Re: Serial over Ethernet

["Ian Bird" <ian.bird@xxxxxxx>]

I am hoping very affordable as this is one of the main drivers for my=20
doing this. To be honest the hardware cost is one of the smaller=20
costs anyway as this will need its own PCB and soldering the chips is=20
not an easy job.

The Ethernet chips will come from Germay and everything else is=20
local. Total hardware cost might be as low as 20 quid for Ethernet=20
only. Add to that the Atmel chip and supporting components and it=20
doubles. A PCB at a fiver gives us something like 50 quid. This=20
ignores development costs and time to creat these masterpieces and=20
solder them together. I would also say that these won't be saleable=20
as kits as the soldering is just too difficult.

I think it is important to see these as more than just serial=20
endpoints for Ethernet. The hardware is there for so much more and=20
all Ethernet connected - one of my holy grail ends. Roll on the=20
Ethernet connected chicken hutch door opener/controller in the=20
summer!!

Mind you, for your own use this is still dirt cheap compared to the=20
commercial solutions out there.

The Rabbit solution comes in slightly more expensive but the base=20
board has all the difficult soldering done. I don't have the=20
development kit so I will be sticking with the Atmel plan.

What do you think?

Ian



--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Primo=BE Gabrijel=E8i=E8 <gabr@1...> wrote:
> > I am waiting on delivery of an Ethernet board as we speak
(it's=20
at home=20
> > now but I am not). It will do all the Ethernet stuff out of
the=20
box I=20
> > think so only the PCB's to make and the serial pass through
stuff=20
to=20
> > write. I plan to use a Mega128 for this although a 64 will do=20
just as well
>=20
> > I think. If you are interested in rolling a solution let me
know=20
and we=20
> > can look into it a little further. This is essentially a two
chip=20
> > solution, the micro and the Ethernet chip. This would not be=20
entirely for=20
> > you either as I am planning to do something along these line
for=20
myself to
>=20
> > hook into my serial based I/O controller etc.
>=20
> Interested? Sure! A lot!
>=20
> There is always another appliance to connect and direct cabling is=20
such a
> pain ... I prefer connecting everything to the Ethernet - if=20
possible, of
> course.
>=20
> Any idea how much would material costs per one connection enpoint=20
be?
>=20
> Primoz