Q: I plan on using the Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter with the Flash Center Software to program SPI flash chips and I2C EEPROM chips on my prototype board. Is there built-in support in the Flash Center Software to program memory devices? If these parts are not supported in the software, will I still be able to program these parts using the Aardvark?

A: Thanks for your question! You can certainly use the Aardvark adapter as an SPI or I2C chip programmer. Along with the Flash Center Software, you will be able to efficiently program your devices using the Aardvark adapter's USB to I2C or USB to SPI interface.

The Flash Center Software has built-in support for numerous I2C and SPI parts from Atmel, Intel, Microchip, Spansion, STMicro, Renesas, and many other memory chip manufacturers. You can see if the Flash Center parts library has that built-in support for your chip in the “Parts” section here.

If your part is not listed, don't worry! The Flash Center Software package comes with an XML parts directory that allows you to easily view and modify part files. Simply use an existing part file for a similar device from the parts directory to help you get started and modify the XML fields to match your device. Some of the different fields such as device ID and timing parameters can be found in your device's datasheet. Here's a snippet of what the XML part file looks like:

By the way, another cool feature of the Flash Center Software is its support for gang programming with either the Aardvark or Cheetah SPI Host Adapter. Easily connect multiple Aardvark or Cheetah adapters to your computer and use any or all of the devices to program your target devices in parallel.

We hope this answers your question about support for programming different chips with the Aardvark adapter and the Flash Center Software. Feel free to contact us at sales@totalphase.com or support@totalphase.com.