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While the GSI-2 is a freely available design, Gunn Systems is uniquely qualified to provide customization when required.

 

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The GSI-2 Development Kit (available in the GSI-Store) provides all hardware and software an engineer needs to customize the GSI-2 and Simple-Rulez.

 


PLEASE NOTE: The GSI-2 Controller has been discontinued. If your project calls for a similar controller, please contact Gunn Systems for more information.

Development

If the standard GSI-2 Hardware or Simple-Rulez® Software does not meet your requirements, Gunn Systems offers both in-house customization and GSI-2 Development Kits for independent development.

The standard GSI-2 (which includes Simple-Rulez) can be used "as is" in a wide variety of projects. However, some GSI-2 customers may need additional input or output capabilities, or perhaps specialized software calculations or interfacing. To accomplish this, the GSI-2 platform was built for expansion from the start.

Gunn Systems is happy to quote any hardware or software changes needed for the GSI-2 to meet specific customer requirements.

We also realize that some customers are going to want to do their own development. For this reason, all of the GSI-2 Software and Hardware design files are released as General Public License.

The GSI-2 Development Kits provide all hardware and software tools needed by engineers who need to make changes to the GSI-2 platform for a specific application.

 

Custom Development

If your software needs are simple, you may be able to use the freely available assemblers for simple software programs. For more detailed programming, or changes to Simple-Rulez (the GSI-2 logic entry and processing environment), we would recommend purchasing the C Compiler (see the Software Development System section).

If you need the change the hardware, you can use Gerber editors for very simple PC board changes; otherwise, the Eagle PC Board software from Eagle is highly recommended (see the Hardware Development System section).

 

Software Development System

A Software Development System allows the customer to make custom programs with ultimate flexibility.

For programming the GSI-2, you can use a freely available assembler, or a commercial C compiler (retail $199). Either development system will require the programmer utility.

The GSI-2 Simple-Rulez software was developed with the C compiler, and we recommend buying the C compiler for most needs. The assembler is good for simple needs or where speed needs to be maximized.

Freely available development software for the 68HC08 that works well with the GSI-2:

  • MCUez Assembler. This assembler (MCUez) is available from Freescale Semiconductor.
  • Programmer Utilities:
    • GSI HC08-Loader. This easy-to-use utility from Gunn Systems will program any 68HC08-based device, and it includes a GSI-2 Programming Wizard to make downloading code to a GSI-2 unit simple, quick, and painless. VB6 Source Code is also made freely available through GPL.
    • P&E Programmer Utility (optional). You can optionally use the PROG08SZ from P&E Microsystems to program the flash on the microprocessor, available at this link. You can download this utility by registering at P&E Microsystems.
  • Debugger / Assembler / IDE / Simulator (optional). P&E Microsystems also makes a very nice debugger, assembler / IDE, and simulator for the 68HC08 that may be downloaded as well. After registering with P&E (at no cost), the download is free. P&E is found at the following website:
  • Sample Code (optional). Finally, to get started, you can download a demo (Hello World) program written in assembly (developed and compiled with the Freescale MCUez assembler) for the GSI-2 controller. This program demonstrates the serial port usage and LCD & Selector Knob routines in assembly and is released as GPL.

    NOTE: The assembly support for the GSI-2 is limited to the serial and LCD examples above. Full support with drivers requires the C compiler to be purchased. You can use the free assemblers, if you wish, to write your own hardware drivers.


Recommended Commercial Development Package

  • Recommended C Compiler. For more involved projects where custom software is required, a good commercial-grade C compiler called ICC08 is available (retail $199). Download a 30 day evaluation copy with the link here.
  • GSI-2 Simple-Rulez Source. You can download the source code to Simple-Rulez, with hardware drivers all written in C from Gunn Systems. It is released as GPL.

 

Hardware Development System

For modifying the GSI-2 hardware (PC board), there are two options. For simple changes, a freely available Gerber file editor is available. For more complicated hardware changes, the Eagle PCB program can be purchased. The design files used to develop the GSI-2 Hardware are available and released under GPL.

 

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