At 02:46 AM 10/16/2007, Jack Brindle wrote...
There is a huge difference between the old battery-backed memory and
using Flash memory. As you note, the battery will eventually run
down, causing memory to be lost. Flash memory will retain its
contents for a very long period - Microchip specifies this at 40
years minimum, 100 years typical.
But, they don't know that as a fact, and make lots of assumptions when
making those claims. The chips have obviously not been around over 100
years to make that claim true. Ask Microchip if they will stand behind
those claims, and provide you with replacement chips in 39 years if the
flash memory fails at that time.
I seriously doubt you will ever see the chip die from memory loss.
Well, I can tell you that the Motorola microcontroller in my (and many
others') Audi instrument cluster died due to failed flash memory, and
after only a couple of years, not the "40-100 years" the manufacturers
guess and hope they will be good for. Motorola shipped a batch of "bad"
chips. Firmware files are not available from anywhere, and Audi charges
$800+ for a replacement, even though I have the ability to program a
$20 chip myself.
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