Matrix user forums

Hi Team, has any one successfully used the winboard flash chips that come super cheap and run on the SPI, or do we have any component that we can use to try some read writes. This are offered super cheap on ebay but do not see any sample programs for those. I think they work same at the SD card component.. but have not tried it on the chips that I have received.. any one with any experience or help will be appreciated.

Product Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/171414742316?ss ... 1439.l2649
Data Sheet: http://www.elinux.org/images/f/f5/Winbond-w25q32.pdf

Hello,

They do look fairly good. My problem with Flash chips is that they are often much slower then they first appear. If you look at the datasheet on page 51 then this lists the associated write times.

50-80 seconds to erase the device
120-200ms to erase a sector
1.5-3ms to write a page (after you have loaded all the data)

If you need none volatile memory to store low frequency data then probably a good option. If you don't need none volatile then I would recommend a SRAM chip instead as the read write time is a lot faster and the page/sector/block complications are removed.

Thankyou for your reply.. . You have been my hero since you got the ENC28J60 to work on flowcode . My read write will be approx 1 time per minute... which kind of serves my purpose... would like to ask you one more question please, should I use the standard sd card component to send and receive data to the chip.. or do i have to come up with some custom macros for the same ?

You have been my hero since you got the ENC28J60 to work on flowcode

Many thanks those modules are very cool.

The FAT component will only work with an SD card so your better off using the SPI component and creating your own macros. The datasheet looks to be quite detailed in terms of how you send out the various commands and how to send / receive data.

This blog might help if you are new to SPI communications.
http://www.matrixtsl.com/blog/simplifie ... c-and-spi/

Let us know how your getting on.

Thankyou Benj, I have received the chips but still waiting on the PCB that converts it from SOIC to DIP, once received will start some experiments..will post the results in the forum.

Hi

Not sure, perhabs it helps.
I had a try with this , but i think there is a little mistake in my flowchart,
perhabs benj can look to the flowchart, i used arduino mega 2560, and i found the tip from benj with hardware spi here :

http://www.www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmf ... 407#p69407

this helps me first time to sort out the software / hardware spi doing.
( txs benj )

btw:
i tested arduino sketch with the SPIFlash libary and works ( see picture ) the wire is ok and same - so i think the mistake is in the flowchart
( benj can you help please? - what was making wrong ? )

best wishes

rudi

update#

think - ready for fc

change the CKE to Trailing Edge and data comes
have a try and look to the pics and flowchart.
have phun!

rudi

push'

btw:
wire was:

W32
----------
1 /CS -> cs ( mega 2560 i take dig10 ( B4 ))
2 DO -> MISO
3 /WP-> here i connect it temporaly ( i do not need the just in time the function ) to GND
4 GND -> GND
5 DI -> MOSI
6 CLK -> CLK
7 /HOLD-> here i connect it temporaly ( i do not need the just in time the function ) to 3.3+
8 VCC -> 3.3+

like benj mentioded here this is helpfull
mega 2560 SS tip:
http://www.www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmf ... 407#p69407

spi / i2c
http://www.matrixtsl.com/blog/simplifie ... 2c-and-spi

last but not least:
5V / 3.3V
http://matrixtsl.com/blog/wp-content/up ... lshift.bmp

rudi