New heart of CoolRF: ATmega128RFA1 chip

Our New Year's pre-order was astonished by performance. For four days, more than half of the first print run of printed circuit boards of the premiere module was ordered. This is despite the fact that it uses fairly rare components and is not yet available ready working software. Many customers wrote directly in the comments that they are very happy to financially support our project with such an acquisition. Thank you for that!

A new participant has come to the project - Alexander Mikheev alexmgf . He is also from Yekaterinburg. For several years of experiments, Alexander has accumulated a decent amount of experience both in the field of electronics development and in terms of writing firmware for his designs. Recently, it also began publishing on Habré, here is his first article .

Alexander's wireless designs are based on the ATmega128RFA1 chip. After some thought, we decided to relocate our project to use this chip. This will give us full use of the experience of the new member, as well as promises a number of other interesting advantages. Of course, there are also negative sides. Details - under the cut.

Compatible radio module

Not long ago, Alexander independently developed a radio module that is pin-compatible with the NRF24LE1. Such a module can be installed on our boards without any alterations of the latter. You can see the picture of the board in the post title.

The first experimental series of such boards will be available already next week. This series is ordered at the plant in Yekaterinburg and is quite small. If there is interest, we will immediately order a more decent number of boards in China. There are chances to catch up to the new year, although it is already small. At the bottom of the article you will find a letter template for pre-order and pricing.

In addition to the processor board itself, two “adapters” have been developed. The first is on USB, the second is on a standard programmer:



The additional line of pins of the radio module will not be decoupled for installation in standard dimmer boards. It hurt the future.

Benefits of using ATmega128RFA1

Atmel microcontrollers know everything

If not all, then very many. And if you include Arduino fans here, you’ll get an indecent amount of people. In the future, the chip should allow to make a piece of hardware programmed directly from the Arduino IDE. We hope we get to this development. This may result in a very large portion of followers in the project.

Experience of a new project participant

Allow us to quickly develop both new project modules and software for these modules. Source codes and schemes will continue to be open for non-commercial use. For those who want to establish the production of such iron, we will prepare special conditions.

Available ZigBee stack

For those who do not want to mess with homegrown software, there is a great opportunity. Atmel Corporation's BitCloud software stack is the implementation of the ZigBee protocol with all its goodies. Stack with closed source, but open and well documented API level. Plus, with the possibility of free use even in commercial developments (if we are wrong, click on us, please, in the necessary link, where the opposite is written).

Negative sides

The radio module based on the ATmega128RFA1 will be slightly more expensive than its predecessor. If the NRF24LE1, when ordering through us, would already cost around 400-450 rubles, with the new module we will be able to approach this level only after reaching some good volumes. Only the microcontroller itself costs around 200 rubles and it will not work to buy it “in every stall”. In China, there are no ready boards at its base, they can be purchased from us or from our representatives.

Turning to a new type of MK, we do not cross out the possibility of working with the NRF24LE1. Support for the NRF24LE1 will evolve at the same slow pace as previously planned.

Pre-order of radio modules based on ATmega128RFA1 and adapter boards

If there is a good number of pre-orders, we will try to get the finished products to be sent to customers during January. These boards will be fully assembled and welded, not in the form of a designer.

Pricing

The radio module is 800 rubles when ordering one module, 700 rubles from five pieces, 600 rubles from ten pieces.

USB adapter 300 rubles when ordering one adapter, 250 rubles from five pieces, 200 rubles from ten pieces.

Adapter to programmer 200 rubles when ordering one adapter, 150 rubles from five pieces, 100 rubles from ten pieces.

How to pay?

There will be no cash on delivery, it will be sent on prepaid parcel cost + delivery. We plan to make the Golden Crown as the central payment channel. They have a lot of branches throughout Russia and not only, plus rather low tariffs. After the new year, the option of payment via the Internet via a plastic card should be added (many people asked to do this - we listened). With a large number of people willing to pay differently - options are discussed.

How to sign up?

We got a special mail for pre-orders: preorder (funny dog) coolrf.com. Send there a letter with the heading "Pre-order radio modules" with similar content:

  Full name: Vasily Afanasyevich Pupkin
 Moscow city
 Order: 10 radio modules, 5 usb adapters, 1 adapter programmer
 Delivery: PONY-express
 Payment: plastic card via the Internet 

You can put your options in the "Delivery" and "Payment", if not quite satisfied with the proposed by us. As soon as everything is ready for dispatch, we will contact you by e-mail with everyone who wishes to finalize the orders.

Partnership

We start looking for partners in the regions for the implementation of our modules. The conditions are simple. A partner gets big discounts, financially participating already at the stage of pre-ordering our products. All those who wish to become our first regional partners are welcome to the special mail partner (funny dog) coolrf.com.