Use of the bootloader chip question

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alialiali

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Hi everyone!

I'm very happy with my prototype based on the 3.6. So I think it's time to move to the next phase. I am wondering how the bootloader (from PJRC) chip can be used. Would it be OK to have the bootloader on a ICSP programmer and only use it to program the main MCU chip but omit it from the final design? Or is the bootloader chip needed every time the main MCU chip is powered and so present permanently on every board?

Thanks for your advice (and sorry if my terminology is wrong).
 
Saw this recently - and found it :: Doing-business

Yes, you can embed Teensy inside your product and sell it. There's no extra license fee, beyond the price paid for the Teensy board. Likewise, you can buy the bootloader chip and its price is effectively the license to make your board fully Teensy compatible.

You can also make your own board without anything from PJRC, and still use the open source code we've published. Of course, you'll need to do *something* to get your program onto the MK20 chip. Programmers from P&E Micro, chip programming service offered by some distributors, or buying just 1 bootloader chip and making your own "programmer" which unplugs after you test your board are the popular approaches.

Almost all the open source code is MIT license, which gives you the most flexibility. But some Arduino libraries are GPL, so if you use libraries (as almost all projects do), check their license info. Usually that means having to read the headers in the source code.

The name "Teensy" is a registered trademark. You can't call your product "Teensy" or anything that would be confusingly similar. If you use an actual Teensy board as a component, it's ok to say you have Teensy inside or powered by Teensy or similar language. You'll probably want to give your product a distinctive name anyway.
 
Thanks very much for the info. This seems EXTREMELY generous of PJRC. So thank-you Paul and the gang!

And... I just ordered a few more Teensy 3.6. I am going to keep the board in the design for a while instead of jumping to create a standalone version for a saving of around 10 USD. Looking more at the schematic and board it really is a masterpiece. I'm not going to be able to create anything that small and perfect in a hurry.
 
Indeed - a 6 layer board to match the size of the T_3.2 MCU on the new MCU with ball pins was no small work. There is a reference board I just link on another thread in the past few posts.
 
Yes, the reference board would be my starting point. But I guess I can spend more time on software, case design, etc for now. I'll certainly be back for my own custom Teensy, but ... since I am mostly hiding the Teensy on the back of a board behind a screen -
priorities ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks again for all your help.
 
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