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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : FRAM chips...
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Justplayin Guru  Joined: 31/01/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 309 |
How about refreshing our memories and post a current list of the boards you are offering. You might spark some interest from some of us newbies and may help reduce your stock/losses. --Curtis I am not a Mad Scientist... It makes me happy inventing new ways to take over the world!! |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
@bigmik: I know what you mean about 'lack of time' (thats why I hinted for you to do it  ).
Listen, I am happy to take more PCBs off your hands to help you at least break even - PM me to let me know how many you need to 'shift' of each type to make it 'worth your while'. I can't promise I will take all, but I will certainly take a good chunk from you. If you finalise your design for the 8pin DIL, and also design a 'MuP Logger' then I am prepared to finance these two. We can agree a 'beer fund' if you like - that way you get all the time you need and I take the 'headache' of testing/building/selling. Like @JustPlayin says, put out a 'list' of what you have to offer (all currently available by the way at micromite.org especially to help BSF members in Europe  )
Come on folks, lets help Mick shift these boards so he can design a much needed data-logger for us all  . Then he can enjoy the Spring Racing Carnival . . . . .
WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Hi all I like the idea of a little fram board to plug into the I2C socket of the MuP. The RTC in the Fram doesnt matter as I already use the PCF8563 RTC module which works no problems. I personally would prefer small plug in modules for connecting to the MicroMite and to this end I made myself a board the same size as BigMicks MuP that allows me to connect what I want. 
This board plugs directly into the MuP and gets as well as all the i/o pins the 5volt supply from the I2C section of the MuP. I have not fitted all the pins to the i/o as yet but the MuP is running the RTC, 4X20LCD, BMP085 and a DS18B20. Hopefully in the very near future a FRAM memory module. As an aside the temperature sensor in the BMP085 that I have does not appear to be very accurate compared to the DS18B20 and every other thermometer I have. To WhiteWizard For me the FRAM would need to be able to store two voltage (12V) and two current (10A) values at say ten minute intervals as well as a time stamp at the start of the period over a 24hr period and then be down loaded and then started again. Hope this is of use. Regards Cliff Cliff |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
Excuse my ignorance, but from what are the current and voltage readings taken?
Assuming for now, three bytes for each of the four pieces of data you mention (i.e. voltage, current, date, time) then that is 12 bytes per record. Now for a record every 10 minutes: this equates to 6 records an hour; meaning 144 records a day. At 12bytes per record, and 144records per day, this equates to 1728 bytes per download day. On these numbers (and without applying any 'header' data (i.e. date) to reduce number of bytes per record/day) then I would suggest an 8Kbyte FRAM such as RS:733-2240. The part is a FM24CL64B-G, Serial-2 Wire FRAM Memory 64 kbit, 8192 x 8 bit, 2.7 → 3.65 V, 8-Pin, SOIC. UK cost is £2 for one off (about AU$3.75). Please advise about voltage and current info. WW Just re-read your post and seen that you mention TWO voltage and TWO current readings. No problem, the suggested 8Kbyte FRAM part is still more than sufficient for all this. For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
WhiteWizard Solar panels scaled of course to suit the MicroMite and then expanded to be readable as true values when the record is downloaded for display or graphed. I would hope that any software to suit the FRAM would be generic enough to be able to be modified to read and write any number of data with in reason of course. I will have a look at the FRAM that you suggest but seeing they are of fairly low cost a larger one initially would probably save problems if more data is required over a longer period. Just a thought. Cliff The FRAM chip FM24CL64B-G, you suggest does not appear to be available in Aus, i will have another search. The BigMick suggestion is out of stock at RS. Cliff |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Hi Curtis, Thanks for your interest.. I will post a message with all my `offerings' again. My posts about boards are always a subject starting with *** COMM ***. The reason I start with *** COMM *** is to make it known that it is a COMMERCIAL post and if you dont wish to read blatant self promotion and soap box politcal speeches then dont read it. Even though Gizmo, the Forum owner, has given me his approval to post my `ads' I dont wish to bombard everyone all of the time as I feel that it could be seen as annoying to those who are aware of my offerings. I just re-read my post (sent after a 10 hour shift at the races last night) and it can be seen as begging.. I did NOT intend that to be the case.. To be honest MuP has sold so well that I will be about even on everything else if I sold no more boards (I may even have my nose in front) so it isnt any real big deal. I have another problem with my little board that I nicknamed "MuP-Mini" and that it is based on a design that GROGSTER was working on and I do not wish to step on his toes.. If he creates his board I dont want a situation where it is a `competition'. I designed that one as an exercise in point to prove that it could be laid out to plug into an 8pin DIL IC socket (0.3" spacing), (Grogs had his on a 0.4" footprint). Phil, Thank you for your offer, but I am happy still, If you actually want any boards then you know where I am.. I am not asking for charity. As to the funding the 8pin PCB.. we can discuss that, I still have to clear with Grosgster for the reason mentioned above. Personally I think it could be a good one and probably a unit mostly sold built up ready to go. Maybe we can strike a deal, be mindful that it still has to be proven to work, we should use email for any discussions along that vein. Regards Mick PS. Expect another Mick self promotion post using the pitiful excuse that newbies dont know about my offerings.. I hear the groans now.
Mik Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
I doubt I will ever speak to you again.
It's fine, Mick - go for your life. I was using this concept to practise my double-sided PCB layout skills, which are far from perfect, having only started doing DS boards about four months ago. Prior to that, all my boards were single-sided, with(sometimes) lots of top-side links. I have now come to really love DS and vias, and they are now my new best friend. 
But on the boards, you go for it, Mick. I have still decided to get my 1.5x DIL ones made, simply cos I had room on the bottom of the 10x5 panel, and I also have 15 QFN's I now need to use, so..... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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panky Guru Joined: 02/10/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1098 |
I am very interested in the FRAM idea - I reckon there is a real opportunity for a little uMite/FRAM combo board. I certainly have a requirement that this would satisfy - don't have the time/skills to develop myself, but would be keen to work with anyone on the software side to handle as a big buffer. Ideally, the 1Mbit unit would be my choice. Doug. ... almost all of the Maximites, the MicromMites, the MM Extremes, the ArmMites, the PicoMite and loving it! |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Adafruit has a FRAM breakout board I2C 32Kbytes all for $10 us, all we need is someone to write the software to suit the MicroMite, not my field of expertise. 
Probably many others on the market, but it does make it easy to get started. Heres hoping. Regards Cliff Cliff |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
@ panky - even though the FRAM chips seem to support up to 1Mb bus speed, I don't think that the uM chip can go any faster then 400kHz. We'll have to check on that.... EDIT: Sorry, I misunderstood you - you meant the 1Mbit capacity chip(125KB) I think. @ centrex - can you please post a link for that module you put up the photo for? FRAM chips SHOULD be even easier then standard flash EEPROM to use, as there is no polling or page boundaries to worry about. Just as with a normal EEPROM that you can sequentially read from the start to the end of the memory, you should be able to write data to the FRAM just as fast, and without keeping track of pages, boundaries or write delays. Those are the things that sell it for me. ;) Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Hi Grogster Google ADAFRUIT FRAM it will be in the first couple of items. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-i2c-fram-breakout/overvi ew To me this is the simplest way to go. Cliff Cliff |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
I'm inclined to agree, for the purposes of bench-testing, anyway. Here is a clickable link to the FRAM Module I think I will get a couple, and run some tests. The sequential writing tests are the ones I am interested in, but the fact that you can grab any address and start writing from there without ever caring about page boundaries is heaven for me.
I am so impressed with FRAM, I have designed in a place for it on my latest system board. Currently, I don't need any EEPROM or other kind of I2C or SPI memory, but as the old saying goes: "Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it." - PCB feature wise anyway! Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Hi Grogster I am planning to get one for myself the problem being I have no idea the program required. Perhaps if you get something working you would share it. I want to use it for data logging as I mentioned earlier in this post. Hope you have success. Cliff Cliff |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
Yes, I will keep you posted. I2C can be scary at first(I speak from experience), but it really is NOT as scary as you might think - it is quite easy, really, to get I2C memory working. Assuming that you ground pins 1, 2, and 3, to make the overall FRAM address 1010000 + the read/write bit which is handled by MMBASIC, then reading and writing can be as simple as: I2C OPEN 400,10 - Open the I2C port @ 400kHz with 10mS timeout delay Then you can read and write to the device: I2C WRITE &B1010000,0,10,STRING$ - Write STRING$ to the device at address 1010000, issue a STOP once that is done(in other words, don't hold onto the I2C bus), and STRING$ has ten bytes in it. In my example, I am using binary notation for the address(&B1010000), as that is easiest FOR ME to follow. As per the MMBASIC manual, page 61, you don't need to worry about the 8th bit, which is the read/write bit, as MMBASIC will look after that for you. Are you still with me, or have I lost you? Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| centrex Guru Joined: 13/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 320 |
Thanks Grogster Work gets in the way of playing with the micromite. A lot of reading req on I2C. Cliff Cliff |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9066 |
I have some of the Ramtron 256's. I hope to start tinkering with this chip soon. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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