Microcontroller for writing to Compact Flash cards 1

[ChrisKnight]

Does anyone know of a microcontroller that can read serial input and write to a CompactFlash (CF) card ?

I would prefer some form of BASIC language but anything will do.

The card requires a 10-12 bit data rate of around 300 Hz.

Regards
Chris

 

[cbarn24050]

Hi, almost any micro will do that, the problem is what to do with the data. There are numerous pc based solutions which would be more suitable.

 

[ChrisKnight]

Thanks cbarn, unfortunately I am after a portable solution, hence the need for a Compact Flash card for storage. There is also a size issue that rules out the PC based solution.

I am really just after a chip that will take the input data and store it on a CF card. I thoight there may be a chip that already has that output format so I would not have to look into the CF spec to see the writing format.

Cheers
Chris

 

[cbarn24050]

Hi, it's not likely that you will find such a chip. Any micro, PIC, AVR, ect. will do such a simple task. Have you realised that the write rate to flash memory is very slow? I presume this is some kind of data logging app.

 

[Madcow]

Try this site

http://barrymichels.com/ide/

 

[atomicant1]

go check

http://www.armanet.com

they a a cf wirt pic interface

 

[Nang]

When writing to a memory card, using a PIC16F877 chip, is it better to operate the chip in True IDE mode or Memory mode? I am asking this because I have to download my data to the PC after everything has been stored. I know that the PC operates on True IDE mode, while the PIC would operate better on the Memmory mode. Which mode is best?

 

[brou0040]

I'm also working with the PIC16F877 chip. I'm already set up for serial comm with the PC, is there anyway I can use the serial connection to write to a compact flash card? If not, how are these cards written and how can I interface to them without buying an adapter?

 

[durdon]

I want to make a design with a pic and a Cf. But I wonder how can i do to make the link between the 2 component?
Is there any drive to do this??

 

[msamuels0]

check here...

http://www.circuitcellar.com/echips-pdfs/0201/c0201mspdf.pdf

 

[fetterlabs]

durdon,
Did you ever get your PIC and CF to work. I'm doing the same thing, and having difficulty. Mikroelektronika supply's CF routines with their board, which work great, but I'm using a different compiler. Mikroelektronika does not supply source code for their routines and I can't seem to duplicate them. I'm at my wits end. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ChrisKnight]

Fetterlabs,

I had a lot more success with the PIC 16F876a (although any will do), using PicBASIC Pro and SD or MMC cards for storage. We can write 3 channels @ 100Hz each, without any difficulties.

Cheers
Chris

 

[fetterlabs]

Thanks Chris,
Do the SD and MMC cards have the same initialization procedure as the CF? That seems to be where I'm having trouble.

 

[ChrisKnight]

I did not persevere with the CF as it required a massive number of parallel connections (about 40-50 I think) whereas the MMC and SD only have seven, of which only 2 are data lines, the rest being power, ground and clock etc.

So I dont know the initialisation procedures for the CF but certainly the SD and MMC are very easy. You send a CMD0. However the exceedingly unhelpful product manual at:

http://www.sandisk.com/pdf/oem/ProdManualMMCv5.2.pdf

needs to be waded through. I have a BASIC program that may help you if you contact me at
chris.knight "at" defence.gov.au

Cheers
Chris

 

[fetterlabs]

It looks like my problem was the 512 byte buffer in the CF. I was only writing 511 bytes. Thanks for your help though.