Ordering EVO PCBs at chinese manufactures questions and help

[phoerber]

6 hours ago, dzorbas said:

 

Just curious what the cost was on these chips. The seller must be aware of the current supply situation. I can't imagine they would be selling them for anywhere close to the original $8 price. Perhaps they are charging less than what PCBWay charges you but I'm sure they are also taking advantage of the situation.

 

@dzorbas For 10 MCU's, including shipping I paid $33.23 per.

 

The problem now is NOBODY is shipping to China from the US (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc..) - so the saga continues.... On hold with DHL to see if they have a workaround, but I know if they do its probably going to be costly.

 

@MCtrickyD - Were you able to ship your MCU's to PCBWay? If yes, what carrier/cost did you land on?

 

Thx much...

Edited April 28, 2022 by phoerber
Content add and @ mentions

[MCtrickyD]

HI @phoerber I actually found a lower spec STM32 that PCBWay was able to source in country so they are not using any parts I provided. That said PCBway is having a hard time getting parts even from other parts of China. In the week since I agreed to swap the diodes and oscillator out for made in China ones and the diodes have arrived but not ETA on oscillators yet. I was unable to get parts to PCBWay from Taiwan despite them being received and passing customs, they are indefinitely stuck in the Shanghai lockdown.

 

For the STM32 I offered a list of comparable chips I found and posted previously in this thread and they located a slightly lower spec option for a little under $50 a unit but that was more than a month ago, who knows now if they can get any suitable STM32.

[phoerber]

On 4/29/2022 at 12:49 PM, MCtrickyD said:

HI @phoerber I actually found a lower spec STM32 that PCBWay was able to source in country so they are not using any parts I provided. That said PCBway is having a hard time getting parts even from other parts of China. In the week since I agreed to swap the diodes and oscillator out for made in China ones and the diodes have arrived but not ETA on oscillators yet. I was unable to get parts to PCBWay from Taiwan despite them being received and passing customs, they are indefinitely stuck in the Shanghai lockdown.

 

For the STM32 I offered a list of comparable chips I found and posted previously in this thread and they located a slightly lower spec option for a little under $50 a unit but that was more than a month ago, who knows now if they can get any suitable STM32.

Thank you bud, appreciate you sharing your saga as well.

 

As mentioned I finally was able to get the MCU's to PCBWay via DHL. They are still en route, so it's unknown at this point if they are authentic or not. I will keep you all posted.

[Tinkertilter]

hello everyone, 
I have ordered 5 more boards from PCWAY, I just got them. I asked for VGT6 chip to be installed and sourced by them this time - just in case - and they did install it.

 

I can see the boards in SMT32 boot loader, but upon firmware update and reset they are not discovered by windows as pin2dmd. 

I am using DFUSE tool to install the firmware.

 

Voltage across the board is 3.07 at all caps.

What is the issue here?

 

EDIT: there was something wrong with the firmware file I had been using. I re downloaded the firmware from the site and reinstalled and it worked... Now I also realized that the previous chips purchased from Ali Express (the ones that did show as SMT32 boot loaded) could have worked if I had re downloaded the firmware. 

 

Puzzled as to why the firmware file stopped working, it is literally the same file I used for others screens that did work - the file is saved on my desktop and I never changed it - . My computer did not experienced any issues or anything... weird.

 

Anyway, there is that...

Edited May 18, 2022 by Tinkertilter

[lucky1]

9 hours ago, Tinkertilter said:

Puzzled as to why the firmware file stopped working, it is literally the same file I used for others screens that did work - the file is saved on my desktop and I never changed it - . My computer did not experienced any issues or anything... weird.

 

If you use the DFUSe tool to upload the firmware there is a good chance to destroy the file by chooseing "Upload Action" instead of "Upgrade and Verify Action". Upload Action downloads a flash image from the MCU and saves it to the file selected.

[lucky1]

Thanks to the member of the community Jarek we successfully tested 

Geehy APM32F407VGT6 on the EVO 128x32 boards as a replacement for the

STM32F4xx MCUs. As far as we can say from the tests the Geehy APM32F407VGT6 

is pin and binary compatible to the STM chip and should cost between 20 - 25$.

[stumblor]

This is great news...!

 

I had a quick search for a STM32H743 replacement (for the HD), but doesn't look like they're currently supporting M7 cortex.

[Mace]

Just a quick post to say that I finally took the plunge and made up my own displays. The cost for the original ST32 chip (STM32F427VIT6) was quoted at over $250 each so using Lucky1's specs I substituted in the STM32F417VGT6 which was a more reasonable $56. I couldn't find reference to that chip being used before so I've attached my bill of materials below in case anyone else wants the details.

PCBWay BOM quo T-3FR8W365917A-5sets-128x32_(2022-04-27) Cindy.xls

Edited May 27, 2022 by Mace
misspelling

[Mundy53]

I finally decided to take the plunge and attempt to build some Pin2DMD HDs. I put the order into pcbway but TS2940CP33 is out of stock. I saw a recommendation for AZ2940D-3.3TRE1 as a substitute posted elsewhere on the forum, but that chip seems to now be obsolete.  Would anyone here happen to know of a suitable substitute?

 

your help is much appreciated. 

 

 

[Tinkertilter]

I have one board from my last batch that would initiate/load the firmware intermittently. It has to be reset several times before it does, if I turn it off and back on, it might start ok or might not.

I have no idea what could be causing this. 

Any ideas?

 

EDIT: I went ahead and replaced the 8mhz crystal and it now works. I took a gamble based on other comments here with issues when screen do not start so I thought it could be it and it was it....

Edited June 13, 2022 by Tinkertilter

[zenmaster]

Anyway to assemble with socket for the STM32. Put in MPU when price/availability better?

Socket footprint would have to match existing pads.

In data sheet, could not find a package that used socket instead of pins.

I was quoted $188 for STM32F427VIT6 from PCBWay. Other prices seemed reasonable.

[phoerber]

Just an update to all: After submitting my build order back in APRIL and supplying my own ST MCU's, the boards arrived this week with no issues.

 

The STM32F427VIT6's procured via AliExrpess were indeed authentic and work flawlessly. YMMV. 

 

So glad to know there are alternatives out there, but in the meantime, I have 5 more STM32F427VIT6 chips in my possession. Debating right now if I want to keep building these.

 

Let me know if any of you are interested in these chips, as I will let them go for cost if I decide to sell.

Edited July 8, 2022 by phoerber
add

[phoerber]

On 5/27/2022 at 4:08 AM, Mace said:

Just a quick post to say that I finally took the plunge and made up my own displays. The cost for the original ST32 chip (STM32F427VIT6) was quoted at over $250 each so using Lucky1's specs I substituted in the STM32F417VGT6 which was a more reasonable $56. I couldn't find reference to that chip being used before so I've attached my bill of materials below in case anyone else wants the details.

PCBWay BOM quo T-3FR8W365917A-5sets-128x32_(2022-04-27) Cindy.xls 47.5 kB · 9 downloads

 

Thank you for sharing this @Mace, appreciate it. $55-60 USD for one STM still seems outrageous to me. Perhaps I'm living in the past, but I'd much rather that money go to content devs instead of PCBWay.. My 2c.

 

[DigitalJedi084]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:59 AM, lucky1 said:

Thanks to the member of the community Jarek we successfully tested 

Geehy APM32F407VGT6 on the EVO 128x32 boards as a replacement for the

STM32F4xx MCUs. As far as we can say from the tests the Geehy APM32F407VGT6 

is pin and binary compatible to the STM chip and should cost between 20 - 25$.

Thank you @lucky1 and Jarek for testing those alternative STM chips!

 

I just submitted an order with the Geehy subbed in and the cost was pretty reasonable! Looks like it actually came to around $9 a chip.

 

BOM attached:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/1MsO0cx-z40Nwtid3UVtrCIr9fiMrJjy1/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msexcel
 

 

[scoby78]

Hi guys,

 

can anyone suggest an alternative part to TS2940CP33 that will work with the Pin2’s

 

Cheers

 

scott

[lucky1]

All distributors have a function to display alternatives based on parameters from the original part that comes handy in such a case. After comparing the datasheet with the TS2940CP33 it looks like this part should be suitable. Maybe better crosscheck yourself before ordering

 

https://www.digikey.de/de/products/detail/rohm-semiconductor/BA033CC0FP-E2/722186

 

[Chesco]

Hello.

I haven't been informed about the stock of original STM32 chips for too long.

A couple of weeks ago I asked PCBWAY for a quote and the figure was impossible (more than $2,500 for 10 Boards).

I have seen another manufacturing method, but I do not know one of the materials to be used.

Can someone show me the way?

Thanks.

[Chesco]

Nobody knows it? 🙁

[Terranigma]

33 minutes ago, Chesco said:

Nobody knows it? 🙁

 

It's all in the thread a couple posts up from yours. Just have a read as there are various options now and you can choose which is best for you. Good luck!

[lucky1]

21 hours ago, Chesco said:

I have seen another manufacturing method, but I do not know one of the materials to be used.

Can someone show me the way?

 

 

That is another custom design which is not officially supported by pin2dmd .  And again it there have been circuits removed which are there for a very good reason. There is a pretty good chance that these boards will have problems or don´t work at all with future releases of pin2dmd . I will not give any support for such designs or put any effort into making them work anymore. It is just a waste of time. Stick to the original design and with a quote for the Geehy APM32F407VGT6 instead of the STM32 the price should be in the normal range again.

 

https://pin2dmd.com/hardware/#2.3

[Chesco]

2 hours ago, lucky1 said:

 

That is another custom design which is not officially supported by pin2dmd .  And again it there have been circuits removed which are there for a very good reason. There is a pretty good chance that these boards will have problems or don´t work at all with future releases of pin2dmd . I will not give any support for such designs or put any effort into making them work anymore. It is just a waste of time. Stick to the original design and with a quote for the Geehy APM32F407VGT6 instead of the STM32 the price should be in the normal range again.

 

https://pin2dmd.com/hardware/#2.3

 

Thanks.
Now I understand it all...

[Chesco]

2 hours ago, lucky1 said:

 

That is another custom design which is not officially supported by pin2dmd .  And again it there have been circuits removed which are there for a very good reason. There is a pretty good chance that these boards will have problems or don´t work at all with future releases of pin2dmd . I will not give any support for such designs or put any effort into making them work anymore. It is just a waste of time. Stick to the original design and with a quote for the Geehy APM32F407VGT6 instead of the STM32 the price should be in the normal range again.

 

https://pin2dmd.com/hardware/#2.3

 

I would like to order from PCBWAY again but last time, the quote for 10 boards with STM32 Chip was around 2,500$.

I've read about the Geehy APM32F407VGT6, however it seems to have some problems regarding frame rate compared to STM32 (there were some performance issues with the animation displaying: dropping frames).

A short video showing the problem:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GzR-Issybevt_F9sV32YMADpYpionxpl/view?usp=sharing
Upper = ST chip
Lower = Geehy chip
Both have the same firmware (PIN2DMD V4.37).

I don't know if it will be true or not.

Perhaps some colleagues who have already tried it can clarify these doubts.

Thanks.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Chesco

[lucky1]

7 hours ago, Chesco said:

I've read about the Geehy APM32F407VGT6, however it seems to have some problems regarding frame rate compared to STM32 (there were some performance issues with the animation displaying: dropping frames).

 

That was a problem of  the simulator he used and not of the Geehy CPU, otherwise I would not give you the tip.

[Chesco]

10 hours ago, lucky1 said:

 

That was a problem of  the simulator he used and not of the Geehy CPU, otherwise I would not give you the tip.

 

Thanks.

[Chesco]

22 hours ago, lucky1 said:

 

That is another custom design which is not officially supported by pin2dmd .  And again it there have been circuits removed which are there for a very good reason. There is a pretty good chance that these boards will have problems or don´t work at all with future releases of pin2dmd . I will not give any support for such designs or put any effort into making them work anymore. It is just a waste of time. Stick to the original design and with a quote for the Geehy APM32F407VGT6 instead of the STM32 the price should be in the normal range again.

 

https://pin2dmd.com/hardware/#2.3

 

Order "Under Review" on PCBWAY...

Thanks @lucky1 and @Terranigma