I have just noticed in the tools brochure on page 4 (link below) that new Primer is a rectangle not a circle! I do not like it! Picture is low-res and does not show much details but it just looks like one of those 100's other little gaming devices. Too bad, my kids are still "cool" playing with the original Primer because nobody else in the school has the game like they do :-) Not to mention that daddy can write new games for them. Just little disappointed, how can you expect us to flash Circle OS into a Rectangle Primer? It is like squaring the circle problem, you can not do it and it is proven!
No, the Primer2 is still a circle, but with four corners. That's much better for those who like corners. But I understand your position if you don't like corners. And we have used these corners to add many new features (audio dac, touchscreen, etc...). You will like them. The main advantage of the new case is that it will easily accept extension boards (it is already planned to develop a bluetooth module as extension board).
First shipments to ST are planned for early december. Hope that the first orders will be served for Christmas... As for the Primer1, it will be distributed through the ST dirstributors. Don't know about pricing... but higher than Primer1 ( perhaps +50% ?? ) .
The price range sounds interessting. Can you give some more details? Which STM32 version is used, which audio codec (or the bultin 12 bit a/d and d/a converters?). Is it possible to connect mass storage (SD-Card?). Is the new screen really touch-sensitive? Resolution? The picture in the ST brochure shows something like a 4-way pad (a little bit like a gaming console). Will there be a new CircleOS version which covers the new features?
The new primer will include a STM32F103VET6. (new high-density familly) There will be an audio codec with speaker and HP interface, a microphone, a SD card connector, IrDA transceiver, and a 'real' touch-sensitive screen that will be a little larger than the one in the primer1. (but not very much larger, so that applications designed for the primer1 can still be used on the primer2) The pad will be a 5-way joystick (up/down, right/left, push) and of course we are working on a new version of the OS for easily accessing all this.
More details: 1. Existing Primer1 application run on the Primer2 without any change (if they callonly CorcleOS without directly handling the hardware peripherals. For example, Maze and breakout runs without recompiling... 2. Li-Ion battery is managed by a smart controller and provides typically 6 hours (with sound,...). 3. Extension connector provides all types of bus communication (I2C, I2S, SPI, CAN, UART, ...). A special slot opening allows long extension pcb. 4... and more!
Not yet. However: 1. the battery of the Primer2 is much stronger (400mA), more than 6 hours when running with sounds, ... . 2. you can easily switch off the backlight even from an application by stopping the PWM that drives the backlight. 3. you can also 'configure as HighZ input' the control lines of the LCD (after resetting the LCd controller), and you will disable any access ... 4. with the Primer2, we automatically switched off the power when there is no action in the main page (by 5mn),
Does anyone know if the schematics of new board available somewhere? I am currently designing a board with STM32 that will be using audio so it would be very helpful for me to get schematics early. (PS: This is my first board design )
The first batch of Primers have been received by ST early last week. I guess that it will take some days to dispatch them to the distriutors. I don't know when these distributiors will start to sell them. We are finalizing the new web pages. They will be published asap (I agree: we are late).
The STM320E-PRIMER is listed at SPOERLE (German distributor) but with no items in stock. Price is about 64 €. The "old" STM320B-PRIMER is selling for 27 € (both without tax)
Pricing is often strange.. Could be better when all the distris will have it in stock. There will be a 'contest 2009' starting soon (officially announced at the launch of the Primer2). The rules and the prizes will be approximatively the same as for 2008.
The unlimited version of the STM32 Primer2 is only available through Raisonance (129 Euros). For orders and product availability you can send a message to "info@raisonance.com"
Primer2 No US distributor has it yet (I have them on watch). I guess ST must have sent those by boat, around the world; maybe those somali pirates got their hands on the Primers, cuz Santa does not have them yet!!! In fact ST lists primer2 as "preview" only , not as active. Good marketing ST, as usual! Now would have been the time to sell them when there is still money budgeted , cuz in January the "belt tightening" will be big time, both corporate and personal.
I ended up going with Farnell. They don't have the most elegant web interface and it was somewhat more difficult than usual to checkout but I managed to survive. They ship UPS so that is good, also looks like they have a pretty tight delivery. Should be 1-3 days to North America via UPS for about $20 bucks. Maybe I'll get lucky and have some photos before x-mas.
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