It’s not Christmas yet, but: For a research project I’m currently evaluating a new microcontroller where I need a bit more leg room. Right on time I saw that there is a new board available which caught my interest: The Freescale FRDM-K82F :-). Without thinking too much about it, I have ordered that board from Mouser Thursday last week and I had it in my hand today 🙂 Time to put up a quick post about it:
The board is prices around $50, so more than the $15 I’m used for the FRDM-KL25Z. Well, I’m getting some more for the money too:
- 150 MHz ARM Cortex-M4F
- 256 KByte SRAM
- 2x 32MBit (4 MByte) QSPI memory
- The ‘usual’ push buttons, RGB LED, accelerometer/magnetometer, …
I expected the usual FRDM box, but that board comes in a new (in my view better) box, suitable to put it into a shelf of board.
The package has the usual Quick Reference with a ‘getting started’:
The board is in a normel anti-static bag (I always tell students to be aware of ESD!). Behind some cardboard, there is a micro USB cable for the board (finally there is such a cable included! I missed that USB cable in the previous FRDM board packages):
The board has lots of features and most of the header mounted. On the right there are two rows of FLEXIO headers (for a camera? Hmm, thinking now using that board for my Quadrocopter?). On the left side of the CPU there are two QSPI Memory devices (2x32MBit).
Beside of the Arduino headers, I see capacitive touch pads, header for serial bluetooth module, header for nRF24L01+ transceiver :-).
A factory-installed RGB LED demo is running on the board:
That’s it. Now I have the board, and I only need to find more time to actually using it ;-). I will try to find some cycles to explore it more. And I’m willing to borrow the board until then to anyone who is able to show up in my office :-).
Happy Boarding 🙂
What sort of things is the QSPI memory useful for?
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I have to check the data sheet of the device first. But typically that kind of things is used for Linux systems too. You can store data and/or run code from it. So it is basically an extension of your program memory.
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Hi Erich!
Wow how fast you’ve got it!!!
GND test-hook looks awesome and useful for different logic analyzers. I wish that processors have HS USB like it was in a preview info on frescale cite.
Example running a simple code from QSPIs would be very cool in learning purposes!!! I will wait inpatiently for that:)
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Hello Alexey,
You have an example of that currently available in Freescale KSDK 1.3:
C:\Freescale\KSDK_1.3.0\examples\twrk80f150m\demo_apps\hello_world_qspi
Regards,
Santiago
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Hello Santiago,
Many thanks! Never checked examples for boards I have not got currently. Need to read readme-files better 🙂
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Hi,
exist Sram with Quad SPI lowcost ?
thanks,
Carlos.
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Depends what ‘low cost’ is for you. But for example there is the Microchip 23LCV1024 1MBit serial SRAM.
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Hi Erich,
with 23LCV1024, can execute code with it?
thanks,
Carlos.
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Hi Carlos,
I believe so, if you map it to the correct address space. But I have not done that yet. You might have a look at the Freescale TWR-K82 example code too.
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Carlos
You can also connect parallel SRAM memory using flexbus signals which should be available on the headers
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Hi Greg, by any chance, is there somewhere a reference design or project for attaching SRAM? I ask because I have an early research project where I need lots of RAM 🙂
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Hi,
SRAM minimo 20 Pisn I/Os.
Qspi economic I/O.
tks,
Carlos.
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Hello Erich,
Did you know that Freedom boards used to feature the processor in a 45 degree angle to mimic Freescale logo? Perhaps today with NxP fusion that is no longer important.
Cheers!
Rafael.
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Hi Raphael,
I don’t think this is because of the FSL logo: it is common practice to place devices with many pins in a 45° angle on the board to make it easier to route the pins to all directions.
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