Microsoft .NET Micro Framework Tools & Resources

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Production Modules

Everything what has the processor inside is considered to be a module here.

Discontinued products:

• Meridian/A ($61) by Device Solutions

Current products:

• Meridian ($75) by Device Solutions, the first and smallest, surface mounted module. 3.0 firmware available
• ConnectCore™ 9P 9215 ($75) by Digi, 150 MHz processor with AES accelerator, built-in ethernet (including connector) and lots of peripherals.
• Digi Connect ME® ($50) by Digi, whole .NET Micro Framework in RJ-45 connector!
• Embedded Development Kit (plus) ($165 ($225)) by SJJ Embedded Micro Solutions, ported on standard iPac 9302 board at PC/104 size.
• Embedded Master (TFT) ($80) by GHI Electronics, with FAT and USB implementation even for 2.5/3.0 version.
• USBizi™ ($100) by GHI Electronics, small module with production connectors, which may save whole PCB creation. Utilizes LPC2388 processor.

For an overview of their features and differences, see the big comparison table.

Expected products:

• Digi Connect ME® 9210 (~$60, next year) by Digi. Same RJ-45 size, but 75 MHz inside and flexible interface module.

Others and specialized products:

• HiCo.ARM9-Core by emtrion.
• Imote2.NET by Crossbow, for wireless sensors networks.

These modules are either intended for specialized applications, or I do not have enough info about them to include them in mainstream products for developers. If you do have and want to share, let me know.

Development Boards

Discontinued products:

• Embedded Master Development System ($200) by GHI Electronics with Embedded Master 2.x module.

Current products:

• Tahoe ($400) by Device Solutions with Meridian module.
• Tahoe-II ($400) by Device Solutions with Meridian module.
• JumpStart Kit ($300) by Digi with Digi Connect ME® module.
• JumpStart Kit ($500) by Digi with ConnectCore™ 9P 9215 module.
• Embedded Master TFT Development System ($350) by GHI Electronics with Embedded Master TFT module.
• CANxtra Box ($300) by GHI Electronics with Embedded Master 2.x module.
• HiCO.ARM9-SBC (€204) by emtrion with HiCo.ARM9-Core module.

The board comparison table will be available later.

Expected products:

Others and specialized products:

• WSN Imote2.Builder Kit ($990) by Crossbow with Imote2.NET module.

Extensions & Accessories

• Ethernet for Tahoe
  Thomas Brunner sent me a scheme and printed circuit board drawings for an ethernet add-on board for Tahoe, he uses SMT parts.
  I have succeeded in building such board with DIP parts, but I don't have the files ready for publishing (actually I don't have them anymore). However, we could put it together again, if somebody was interested.

Consumer Products

.NET Micro Framework is slowly reaching the consumer market as well. Here are the first products available (exluding SideShow displays only and devices with MSN Direct service, which is not available in Europe):

	Ricavision VAVE™100 Universal Remote Control Price: $349 Manufacturer: Ricavision
	The Ricavision VAVE100 Universal Remote Control provides direct access and complete control of home entertainment devices, the Windows Vista Media Center and Windows SideShow. The VAVE100 has a 2.4 inch color QVGA LCD display, features Class 1 SPP/A2DP Bluetooth and is upgradable through the built-in mini USB plug. The VAVE100 comes with a charging docking station that features a RC6 IR receiver, a Bluetooth transceiver and a power charger.
	waySmart™ 820 RTS Price: don't know Manufacturer: inthinc
	The one system smart enough to create immediate, dramatic changes in the driving behavior of your fleet while also providing your business with tremendous control and quick ROI. All powered by industry innovations including in-cab mentoring, Speed By Street™, waySmart™ Zones and an SAE J211-compliant crash data recorder. The handheld unit is built using .NET Micro Framework.

Microsoft has published document (PDF, 539 kB) introducing these products, as well as other concepts and prototypes shown at Nuremberg exhibition this year.

Porting to your own hardware

If you want to use some native code or have the .NET Micro Framework on your own processor, you have to port it there. You will need the .NET Micro Framework Porting Kit for this task, which is available for about $600 at Microsoft Store. There are practically two tasks you might want to handle:

Interop with native code

In this case, you just need to add some feature to the existing framework requiring native code, perhaps some unsupported hardware access, or just some fast computation. Unfortunately, dynamic loading and binding of native code is not supported at this time. Adding interop native code requires creation of a custom image. Typically you need a BSP (board support package) from your hardware vendor, create a managed interface to the native code you would like to add, generate native stubs from it using Visual Studio, implement them in native code and build new HAL/PAL using the native platform compiler. Then you can call your method using [MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.InternalCall)] attribute.

Completely new hardware

In such case, good luck to you! :-) You will need to verify if support exists for your platform (e.g. ARM), and then use the Solution Wizard included in the Porting Kit to create a new solution or derive from existing sample. Follows the implementation of HAL and/or PAL functions for BSP and building it using the native platform compiler. After testing your BSPs, you would need to sign a porting agreement with Microsoft to be able to sell your devices. There is a licence fee for the devices sold, which was heard (by Peter, thanks for sharing) to start around $2 (not confirmed).

For porting kit related questions, try the microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.microframework.porting news group (web access), or write directly to netmfbiz@microsoft.com.