All I can find about zigbee

ZigBee is a low datarate, low power, wireless protocol. From the specifications :

This standard specifies two PHYs: an 868/915 MHz direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) PHY and
a 2450 MHz DSSS PHY. The 2450 MHz PHY supports an over-the-air data rate of 250 kb/s, and the
868/915 MHz PHY supports over-the-air data rates of 20 kb/s and 40 kb/s. The PHY chosen depends
on local regulations and user preference.

ZigBee is (based on) a IEEE specification : 802.15.4. The IEEE task group is here. There is an offer there to buy the norm in ths IEEE store but IEEE offers all 802 series specifications for free 6 months after publication here. Get the free specifications for IEEE 802.15.4 here.

One remarkable thing about Google and press releases : companies with no shipping sillicon (OKI and Atmel) come out on top in a search on “zigbee chip“

Just for fun, i've decided to see if i can get two Chipcon modules to talk to each other. The project is here.

There is a table comparing various chips here.

Devices with part numbers

FreeScale (Motorola) : MC13191 and the datasheet. The MC13191 device is a 2.4 GHz transmitter reciever without direct support for ZigBee.
FreeScale (Motorola) : MC13192 and the datasheet. The MC13192 is very much like the MC13191 but with support for ZigBee.

Both Motorola devices use SPI so the should be easy to interface with other microcontrollers.

Chipcon : CC2420 and the datasheet (and errata). The CC2420 is a 2.4 GHz only device and uses SPI to communicate with the host. Chipcon provides sourcecode for a MAC and example applications.

CompXS : CX1540 datasheet . The CX1540 is a 2.4 GHz only device that uses SPI to communicate with the host. CompXS provides a range of ZigBee products and modules.

Atmel : 86RF201 and the datasheet. This device can only use the 868 / 915 MHz part of the spectrum and bacause of this is can only use the 20 kb/s or 40 kb/s data rates.
Atmel : 86RF3201 and the preliminary datasheet. This is a AVR series microcontroller. More information on these devices is here.

OKI : ML7065. The OKI chip is identical to the CompXS chip. No datasheet, nothing specific.

EMBER : EM2420 The ember chip is identical to the ChipCon chip.

UBEC : UZ2400 .

Jennic : JS24Z121 and JS24Z001

Software

Motorola has published the source code to part of the protocol stack. You'll have to get an account on the site to get the code. The release notes of the source code describe some bugs. There is no mention of how the sourcecode can be used (BSD license ? GPL ?) and the release notes are marked with "MOTOROLA CONFIDENTIAL PROPRIETARY". Also, you'll need to sign a license agreement.

Chipcon has published sourcecode as well. The example works with a AVR and can be built with AVR-GCC.  

Developer kits

Motorola : MC13192DSK buy here.

Chipcon : CC2420DB buy here.

CompXS :  CompXS has a number of OEM modules and developer kits. One example is the Outerside

Millenial Net : iB-5324

For myself. i'm looking foor the simplest and cheapest develpor kits. The options here are :

Chipcon has a kit called CC2420EMK which contains two CC2420EM modules plus two antennae for USD 120,-. These are the RF daughter boards as used in the more complete developer kits (i.e. this one).

Neither of these prices were listed on the websites.

Another option would be the Freescale 13192RFC RF daughter board for USD 150,-. Compared to the other options this “low cost development board“ is actually quite expensive.

Buy Parts

Motorola : MC13192.

Chipcon : CC2420.

Atmel : none.

OKI / CompXS : none. Price quoted by CompXS as under $5, available Q1 2005.

Announcements

MobilePro : 2450 MHz device, plans for 900 MHz device.

Atmel : 900 MHz Device

OKI : no name.

Courses

ICU Wireless networking