From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-path: Received: from majordomo by infradead.org with local (Exim 3.03 #1) id 12VySn-0004mf-00 for mtd-list@infradead.org; Fri, 17 Mar 2000 15:14:57 +0000 Received: from proxy.datalux.com ([204.111.16.98] helo=datalux_nt1.datalux_nt1) by infradead.org with esmtp (Exim 3.03 #1) id 12VySl-0004mU-00 for mtd@infradead.org; Fri, 17 Mar 2000 15:14:55 +0000 Message-ID: <38D24BA5.CB487F1F@datalux.com> Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2000 10:13:41 -0500 From: Ralph Stickley MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Kyle Harris , mtd-list Subject: Re: CF Works !? References: <38D1281F.63D57D8E@datalux.com> <38D1541C.85DB4CEC@nexus-tech.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-mtd@imladris.demon.co.uk List-ID: Kyle Harris wrote: > > Ralph, > > Thanks for the update. I'm a little confused (not unusual :). Why is the > IDE-CF adaptor needed? Does the IDE CF not interface directly to a > standard IDE? What is the total cost of your 32MB solution? > > Thanks, Kyle. > The CF cards come with a small 50 pin (1mm ??) connector on the edge of them. To make the connection with a standard 0.1" IDE connector requires an adaptor that has both connectors. AFAIK, the CF pinout is not the same pinout as IDE... Total cost for quantity "1" is about $60 for the adaptor and $89 for the card (something like that, I didn't buy them, so I don't know exactly). In the end, we'd like to layout our board to include the CF connector directly on our board. I don't know what the cost of CF connector is, but the volumes that CF cards are manufactured in ensure their price will remain as cheap or cheaper than just buying the flash chips. CF design decisions...not just cost: Availablity is a big problem with flash chips...we've seen them go out to 6 months on allocation! Flash is one of the most difficult chips to manufacture...for example, MicroChip has recently delayed some new "flash" based devices for over 8 months because of yield problems. Of course, in due time, you won't be able to buy something as small as 32MB (just like trying to buy a 4GB (or is that 6GB this month ?) hard drive... they aren't manufactured anymore!) but we can live with that :-) Multi-sourced devices are always going to be cheaper than sole sourced devices (like M-Systems)... Also, the ability to remove and replace the media is worth it for our product design. Added cost of connector may bring this design to same price as M-System (doubt it) but the replaceability is handy for user upgrades...(compare with..."ok, now insert screw-driver under that big chip...") Good luck, Ralph To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe mtd" to majordomo@infradead.org