Ok, now this I can see:

Have one of these in your home, which talks via a slower, less processor time
expensive network, and acts as the web server for your home automation (or
whatever else) system.

In my mind it is impractical to either hook a PIC directly up to 10baseT, or use
a full computer as a slip interface.

And, if my conversion is correct, that's less than $50 USD !!  I'd kill for one
of these (well, 'kill' spiders, maybe.  And 'kill' meaning capture and release
in another environment..:)

However, each product you sell using their chip costs a runtime license fee of
$24, on top of the hardware...  It looks like testing purposes don't require
this runtime license.  But that's still under $75 for a full computer on a
chip.  Even better if the software can be real time, and if it comes with a
TCP/IP stack (which it sounds like it does...)

If gas prices go down, I may be able to afford one of these!  (Don't drive
through southeast MI, its $2.12 /gal here :-(  )

It looks like they have a multi-tasking DOS.  How easy was it to program for,
Mark?  Does the license include a TCP/IP stack?

-Adam

Mark Hull wrote:
>
> I've got a new toy to play with and it's a beauty
>
> 20MHz 16 bit i186 CPU
> 512K RAM, 512K flash disk
> Ethernet 10BaseT with TCP/IP stack and MpRAM
> 2 Serial Ports with RXD, TXD, CTS, RTS
> I2C bus
> 1 Timer, 2 Pulse width measurement inputs
> 20 Programmable I/O pins
>
> All in a 32 pin DIL package about 10mm high!
>
> Software can be downloaded via RS232 or FTPed via the ethernet port.
> The BIOS includes a web server (you can surf to the chip to read inputs or
> set outputs)
> There is a DOS BIOS as well, programmable in C/C++
>
> I've implemented a simple system to monitor temperature and light levels.
> You can then go to the device from your web browser (http://192.68.42.254),
> and
> view the measurements as a web page. Or hit a button on the web page to
> switch
> on the lights or coffee machine in the kitchen.
>
> (Tiny Internet appliances!)
>
> All this for about DM98
>
> Surf to www.beck-ipc.com/chip and have a look
>
> Mark Hull
> Engineering/Technical
> EMS (Africa) (Pty) Ltd
> PO Box 1026, Melville, 2109, South Africa
> Ph +27 11 482 4470 Fax +27 11 726 2552