eMMC

[newguy]

I'm quickly approaching a point where I'll have to look at adding an eMMC to a product I'm working on. I've never touched an eMMC; has anyone here interfaced one to a PIC/dsPIC? Is implementing a FAT file system on one pretty similar to SD cards?

Application requires (potentially) huge storage but what's more important is the ability to store data based on the serial number of an attached device to minimize search time to retrieve device specific data.

Using an SD card for storage has been rejected by client as being too unreliable BUT for the initial prototype I see no other alternative because there's no way that I can hand place and hand reflow an eMMC in a BGA package. I can implement SD storage initially for the proof of concept then migrate to eMMC for the final version, which will be built by a contract manufacturer.

[temtronic]

OK, I had to Google eMMC..... dang new stuff....old brain....sigh
Any chance you could use USB flash drives ? Years ago I used a Vinculum(sp) device for LOTS of data stoarge( greenhouse project), every minute, of every hour or every day for months....never missed a byte. Stored in CSV format for easy eXcel inputting....Used std TTL serial, 1 megabuad. All this from memory....but it was still running 5-6 years after 'proof of concept'.

Maybe an option for you ??

Bound to be newer stuff BUT check out ease of install and use before burning fingers soldering itty bitty parts !

Jay

[newguy]

No, has to be something soldered down to board. For the initial run I'm going to have to run with SD card storage but long term I'll need to use eMMC. Just way too much vibration / hostile environment for anything not rigidly fixed to the PCB.

As I said, eMMCs only come in BGA packages and there is no way that I can mount/solder one by hand.

Edit: eMMC is commonly used in things like linux SBC (single board computers), cell phones, and even low end tablet computers. Pretty much any low end computer, even windows varieties, if they sport a 64GB solid state drive, that's actually an eMMC. There is driver code available, but it's rather esoteric in that the low level stuff (which is what I'm concerned with) isn't documented well. ....Which is generally the case for anything "linux".

[asmallri]

I would take a different approach. First I would prove you can talk correctly to the eMMC with an adapter like this one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32838612754.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.201.da1659478a7gpx&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0%2Csearchweb201602_8_10065_10130_10068_10547_319_10546_317_10548_10545_10696_10084_453_454_10083_10618_10307_537_536_10059_10884_10887_321_322_10103%2Csearchweb201603_52%2CppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=b0f3218b-86e4-4113-b784-fc7704c864e3-29&algo_pvid=b0f3218b-86e4-4113-b784-fc7704c864e3&transAbTest=ae803_5

Then, when I was satisfied I could talk to it correctly, I would field test the unit with a microSD card.
_________________
Regards, Andrew

http://www.brushelectronics.com/software
Home of Ethernet, SD card and Encrypted Serial Bootloaders for PICs!!

[temtronic]

hmm, maybe there's an eMMC 'unit' or 'card' for some PC or laptop you could 'buy to try' ? Some kind of 'upgrade' module ? Surely someone makes such a card....everything else seems to be available !

[newguy]

Excellent suggestion Andrew. I'll add that to the shopping list.

[PCM programmer]

That unit is also available on Ebay. It costs more, and it still ships from
China. But if you have qualms about giving Aliexpress your credit card
number, Ebay is an alternative:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RT-BGA63-01-Adapter-V2-0-EMMC-NW267-BGA63-0-8mm-Socket-for-RT809H-Programmer-/232447762811

[newguy]

Upon closer examination, the ebay item doesn't seem to be compatible with eMMC available now (63 BGA vs 100+ BGA packages).

This is all moot anyway since we've decided to go with SD storage for now as the field trial target is aggressive.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway!