1495.00. That includes Cygwin with GCC 3.2, and gdb with a GUI interface, the XTools toolkit, source for all drivers and many of the libraries, a Raven JTAG debugger, one Connect ME with a JTAG connector and a PC board to plug it all into. You get two serial ports and GPIO connections to play with. The CPU is clocked at 55 MHz. The JTAG connector is not included on production units.

In the libraries are ftp, telnet and two http servers, SSL with AES encryption, a bootloader with dhcp and bootp options, and lots of other toys. There are also utilities that convert html pages into C source to be compiled into the firmware image.

Prices run from $47.00 in small quatities to less than $35 in larger lots. I don't have the exact numbers we were quoted here at home.

The one problem I have is the poor documentation. Some of the library for versoin 6 is brand new and they haven't completed the manuals or examples for them. They adapted the original Netsilicon documents and examples, but weren't too careful in marking what they changed. Their support staff is very responsive when I ask specific questions. I usually get replies to email within a few hours. But they are still learning the product and frequently have to go to an engineer to get those answers.

There is a Netsilicon web site with forums for the basic processor and original materials. The kernel I have is Net+OS 6.0, and, based on comments in the examples, I believe that much of it was imported from pSOS.

HTH,

Bob McConnell N2SPP