MCF53010 SSI/RTC/ESDHC problem

[Dec]

Hi,

Is anyone using the MCF53010 ?

I have prototype boards and I'm having problems with the SSI, RTC and ESDHC registers.

I'm communicating with tech support but wondered if anyone on here is using this chip and could help ?

Thanks

[Chuck_NSWCCD]

We have also gotten burned by this issue. I have just about completed a Prototype PCB design only to find it will not function as advertised due to the absense of the ESDHC module. I have to completely redesign now. Has anyone found any suitable replacements from other manufacturers? I need SD capability and dual homed ethernet or else I would just give up on Freescale and go to another product. Is this how this company normally conducts business? This is our first attempt to use their products and we are not pleased.

[Dec]

Unfortunately I can't help with an alternative as time was against me on my project so my only option was to switch to the BGA package.

Depending on what you need to do with the SD card I think you can use SPI to communicate with it.  Might be worth looking into ?

What I find really annoying is that it took them 6 months to update their documentation during which time they weren't telling customers (existing or new) about the problem.  Sadly you weren't the only one to be caught by this.

I would hope that tech support were made aware of unpublished errata so they could warn new customers but they aren't

I can only assume they've cut back heavily on tech support as I've just closed a service request after many weeks of no response.

Is this how they normally do business ?  I'm beginning to think it is

[Dec · Accepted solution]

Just in case anyone is interested I thought I'd post the solution to the problem.

The solution is...don't use Freescale!

The modules I'm having problems with are (accidently) disabled in the MCF5301x devices in LQFP package.

Quite how this can happen while the devices are being actively marketed I've no idea.

Paul

[J2MEJediMaster]

I am sorry to hear that you have had such a negative experience with Freescale parts. I want to try to follow up and find out what happened here. Was this due to a documentation error, or something else?

---Tom

[Dec]

Sorry for my slow reply but I only just spotted your question.

The data sheet for the MCF53010 device states that the SSI and eSDHC modules are available.

All documentation, incuding the fact sheet, show these modules as available.

However, what seems to have happened is these modules were accidently disabled for all chips in the LQFP package.

The higher spec devices in BGA packages are OK.

This is part of the response from support :

"After discussing this thoroughly with our Test, Product, and Design Engineering teams, it is confirmed that, unfortunately, the SSI module has its clocks gated due to the Primary SSI signals being removed from the LQFP package.  This was an oversight because those signals are also found multiplexed with the SIM signals and, thus, the SSI should have been available."

What is more worrying is that Freescale have not yet issued an updated errata for this and the device is being actively marketed with incorrect information.

As there is no work around for this problem our only options are to either go with BGA package (which we didn't want) or switch to another device.

This has obviously delayed our project and added extra costs as we'd had prototype boards built.

If you can get Freescale to at least update it's documentation that would be a good start and prevent others wasting time and money.

Thanks

Paul

[ReeL]

Thanks for posting this information.  We're considering using a MCF5301x in LQFP too because we need dual etherent and are more comfortable with LQFP than BGA.  The SSI is not of concern for us and we can work around the RTC with an external chip but the lack of ESDHC may limit us.   Did Freescale say the ESDHC was specifically disabled the same as the SSI?

I can almost understand the RTC being disabled because its external pins aren't available on the LQFP, but since pins for the SSI and ESDHC signals are available this would appear to be a device errata to disable them.  I hope Freescale will rectify these in furture versions of these chips.

[Dec]

Hi,

As you've mentioned, the RTC isn't available because the pins don't appear on the LQFP package.

From the email I had from Freescale on the 14th June : 

"Lastly, as for the eSDHC, Design confirmed that although the eSDHC primary signals are made available on the LQFP package that the eSDHC module was not made available for this package."

So, it looks like the disabling of the eSDHC was deliberate on this package as, unlike the SSI, they've not said it was disabled by accident.

I got the following from our Freescale supplier in the UK on the 19th August :

"At the present time, there are no plans to correct the faults that you have identified on the devices"

So, if you want SSI or eSDHC avoid the LQFP parts

I am appalled at the way Freescale are handling this, customer care obviously does not exist.

They've known about these faults on the LQFP parts since 14th June and they've still not updated the datasheet or errata for this device.

Technical support do not seem to be aware of the problems - I got a another company to ask for the latest eratta for these devices recently and they were pointed to the one on the website which is out of date

It's a shame Freescale don't care about it's customers.  You would have thought that having caused a lot of headaches and problems for one customer they'd try and avoid doing the same to other customers.  Sadly, it seems that's not the case.

Paul

[Dec]

In the latest Freescale Design news I noticed an updated errata for the MCF5301X.

However, taking a look there is no mention of these very serious faults.

Can it really take 3 months or more to let potential new users know of SERIOUS FAULTS in a Freescale product ?

Unfortunately it makes me wonder whether there is any point in using Freescale in the future as any new development might suffer due to faults which are known about but not distributed.

So, is anyone going to do anything about this ?

Paul

[ReeL]

MCF53017DE  Rev. 3, 10/2010 now mentions the lack of these features on the LQFP packaged devices.  No mention of a fix forth coming though.

"

SECF189:  208-LQFP: Modules not available in 208 LQFP package

Errata type:   Silicon

Affected component: 208-LQFP

Description: 

The following devices available in the 208 LQFP package: MCF53010, MCF53011, MCF53012, and MCF53013 do not have the SSI, RTC, and eSDHC modules enabled. 

This is because of errors in the design and definition of the device for the 208-LQFP package.

The SIM module is also impacted because the RTC is required for auto powerdown mode. This feature will not be available.

The eSDHC pins on the package will not be available as GPIO, so leave them as "no connects."

Workaround: 

The only currently available workaround is to use the MAPBGA packaged device as it is not impacted by this issue.

"

[Dec]

I kept moaning at them to do something about it so they probably got fed up of me and decided to update the docs.

Still don't understand why it's taken them so long.

Unless they change their minds in the future they have no plans to fix the problems.

This means if you don't or can't go to BGA package there better options available than the MC5301X series

[J2MEJediMaster]

Thank you for the detailled information. I have forwarded this forum thread to the relevant people.

---Tom

[Dec]

Just to clarify what is happening...

The power management registers show the SSIR/RTC and ESDHC as being disabled.

However, trying to enable them has no effect, they remain disabled.

Tech support still on going but it's a slow process due to time differences

Anybody else on here using either th MCF53010 or one of the other variants in the LQFP package ?