[coreboot] Tester hardware

[Peter Stuge]

Ward Vandewege wrote:
> > > I think a small microcontroller and actual flash chips may be
> > > the simplest and cheapest way to do it. The microcontroller is
> > > for flashing from ALIX, maybe also GPO pins and serial port.
> > 
> > Speaking with y flashrom hat on, I'd like to point out that you
> > can use the FT2232H Mini Module (~$30) to perform
> > in-system-programming (well, as long as the machine is powered of)

In-system-programming is worth considering, but for boards with
sockets it actually just creates extra work. In any case $30 for
flash programming in the tester hardware is way unacceptable. I'm
thinking that $10 is already nearly too high cost, but on the other
hand it buys a very nice ARM7 with USB, which could be reused also
independently of the tester.


> What kind of hardware would one use to hook the spi chip to the
> mini module?

This is the question. Anything socketed is easy, but soldered down
chips make it more difficult. For SO-8 I've only seen the IC-CLIP by
Pomona, which doesn't attach with a very sturdy connection to chips. :\


//Peter