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Introduction

It has been around seven years since the current Flash card was designed. At that time it was done in a rush, without much research, as the AMD 1M chip was being withdrawn and the footprint for that device needed to be changed. As the footprint was a lot smaller, there was enough space on the PCB to add a 512K Flash and 1M RAM. The cost of manufacturing a PCB is based on the size of the card, if the 512K/512 Flash/RAM configuration worked or not, the cost would have been the same (although the workload in the design would have been a lot less!).

By a sheer coincidence, OZ 4.x was being developed at the same time and it was found that the INTEL chip could not run OZ 4.x but it could be used for storing files. What was NOT realised at that time was that the AMD 1M Flash chip, although was a lot better, it could also fail, when running OZ. This was not discovered until quite recently.

AMIC announced that the 512K Flash chip used was no longer being manufactured. That triggered this section to be written.

The purpose of this section is to compare the original 5v Flash chips with the 3.3v versions and to ensure that the next version addresses any outstanding issues.

Latest NEWS

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We are designing a successor for the A29040C called A29040D. This part will become available in Q2.
Its pin out , form factor and programming ID will be identical to its predecessor. So any design around the A29040C will be suitable for the A29040D.

In case you consider the 3 volt option we advise A29L040B which is also in design and will be released in Q3 this year.

All these new designs are necessary to transfer to new wafer processes allowing long term availability.
In either case we look forward to supply your design.

With best regards,

Rob
Mob: +31-6-531.589.49 – Desk +31-321-313.719 -- Skype:amicrobstuart -

Design Considerations

First all the signals from/to the Z88 need to be converted 

AMIC announced that the 512K Flash chip used was no longer being manufactured. That triggered this section to be written.

The purpose of this section is to compare the original 5v Flash chips with the 3.3v versions and to ensure that the next version addresses any outstanding issues.

PCB Improvements

There are changes that have been requested.

• Real GOLD to be used on the card connector, instead of flash gold currently used.
• Pads on the chips to be made larger for easier hand soldering.
• 4 Layer board to be considered

Comparing different Flash chips 1M x 8

General Features

Notes: ¹. Restricted Vcc Voltage Range, Vcc = 3.0V ~ 3.6V.

Boot sector protect WP# input

The MX29LV800C and S29AL008J flash have virtually identical footprints and pinouts.

The only significant difference being the S29AL008J devices have a hardware WP# input (pin
#14 of the 48-TSOP package and pin B3 of the 48-BGA package) to protect the boot sector. These same pins are NC on the MX29LV800C devices. This difference will be transparent if the WP# pin is left unconnected or pulled high.

Command Set and Firmware

Basic commands and write status checking methods are the same for the chips shown above.

The Read operation and Write command could be used directly without any modification. Table below shows the command set in Word mode.

Basic Commands (Word Mode)

Note: SA: Sector Address

Electrical Characteristics

Read / Write Current

Input / Output Voltage

Erase and Programming Performance

AC Characteristic

Write Function Performance (Program and Erase)

Manufacturer and Device ID Command Definitions (Word Mode)

Note.
(1) Device ID can be read out after Manufacturer ID with proper address and does not need another command sequence.
(2) Use Reset command (F0h) to return to normal read mode.

Changing 5V to 3.3V

The following points to be considered

• The supply voltage to be changed from 5v to 3..3V with a voltage regulator.
• Signals levels to be converted with level converters.

Level Conversion

4 x GTL2003

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Comparing Spansion S29AL008J with Am29F080 1M Flash

General Features

TSOP pinouts

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All manufactures use this standard.

1M Flash 3v3

Being updated - not complete.

The following device was available 27/07/2013devices were available from04 Sep 2017

AM29F800BB-55EFSPANSION

	Device	Package	Manufacturer	Sectors
Image Modified		S29AL008J	48-Pin TSOP	CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR	64 Kbyte sectors
Image Added	S29AL008J70TFI020	48-Pin TSOP	CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR	64 Kbyte sectors
Image Added	S29AL008J70TFI020	48-Pin TSOP	CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR	64 Kbyte sectors
Image Added

Spansion are putting their 1M AMD Flash chips on End of Life EOL.

Spansion's Data Sheets

AMIC may have had some 5v replacements A29800, A29801 these are no longer available.

The package is slightly larger, they do not fully match.

Once stocks of the Am29F080B device are depleted, there is no replacement.

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Spansion have been taken over by Cypress Semiconductor

512K Flash 3v3

The following device is available 23/02/17

NOTE: The Z88 will not be able to program this chip due to the 4 Kbyte sectors. It may be programmed with an external programmer.

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	Device	Package	Manufacturer	Sectors
	A29040C-55F	DIP 32	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors
	A29040CL-55F	PLCC	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors

The following devices were available 27/07/2013 02 Sep 2017 

	Device	Package	Manufacturer	Sectors
	A29040B-70F	DIP 32	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors
	A29040BLA29L040AL-70F	PLCC	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors	3v3
Image Removed Image Added	A29040BV A29L400BUV-70F	32 48 TSOP	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors	3v3
	AM29F040B-55JF	PLCC	SPANSION	64 Kbyte sectors
	AM29F040B-90JF	PLCC	SPANSION	64 Kbyte sectors
	A29L040L-70F	PLCC	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors
	SST39SF040-70-4C-NHE	PLCC	MICROCHIP	Uniform 4KByte sectors
	SST39SF040-70-4I-NHE	PLCC		Uniform 4KByte sectors
	SST39SF040-70-4I-WHE	32 TSOP		Uniform 4KByte sectors

128K Flash

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3v3

The following devices are available 27/07/2013

	Device	Package	Manufacturer	Sectors
	A29010L-70F	PLCC	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors
	A29010V-70F	32 TSOP	AMIC	64 Kbyte sectors
	AM29F010B-70JF	PLCC	SPANSION	64 Kbyte sectors
	SST39SF010A-70-4C-NHE	PLCC	MICROCHIP	Uniform 4KByte sectors
	SST39SF010A-70-4C-WHE	32 TSOP	MICROCHIP	Uniform 4KByte sectors
	SST39SF010A-70-4I-NHE	PLCC	MICROCHIP	Uniform 4KByte sectors
	SST39SF010A-70-4I-WHE	32 TSOP	MICROCHIP	Uniform 4KByte sectors
	SST39SF010A-70-4C-PHE	DIP 32	MICROCHIP	Uniform 4KByte sectors

OR Gates

We might need an OR gate for /CE, POE to POE_S

Conclusion

• There is no life left for the 1M Flash chips.
• The 512K size was the most cost effective and the 64 sector version was manufactured two companies.
• 128K is not a lot cheaper than the 512K and is uneconomic to use.

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