Texas Instruments CC3200-LAUNCHXL

Overview

CC3200-LAUNCHXL from Texas Instruments is a development kit for the CC3200 SimpleLink Wi-Fi microcontroller, integrating an Arm Cortex-M4F MCU with on-chip 2.4-GHz IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, secure boot, TLS/SSL stack, and hardware-accelerated crypto. It supports USB-powered operation, onboard chip antenna, and BoosterPack-compatible 40-pin headers for rapid IoT prototyping in smart home, industrial sensor, and connected device applications.

For engineers reviewing the CC3200-LAUNCHXL datasheet, CC3200-LAUNCHXL pinout, CC3200-LAUNCHXL application, or CC3200-LAUNCHXL equivalent, this page delivers verified hardware specifications, jumper and interface configuration details, power measurement methodology, RF test options (radiated/conducted), and direct links to TI's official design files and SDK - all specific to Rev 4.1 hardware.

Technical Context

The CC3200-LAUNCHXL implements a dual-processor architecture: the CC3200 SoC integrates a 80-MHz Arm Cortex-M4F application MCU with dedicated network processor (NWP) handling Wi-Fi MAC/PHY, TCP/IP stack, and security protocols. It features FTDI FT2232D-based onboard emulation supporting both 4-wire JTAG and 2-wire SWD debug interfaces.

Hardware includes isolated I2C sensors (TMP008 temperature sensor at 0x41, BMA222 accelerometer at 0x18), SOP-mode selection via jumpers J15–J17 for flash programming (100) or functional mode (000/001), and configurable UART routing between USB virtual COM port and 2x20 BoosterPack headers using jumpers J6/J7.

Key Specifications

Availability

CC3200-LAUNCHXL is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for IoT prototyping, wireless sensor node development, and Wi-Fi-enabled embedded gateway validation requiring stable component supply and full production-relevant debug infrastructure.

Supply support for CC3200-LAUNCHXL includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Texas Instruments is a global semiconductor company specializing in analog, embedded processing, and connectivity solutions, with leadership in low-power wireless MCUs and industrial-grade development tools.

The CC3200-LAUNCHXL belongs to TI's LaunchPad ecosystem - designed specifically to accelerate evaluation and firmware development for the CC3200 SimpleLink Wi-Fi MCU, targeting secure, battery-efficient Internet-of-Things endpoints.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the CC3200-LAUNCHXL?

The CC3200-LAUNCHXL is a hardware evaluation and development platform for the CC3200 SimpleLink Wi-Fi microcontroller. It enables rapid firmware development, Wi-Fi connectivity testing, sensor integration, and BoosterPack expansion - all without requiring external debug probes or RF test equipment. The CC3200-LAUNCHXL provides full access to the CC3200's GPIOs, UART, SPI, I2C, and ADC through standardized headers and onboard peripherals.

Does the CC3200-LAUNCHXL support external antennas?

Yes, the CC3200-LAUNCHXL includes a U.FL (Murata) connector routed to the CC3200 RF output, enabling conducted RF testing with external antennas or spectrum analyzers. The board ships with the RF path defaulted to the onboard chip antenna; switching to U.FL requires modifying the matching network per TI's design files. The CC3200-LAUNCHXL Rev 4.1 schematic confirms this dual-path capability with documented layout guidelines.

How do I configure the CC3200-LAUNCHXL for flash programming mode?

To enter flash programming mode on the CC3200-LAUNCHXL, set the SOP jumpers J15 (SOP2), J16 (SOP1), and J17 (SOP0) to positions 100 - shorting J15, opening J16 and J17. This configures the CC3200 device to boot from UART for firmware download. The CC3200-LAUNCHXL User's Guide (SWRU372C) specifies that this state routes UART0_RX/TX to the FTDI interface via jumpers J6/J7 (shorted 2–3), enabling communication with UniFlash or CCS.

Can the onboard sensors be disabled on the CC3200-LAUNCHXL?

Yes, the TMP008 temperature sensor and BMA222 accelerometer on the CC3200-LAUNCHXL can be electrically isolated from the I2C bus using jumpers J2 (SDA) and J3 (SCL). Removing both jumpers disconnects the sensors and removes their pull-up resistors from the I2C lines - essential when connecting external I2C peripherals or avoiding address conflicts (e.g., with audio BoosterPacks). This isolation is explicitly documented in Table 2 and Section 2.4.2.1 of the CC3200-LAUNCHXL User's Guide.

What software tools are officially supported for the CC3200-LAUNCHXL?

Texas Instruments officially supports Code Composer Studio (CCS) v6.0+ and IAR Embedded Workbench v6.70+ for firmware development on the CC3200-LAUNCHXL. Both IDEs integrate with the CC3200 SDK (available at ti.com/cc3200sdk) and support full debugging via the onboard FTDI JTAG interface. The CC3200-LAUNCHXL also supports Energia for Arduino-style development, though advanced Wi-Fi and security features require the full SDK and CCS/IAR toolchains.