MC13224 Hardware Guide

This is the MC13224v Hardware Guide. The purpose of this page is to catalog and document all the known available hardware based on the MC13224.

Full disclosure: The author is a full partner in Redwire, LLC and is totally biased. He thinks you should go to the store right now and spend lots of money on their products. He will try to be as fair as possible when presenting products from other manufacturers. Send patches and suggestions to mc1322x@devl.org

Quicks links to each manufacturer's section:

• Redwire
  • Econotag: ~$55. inexpensive stand-alone dev. kit. Easy JTAG debugging. No extra programming hardware needed.
  • Redbee Module: ~$45. connector-ized module.
  • Redbee Dev: ~$55. simple development board for the Redbee Module.
  • QuahogCon 2010 Badge: Econotag with batteries. Precursor to the EconoMOTE. Open Hardware relased under CC-BY-SA.
• CEL
  • FreeStar Pro: ~$27. inexpensive FCC approved module. Has PA. Needs to be soldered to an application board.
• Freescale
  • 1322x-SRB (Sensor Reference Board) ~$540. Many different sensors, lights, and pushbuttons.
  • 1322x-NCB (Network Coordinator Board) ~-$160. (yes, negative, see below) Sensor Reference Board with Graphic LCD.
  • 1322x-LPN (Low Power Node) ~$120. Sensor board but without the sensor --- and trimmed down a bit.
  • 1322x-USB (USB dongle and 802.15.4/ZigBee packet sniffer) ~$80. Bare bones MC13224v and FT232 UART in a small case.
• Nivis
  • VersaNode: price unknown. FCC approved module. Has PA. Needs to be soldered to an application board.

What's up with those Freescale prices?

Freescale only sells the USB board individually, the rest are available in bundles. From http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=1322x_Dev_Kits&fsrch=1:

• 1322XEVK          : 4S + 3N + 2L + U = $2000
• 1322XNSK-DBG: S + N + L + U = $ 580
• 1322XDSK-DBG: S + N = $ 380
• 1322XUSB          : U = $ 80

If you solve this system on equations (4 equations and 4 unknowns), then you get:

• S = $ 540
• N = $ -160
• L = $ 120
• U = $ 80

Redwire

Full disclosure: This is the author's favorite hardware (and it should be, he designed and sells it!)

Redbee Econotag: buy now from Redwire, OFLabs

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: USB regulated to 3v29 (short JP11 to regulate to 3v55); up to 16V in on JP13; VBAT available on JP12.
• JTAG: on-board FT2232H --- interface A
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: on-board FT2232H --- interface B
• VREF2: connected to FT2232H pins. Available on JP15 and JP16. Additional pads available to make VREF2 erases easy. (Short JP15 and JP16).
• RESET: Push button, FT2232H, or through-hole.
• Antenna: PCB inverted-F
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Optional. Pads available on JP26, C9 and C10.
• Buck inductor: Optional. Cut JP27 on back of board. Populate L1. Populate D2 on the back.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• Red LED, Q3 on TX_ON (can be used to indicate either TX or RX)
• Green LED, Q4 on RX_ON (can be used to indicate either TX or RX)
• Two push buttons: S1 (between KBI0 and 4); and S2 (between KBI1 and 5)
• Stand-alone operation: no extra programming hardware is necessary.

Documentation:

• EconoTAG Schematic
• EconoTAG BOM
• Shorting JP15 and JP16 to erase the EconoTAG

Redbee Module: buy now from Redwire, OFLabs

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: VBAT available on underside connector.
• JTAG: JTAG pads available on JP2.
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: available on underside connector.
• VREF2: Can be toggled via DIP switch S2
• RESET: Push button, JTAG pads, or underside connector.
• Antenna: PCB inverted-F
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Yes.
• Buck inductor: Optional. Remove R5. Populate L1 on underside.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• Red LED, Q2 on TX_ON (can be used to indicate either TX or RX)
• Module with connector.

Documentation:

• Redbee Module Schematic
• Redbee Module BOM

Redbee DEV: buy now from Redwire

Other features:

• Accepts Redbee Module.
• Powers module from USB.
• FT232 connects to UART1.
• RGB LED Q2
• Five push buttons: short to GND.
• AT45 serial dataflash
• Potentiometer
• 1v8 reference
• Temperature sensor
• 2kHz Buzzer
• 50-pin breakout

Documentation:

• Redbee Dev. Schematic
• Redbee Dev. BOM

QuahogCon 2010 Badge:

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: USB regulated to 3v29 (short JP11 to regulate to 3v55); up to 16V in on JP13; VBAT available on JP12; 2xAAA battery holders connected in series to VBAT.
• JTAG: on-board FT2232H --- interface A
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: on-board FT2232H --- interface B
• VREF2: connected to FT2232H pins. Available on JP15 and JP16. Additional pads available to make VREF2 erases easy. (Short JP15 and JP16).
• RESET: Push button, FT2232H, or through-hole.
• Antenna: PCB inverted-F
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Optional. Pads available on JP26, C9 and C10.
• Buck inductor: Optional. Cut JP27 on back of board. Populate L1. Populate D2 on the back.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• Red LED, Q3 on TX_ON (can be used to indicate either TX or RX)
• Green LED, Q4 on RX_ON (can be used to indicate either TX or RX)
• 5x Red LEDs on bottom left corner
• Red, Yellow and Green LEDs on bottom right.
• Two push buttons: S1 (between KBI0 and 4); and S2 (between KBI1 and 5)
• Stand-alone operation: no extra programming hardware is necessary.

Documentation:

• Doc package --- schematic, gerber, and BOM released under CC-BY-SA.

CEL

CEL Freestar PRO: buy now from Digikey or Mouser

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: VBAT pin
• JTAG: pads available.
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: pads available.
• VREF2: pads available.
• RESET: pad available.
• Antenna: PCB inverted-F (ZFSM-201-1) or MMCX connector (ZFSM-201-1C)
• Power Amplifier: Yes. +20dBm max. (193mA)
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Yes.
• Buck inductor: pads available.
• FCC ID: Yes.

Documentation:

See the Freestar Pro product page for full documentaion.

Freescale

Freescale Sensor Reference Board: buy now from Freescale

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: USB or DC Jack (12V Max) or 2x AA batteries
• JTAG: 20-pin 0.1'' header
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: FT232.
• VREF2: Toggle with Jumpers.
• RESET: JTAG and push button.
• Antenna: PCB inverted-F
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Optional.
• Buck inductor: No.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• Audio: input and output
• Pressure sensor
• Temp. Sensor
• 3 axis accelerometer
• Joysick
• Power LED
• 4 push buttons
• 4 GPIO LEDs.
• On/Off switch

Documentation:

Freescale Reference Manuals

Freescale Network Coordinator Board: buy now from Freescale

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: USB or DC Jack (12V Max) or 2x AA batteries
• JTAG: 20-pin 0.1'' header
• NEXUS: Yes.
• UART1: FT232.
• VREF2: Toggle with Jumpers.
• RESET: JTAG and push button.
• Antenna: External SMA antenna or PCB inverted-F
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Optional.
• Buck inductor: No.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• 128x64 LCD with LED backlight
• Audio: input and output
• Pressure sensor
• Temp. Sensor
• 3 axis accelerometer
• Joysick
• Power LED
• 4 push buttons
• 4 GPIO LEDs.
• On/Off switch

Documentation:

Freescale Reference Manuals

Freescale Low Power Node: buy now from Freescale

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: DC Jack (12V Max), or 2x AAA batteries, or optionally coin-cell (pads for CR2450 or CR2477 provided)
• JTAG: 20-pin 0.1'' header
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: On pin header.
• VREF2: Toggle with Jumpers.
• RESET: JTAG and push button.
• Antenna: PCB inverted-F.
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Yes.
• Buck inductor: Optional.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• PFET to switch off peripherals
• 1v5 voltage reference
• Power LED
• 2 push buttons
• 2 GPIO LEDs.
• On/Off Switch

Documentation:

Freescale Reference Manuals

Freescale USB stick: buy now from Freescale

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: USB
• JTAG: pads for 20-pin 0.1'' header (you have to remove the PCB from the casing)
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: FT232.
• VREF2: Pads for jumpers.
• RESET: JTAG and push button.
• Antenna: SMD ceramic.
• Power Amplifier: None.
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: No.
• Buck inductor: No.
• FCC ID: No.

Other features:

• Power LED
• 2 push buttons
• 1 GPIO LEDs.

Documentation:

Freescale Reference Manuals

Nivis

Nivis VersaNode:

Important MC13224 details:

• Power: VBAT pin
• JTAG: pads available.
• NEXUS: No.
• UART1: pads available.
• VREF2: pads available.
• RESET: pad available.
• Antenna: MMCX connector
• Power Amplifier: Yes. +12dBm max. (57mA)
• LNA: None.
• 32kHz: Yes.
• Buck inductor: No.
• FCC ID: Yes.

Documentation:

VersaNode datasheet