Post Az4NDRejXhpYv84onQ by Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com
 (DIR) More posts by Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com
 (DIR) Post #Az4Mm5Qw3d3mBCZqpE by vidak@social.solarpunk.au
       2025-10-10T14:49:41.428921Z
       
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       where can you get  serial/I2C memory for cheap?the kind that you can attach to an arduino microcontroller?
       
 (DIR) Post #Az4Mm6qqmlNqZri3rE by Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com
       2025-10-10T14:54:52.991488Z
       
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       @vidak Unfortunately, nobody sells extra RAM for Arduino's, as it's cheaper to just purchase a MCU with more memory.You can use a SPI flash chip for extended storage space, but that requires either a 3.3V mod or logic voltage shifters.
       
 (DIR) Post #Az4NDQVpnJ7NNEuCHo by vidak@social.solarpunk.au
       2025-10-10T14:55:52.011156Z
       
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       @Suiseiseki i'm looking for good microcontrollers... anything with 8K RAM and above is good--do you have any suggestions?
       
 (DIR) Post #Az4NDRejXhpYv84onQ by Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com
       2025-10-10T14:59:52.739079Z
       
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       @vidak No micro-controller is good - Arduino's seem to be the only ones that are easy to get that come with a free bootloader that have a free hardware design (but it seem it's over, as Qualcomm bought Arduino).Apparently the RP2040 has a free bootloader available and that has 264KB RAM.
       
 (DIR) Post #Az4O4z5lxUYDy7FmEa by vidak@social.solarpunk.au
       2025-10-10T15:02:17.311551Z
       
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       @Suiseiseki none of them are good?
       
 (DIR) Post #Az4O4ztkxeX8T8dh8y by Suiseiseki@freesoftwareextremist.com
       2025-10-10T15:09:32.534209Z
       
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       @vidak All existing microcontrollers have defects.Arduino's are great for 5V, but those have limited memory, limited number of pins and limited drive strength (the ThinkPad X200 wants 16mA of drive strength to flash externally for example) and usually are linked over very slow usb bridges. 3.3V modding is possible, but that can require a downclock to not have stability issues for certain usages.The RP2040 is not 5V tolerant and is 3.3V only, but it can do 12mA of drive strength, but it seems to come with a proprietary bootloader and it has a limited number of pins.