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Flash Memory Controller Using The Propeller — Parallax Forums

Flash Memory Controller Using The Propeller

Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
edited 2008-01-28 15:16 in Propeller 1
I know the propeller is a great controller and I use it with SD Memory.

My question to the forum members is, Has anybody or do you know if you can use the propeller as an Flash Memory Controller.
For use as a hard drive as an example ?

Rob7

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2008-01-27 22:59
    What do you mean by a "Flash Memory Controller". There are a lot of interpretations of that phrase.

    Basic issues:
    Are there enough I/O pins for your application?
    Is 32K enough for program code, buffers, control information, etc.?
    If you need to use assembly language for speed, how does the 2K byte
    cog memory limit fit with your application?
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2008-01-27 23:03
    Yes, Mike

    This will be a stand alone module.
    For memory only, just wondering if anybody has used the propeller for this app. without using an SD card ?
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2008-01-27 23:14
    Stand alone module that does what?
    Does it substitute for a hard drive?
    Does it use a hard drive, but behave like something else?
    Does it take the place of an EEPROM? What protocol?
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2008-01-27 23:59
    Mike,
    Sorry for the the confusion, Let me explain my what i am thinking.
    Using the propeller as a controller for memory storage are retrieval.
    Using it as a thumb drive, similar to that of a San-disk 2.0 Gig thumb-drive.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2008-01-28 00:38
    A Propeller has only limited memory although you can easily attach 256K of EEPROM.
    Were you thinking of using some other kind of memory?
    Thumb drives use USB for communication and USB controllers are quite complex.
    There were some individuals experimenting with writing USB peripheral drivers to allow
    a Propeller to look like a mouse or HID (human interface device). It's much more complicated
    to provide a mass storage device interface and it's even more complicated to provide a USB host
    like Parallax's Memory Stick Datalogger.
    If you're looking to do something like this as a learning experience, that's one thing.
    If you're looking to have some kind of practical device, you'd be much better off to get a
    ready made non-Propeller device like the Datalogger or a USB host from GHI Electronics or
    Vinculum.
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2008-01-28 00:50
    Mike,
    Just a project to learn memory protocol.
    I have purchased the data logger and have not at this time used it.
    I was just wondering if someone has tried to do this with the propeller.
    Thanks for the input.

    Rob7
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2008-01-28 13:06
    Flash memories in, for instance: Flash USB drives, Audio players, etc. Are TSOP-48 integrated circuits with a sort of 8 or 16 bit bus. They need few control lines, here is a link to a datasheet for a 1 GBit NAND Flash:

    www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/productInfo.do?fmly_id=159&partnum=K9F1G08U0B

    I think you mean something like this, no ?

    They are not more complicated to work with than a SD card, but they have a raster of 0.5 mm !

    Have fun.

    You can get one out of a USB stick of course smile.gif

    You have also a selection of parallel Flash memories (like a 29lv040), but they need more pins.
  • Rob7Rob7 Posts: 275
    edited 2008-01-28 15:16
    Yes,
    Ale .
    Thanks for the info.
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