Comment by moffkalast
6 days ago
Eh it's really not when you consider that the ESP32 exists. it has PCNT units for encoders, RMT LED drivers, 18 ADC channels instead of four, ULP coprocessor and various low power modes, not to mention wifi integrated into the SoC itself, not optional on the carrier board. And it's like half the price on top of all that. It's not even close.
The PIO units on the RP2040 are... overrated. Very hard to configure, badly documented and there's only 8 total. WS2812 control from the Pico is unreliable at best in my experience.
They are just different tools; both have their uses. I wouldn't really put either above the other by default.
> And it's like half the price on top of all that. It's not even close.
A reel of 3,400 RP2350 units costs $0.80 each, while a single unit is $1.10. The RP2040 is $0.70 each in a similar size reel. Are you sure about your figures, or are you perhaps comparing development boards rather than SoCs? If you’re certain, could I have a reference for ESP32s being sold at $0.35 each (or single quantities at $0.55)?
PIO units may be tricky to configure, but they're incredibly versatile. If you aren't comfortable writing PIO code yourself, you can always rely on third-party libraries. Driving HDMI? Check. Supporting an obscure, 40-year-old protocol that nothing else handles? Check. The possibilities are endless.
I find it hard to believe the RP2040 would have any issues driving WS2812s, provided everything is correctly designed and configured. Do you have any references for that?
> wifi integrated into the SoC
I really wish we would stop sticking wireless in every device. The spectrum is limited and the security concerns are just not worth it. And if you try to sell it, certifying will be RPITA even in US (rightfully so!). Just had to redesign a little Modbus RTU sensor prototype for mass production, noticed the old version used BT MCU. So I immediately imagined the certification nightmare - and the sensor is deployed underwater, it's not like BT will be useful anyway. Why? Quote "but how do we update firmware without a wireless connection"… How do you update firmware on a device with RS-485 out, a puzzle indeed. In all fairness, the person who did it was by no means a professional programmer and wasn't supposed to know. But conditioning beginners to wireless on everything - that's just evil. /rant