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Have a good idea for a new product for SFE or Olimex? Let us know!
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By sparky
#7
If you've ever played with data logging or I2C eeproms, you realize how quickly one fills up 16,000 bytes of flash memory. What is the easiest way around this limit? Currently, you can string upto 8 256k microchip i2c eeproms and get 2 meg of usable space.

How does 64 meg sound?

We are currently developing a smart media controller! If you've ever played with 1st generation RIO mp3 players or almost all 1st generation digital cameras - you know what smart media is. These really small cards are dropping in price! Checkout http://www.pricewatch.com for the current price - but 64 meg runs for about $20.
Yea, the new formats are smaller, but smart media is cheap and many people already have extra cards laying around.

The idea is simple - a little board with a controller and a smart media socket. You interface the board through the SPI or I2C interface and you have up to 128 meg of flash eeprom. Sheesh! It's huge!

Pictures and more info on the way... Let us know if you think you could use something like this!
User avatar
By sparky
#12
More product development -

We have PCBs on order and the firmware almost complete. We hope to have initial runs available by late June.
By malachi
#78
for a good price, id go for it
User avatar
By sparky
#93
Shoot. It's mid-July already.

The firmware is almost ironed out. The boards are tiny. The interface is RS232 for now.

Time to write a datasheet!
By parity
#167
I'm really interested in your smart media controller. Could you give me more input, pictures....

So long, Matt
User avatar
By sparky
#168
Hah! Perfect timing. Just finished the datasheet. This is really my first datasheet - so it may have some huge gaping holes, but you get the idea.

PCBs to be in late Sept. I will have the item on the main site soon. Pictures, the code, etc, as well.

http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/SMEE ... eeprom.pdf