We did focus group studies, discussed with customers, went to trade shows and conferences, and finally, settled on the development of two platforms for the power utility market: a TMS320C32-based platform for the relay, which we would call the DR2 (DR1 would have been the units developed using TMS320C30 at the UofM), and a TMS320C44-based platform for the recorder.
The ‘C3x family is fast and inexpensive. The ‘C44 family is well connected and easily networked. No comparable family at the time gave us both.
Management deemed this too expensive and risky, so we were told to go back to the drawing board and do it with only one platform. We gasped… sighed… and started over.
I can’t say that it was wrong. The development was successful… the product met market demand… and, with updates and changes, still in production today.
The core Main Processor Board developed as part of that effort, was in active production and use until being finally retired in 2018. Not bad!