On Fri, 28 May 1999 12:42:18 +1000 Antonio L Benci writes: >Here's a suggestion. Now i don't know what the operating current for >these devices is BUT how about powering up the flash memory from a >PORT >pin. The 16F84 can supply up to 20mA/pin. When not being accessed the >port pin is set LOW, no power is consumed. Overall it's not a bad idea. For an application that is mostly or exclusively reading it would be ideal. But when the power is cut off, the data in the SRAM part of the flash chip will be lost too. So if the PIC doesn't have enough SRAM to hold up to a whole block of data before moving it to flash, there is a problem. It would be possible to write less than a full block at a time by reading a block from flash into the SRAM, adding a few bytes of new data, then storing it back to the same block of flash before turning the power off. But the extra write cycles will probably use more power than just leaving the flash chip in standby and holding the partial block in the SRAM. ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]