Pycom is a constantly groundbreaking company which produces a lot of really cool development boards and expansion shields. They have a large focus on multiple network connectivity, particularly in regards to low power, long-distance information transfer. I've gone through and found out all the differences between the boards and set up some detailed tables that you can refer to. Whether you are a Pycom pro or just discovered this world this guide will be valuable.
The contents of this tutorial are below.
Every maker scenario is different so this tutorial will aid you to choose the best Pycom board for the situation. Worth noting, these development boards are all microcontrollers. A microcontroller is a compact integrated circuit designed to govern a specific operation in an embedded system. In simpler terms, these have a computer system running on a chip that does a job. They contain an integrated processor, memory and programmable input/output peripherals, which are used to interact with things connected to the chip. These devices can easily fit on the palm of your hand and spur both innovation and creativity in makers. The Pycom FiPy is particularly groundbreaking with five network connectivity crammed into a chip of tiny proportions.
There are several related Pycom tutorials on our website about these products would looking into. If you've got any questions, queries or things to add please let us know your thoughts!
Pycom Development Boards
Below is a table outlining the important features of every Pycom Development Board. This is an excellent reference point to see which boards have what capabilities and to make it easier to decide on what microcontroller would be the best fit for your maker project.
Now all these boards have an input antenna however when using LoRa, SigFox or Celluar LTE it is recommended to use an external antenna. Without an external antenna connecting to these networks can damage the microcontroller. Also worth knowing, the Pycom FiPy Board and Pycom GPy Board have Nano SIM card sockets found on the bottom side of the PCB. The diagram below demonstrates the orientation to insert the Nano SIM Card correctly.
Communication Methods Overview
Pycom Development boards have a number of different ways to both receive and transmit data. By knowing the advantages of certain methods of communication you will be able to deploy the best solution. Also, upon realising the huge distances you can transfer information using these boards, truly it opens up a world of creative and innovative maker projects.
- WiFi. The world's most used local-area wireless networking technology. Over half of all internet users connect via WiFi. There are also more WiFi-enabled devices then there are humans on Earth. It has a practical range of around a kilometre making it perfect for connecting devices throughout a large complex. It can operate through one or more access points to create a wider network. A great tutorial on Pycom boards in regards to WiFi can be found at Pycom WiPy Overview.
- Bluetooth. Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard designed to exchange data over short distances and is one of the most used wireless data exchange networks. It has a practical range of around 20 metres making it perfect to transfer information a few rooms away or really close. No hotspot required. A great write up on this Bluetooth in relation to Pycom can be found at Pycom Bluetooth.
- SigFox. This is a narrowband technology that uses standard radio transmission to encode data inside radio waves. It connects your device to the internet through a SigFox Operator network. This is a propriety technology and requires a subscription to access the SigFox network. It has an effective range of 30-50 km depending on the terrain, rural areas with unobstructed skylines allow for the best range. It has great scalability with billions of devices capable of being connected to the network. One of the best features is it allows for very low power consumption communication. This means you can run a device for years on a small battery whilst connecting to the internet when necessary to send small messages. A great write up about SigFox technology in regards to Pycom boards can be found at Pycom SiPy Overview.
- LoRa. This is a spread spectrum technology that uses radio transmission to send data. It uses a wider radio wave band than SigFox making it very reliable. LoRa (LoRaWAN) gets its name from long range as it can transfer information more than 40km. The base stations are also much cheaper than SigFox. This has resulted in both commercial and community deployments of LoRa worldwide. It is capable of sending very energy efficient communication in a similar vein to SigFox. A great write up on LoRa technology can be found at Pycom LoPy Overview.
- Celluar LTE. Long-Term Evolution is a 4G mobile communication standard. Mobile phone networks are both a stable and trusted method of information transfer that has been operating for decades. Pycom boards give the option of being connected 24/7 to the network or performing more energy-efficient connectivity. In these energy-efficient methods the microcontroller spends most of the time in a deep sleep awaking only briefly to send off a short burst of information. A great write up talking about cellular networks with Pycom boards can be found at Pycom GPy Overview.
Pycom Expansion Boards
Below is a table outlining the features different between the three Pycom Expansion Boards. These are the Pycom Expansion Board 3.1, Pycom Pysense and Pycom Pytrack. These boards can be used as a shield in combination with any of the above Pycom Developer boards. Shields are boards that can be plugged on top of another PCB to extend its capabilities. They can also be referred to as add-on modules.
In regards to the similarities, they all have Micro-Sd Cards, USB serial Port, USB to Serial Converter, JSP LiPo Battery Connector, Power MUX, Battery Charging, LED indicating battery charging, LED indicating User Input Button. They can all also be powered using the Micro-USB or via the JST style battery connector. They all can also be powered using a LiPo battery charger with options for two different charging currents (100mA and 450mA).
