ESP32 external psRAM module

All ESP32 boards running MicroPython.
Target audience: MicroPython users with an ESP32 board.
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mcauser
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ESP32 external psRAM module

Post by mcauser » Tue Jun 05, 2018 12:12 am

I've got one of these little $2 W25Q128 16MB SPI NorFlash modules:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pc-W25 ... 44173.html

Image

Could it be used to add psRAM support to my old Lolin32 (with ESP-WROOM-32 Rev0), or any other ESP32 boards lacking onboard psRAM?

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Roberthh
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Re: ESP32 external psRAM module

Post by Roberthh » Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:38 am

I piggy-backed an ESP32 LoLin32 lite with a RAM chip as shown here: https://loboris.eu/forum/Thread-Info-Up ... 8MB-SPIRAM. It also tells the source for the RAM. A little bit tricky for my old eyes, but it works. I just tried it with today's commits with psRAM support.. It has no real value, since it is mechanically fragile. I just wanted to know if it's possible. If you have a device a WROOM module, you can also connect the RAM to the module. The connections needed are on the sides of the WROOM module.

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pythoncoder
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Re: ESP32 external psRAM module

Post by pythoncoder » Tue Jun 05, 2018 6:48 am

@mcauser Sorry if I'm missing something here but surely Flash and (SPI)RAM are entirely different technologies requiring different drivers?
Peter Hinch
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mcauser
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Re: ESP32 external psRAM module

Post by mcauser » Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:06 am

@Roberthh My Lolin is an original Rev0. No RAM for me! Nice hack!

@pythoncoder that's what I wasn't sure about. Can SPI Flash be used as RAM or is SPI RAM a completely different tech.
Further Googleing suggests they are indeed completely different techs.

Searching for "SPIRAM" on AliExpress gave me nothing but a page of vegetable peelers, hence the confusion.

I asked Mr Wemos when he's selling the Lolin32 Pros with psRAM again and he said around a week.
Last edited by mcauser on Tue Jun 05, 2018 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

OutoftheBOTS_
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Re: ESP32 external psRAM module

Post by OutoftheBOTS_ » Tue Jun 05, 2018 10:06 am

Here's the link to the psRAM that Loboris used to upgrade the wroom module http://www.electrodragon.com/product/2p ... 4-iot-ram/

Pretty cheap at $1.60 for 2 chips with 8mb on each chip.

The soldering them on to the wroom module is the art


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