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TI eZ430-Chronos Development Watch
Replacement: None. We are, unfortunately, no longer carrying this product in our catalog. This page is for reference only.
SparkFun is selling watches? Don't worry, we aren't getting into consumer electronics. This is TI's wireless watch development tool. Check out the specs and think of all the cool things you can do with this exciting development tool. In the form factor of a wristwatch, you get an accelerometer, temperature sensor, wireless interface and more.
The eZ430-Chronos is a highly integrated, wireless development system based for the CC430 in a sports watch. It may be used as a reference platform for watch systems, a personal display for personal area networks, or as a wireless sensor node for remote data collection.
Based on the CC430F6137 <1 GHz RF SoC, the eZ430-Chronos is a complete CC430-based development system contained in a watch. This tool features a 96 segment LCD display and provides an integrated pressure sensor and 3-axis accelerometer for motion sensitive control. The integrated wireless feature allows the Chronos to act as a central hub for nearby wireless sensors such as pedometers and heart rate monitors. The eZ430-Chronos offers temperature and battery voltage measurement and is complete with a USB-based CC1111 wireless interface to a PC.
The eZ430-Chronos watch may be disassembled to be reprogrammed with a custom application and includes an eZ430 USB programming interface. This is the 915 MHz version.
- eZ430-Chronos wireless watch
- eZ430 USB programming and debugging interface
- CC1111 USB RF access point
- Mini Phillips screwdriver
- CD with documentation and development software
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Customer Reviews
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I got one a while ago, I highly recommend everybody wrapping the exposed USB dongles in heatshrink or electrical tape.
This is a great suggestion indeed, I've been playing with mine for the last week-end and kept worrying about damaging them...
Here's my first project with this watch if anybody is interested:
http://trandi.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/ti-ez430-watch-unbox-hworld/
A slightly more complex "Hello World", as it makes the text scroll, which is less obvious to do than it sounds...
Dan
Don’t you sell the eZ430-Chronos-868 MHz version ?
I also have one of these
[Removed by user - it does work on 64-bit even though the driver is unsigned]
Can anyone give examples of things (that I could buy on SFE) that speak this watch's wireless protocol? Are we talking XBee or something different?
Here is a completer project with code and video to get you using this watch http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/7/2024
VERY interesting, and a cute choice of project!
Unfortunately, it also confirmed for me that the ez430's protocol of choice is SimpliciTI, not Zigbee or XBee, and thus not available to me. Oh well, thanks for filling that in.
Could someone help me to get the eZ430-Chronos wireless watch to talk to my Arduino board wirelessly?<br />
See http://www.instructables.com/id/Control-an-Arduino-With-a-Wristwatch-TI-eZ430-Chr/
Can you please start selling one of these?
This looks like spam.
Can this be made to talk to an RFM22B?
ill pay $49 over at TI :p<br />
<br />
i now know what im gonna work towards on free-day. if ur servers work better lol
Will the 433 mhz version be available in the US and will you carry it? Use of 433mhz would be legal for any holder of a technician class (or higher) ham license.
But I live in Europe(Greece) can I buy this one or I have to buy the 868 version from TI's e-shop?
@Flokos from the wiki: "The 868-MHz and 915-MHz watch hardware are physically identical and the radio frequency is software selectable so it's possible to switch frequency if necessary. However, the RF Access Points for the two respective kits are slightly different. The 868-MHz Access Point has a 0? resistor next to the antenna and the 915-MHz version does not. The 433-MHz kit is different than the other versions in both software and hardware."
Correction: "868-MHz Access Point has a 0 Ohm resistor next to the antenna and the 915-MHz version doesn't."
I can't find the way to select frequency :S
on the product page you link to the manufacturer says it's priced at $49. wish I'd done more research before I made an $8 donation to your cause :)
Sorry! We don't mean to be a place for donation :) TI can't seem to figure out their supply chain or their pricing. We know we're not the cheapest but we hope that we are a bit easier to deal with than TI directly.
Amen
Which version of ez430 chronos is this one?<br />
I mean wich is the frequency of the wireless system?<br />
Sorry about that everyone, it's the 915 MHz version.
I was planning on building myself a watch from scratch this month but this thing is cool. I think I'll play with this first.
There are three different frequency versions of this product (433, 868, and 915 MHz). Which one is this?
According to Robert C's post below, it's the 915MHz model. That is the one that is legal in the US.
@reemrevnivek<br />
I believe 433 is also legal (or can be) in the US - very common for garage door openers.<br />
I have developed production models, that are in high volume production today, that use an MSP430F2272 along with a CC1101 transceiver that runs at 433MHz, so yes that frequency is legal in the US.
I am using this watch with a Gumstix linux mini computer to collect the accelerometer data and button presses. I have a strange problem where although I can usually put the watch in ACC mode and activate the antenna with the (down) button, every once in a while the watch will reset itself anytime I try to activate the antenna for any of the three modes ACC, PPT, or SYNC. The only way to get it to stop is to remove the battery and then put it back in. Does anyone know why the watch does this sometimes, and how to stop it? My software works fine as long as the watch doesn't get itself stuck in this continuous reset mode.
I have the same issue with my Chronos. Were you able to solve it? Thank you.
One big issue is that the Gumstix was operating at a frequency much faster than the watch could handle, so I had to slow the Gumstix's communications down so the watch could pick it up. That solved my problems. I believe the watch has a max clock speed of 25MHz? So it won't be able to handle communications faster than that.
Now I'm trying to get it working with my Beaglebone...
Hi, is here any possibility to buy eZ430-Chronos-868 MHz version? Thanks in advance.
I'd check with Texas Instruments directly. They should be able to tell you which of their distributors are carrying the 868 MHz version.
Is there any RF chip to control this watch without need of a PC/USB Host?
has anyone been able to get the firmware flasher to work. when i connect it up the firmware updater fails to connect to device
I've had this watch for a year now and love it. Lots of detailed information is at TI's wiki - http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/EZ430-Chronos
is there any tutorials on internet that you would recommend ?
Don't buy it!
TI decided to package the watch with a compiler that is limited to 2KB codesize (the watch has 8KB), so it's impossible to compile anything bigger than a simple helloworld.c
Even David (EEEV Blog) is selling his because of this (idiotic!) limitation.
Can you provide a link to official confirmation of this? We'd like to look into it.
Yes, this is true. Check TI's official wiki, which says under the development software heading:
It's nice that they provided 'pre-compiled library options' for users of the free versions, but it's really rather pointless for hacking on because it means you can't modify the core. Further, 'the two main options' actually means there's no support in the code for other compilers. One other issue not mentioned there is the use of a proprietary BlueRobin binary blob in the firmware, which takes up a lot of space and isn't open.
There is, however, mspgcc, which is not code size limited. Note: this isn't mspgcc4, that page says 'mspgcc4 is no longer supported. All contributions have been incorporated into mspgcc, which has newer versions of all components'.
mspgcc can be used to build the Openchronos-ng and Openchronos projects, which are much better IMO. Based on a comparison of the project commits-per-month stats at Ohloh (Openchronos stats, Openchronos-ng stats), I'd recommend using the Openchronos-ng project going forward. It's under active development, and once you get the development environment set up it's very easy to add your own apps, called 'modules', to the watch.
It's not as easy to use or as open as an Arduino or Beagleboard. If I were in your shoes, I'd add a link to openchronos-ng, mspgcc, and a tutorial on setting that up. I'd avoid adding links to the code-limited compilers and default projects; that just leads to would-be hackers buying this watch and running the stock firmware because they can't change it.
I wonder how much Flash memory and RAM Actually left after use of BlueRobin. ? I actually bought two of them. I want to use the LCD, acc meter and pressure sensor. I am not interested on chip RF. I want to add serial GPS to SPI bus through external SPI to UART chip. Might also add xbee 900 module too.
Did you confirm that Sir ?
You should this to the documents section: http://focus.ti.com/lit/ug/slau292c/slau292c.pdf.
Is the watch its self waterproof? If so, to what depth?
Number 4 of the Faq in the user guide:
Yes, it is 30m waterproof. This indicates that it resists splashes and rain. However, it cannot be used while taking a shower, swimming, diving, surfing, snorkeling or any other water sports. Set the watch before exposing it to excessive water. Pressing the buttons in water or heavy rainstorms may cause water to enter the watch.
Which is the most convoluted definition of '30m waterproof' possible. But that's standard for watches and other devices.
I can say that I've had this watch for about a year now and have worn it swimming, running in the rain, and in the shower dozens of times without damage. Occasionally, I'll notice that I'm getting condensation within the watch, so I take it apart, let it dry, and re-seat the O-ring behind the metal back plate with a bit of dielectric grease.
Watch water proofness codes are, as the Wikipedia article says, not intended to actually mean they're waterproof to a given depth:
but it seems that everything you get nowadays is 30m. I buy cheap Timex Ironman watches (and this one, for doing neat stuff like running openchronos-ng apps) and use them in the water. Haven't lost any to water intrusion yet, but I wouldn't be in danger (ie, no scuba diving) or in financial trouble if I did.
Does anyone tried what is the range of this watch in open field?
Please some one guide me here. I live in US and I was planning to buy the 434 MHz version of this watch. So my question is will 434MHz frequency work in USA, as it says worldwide, or I am better of by getting the 915 MHz which is dedicatedly made for US.
thanks.
When it will be available?? I need one!