Arduino-Teensy4 Teensy4 Expansion board

No haven't seen that - I have one similar for a T3.2 that made by the same person and it works rather nice. Never thought about putting a T4 in place of the t3.2
 
This looks nice. Like mjs513 said, I have the 3.2 version, though I must admit I don't use it much.

Particularly for the solder challenged, having the option to pre-solder it all together (at a cost) will be nice. I'm kind of hoping Loglow's board will be available someday also.
 
I priced it out and for an assembled board without Bluetooth, Radio Transmitter, power supply and with a T4 attached it was about $70.00. Not sure if that included shipping or taxes.
 
I priced it out and for an assembled board without Bluetooth, Radio Transmitter, power supply and with a T4 attached it was about $70.00. Not sure if that included shipping or taxes.

I get $68.94 (USA shipping is $3.95) when I put it in the cart. It did not mention taxes. If I include the NRF24L01+ and bluetooth radios, it bumps it up to $78.44.
 
Because of the fact that production of the Teensy-4-0-Breakout-kit and the T4.1 might be delayed (due to the Covid-19 virus outbreak) I think I might buy one to continue on with some of my other projects for testing purposes. I can continue with development of MSC2 with the T4 breakout board that @Paul graciously sent me but I do need a second SPI port for working with my RA8876 display and touchscreen from Buydisplay. Like you, I just do not have a steady hand to assemble these breakout boards. That and my eyesight:) I do not have another T4 so it might be a good backup until the other T4 boards are available.
 
I just ordered one and it came. I had the previous version for the 3.2, and the layout is roughly the same (but then since it is trying to match the layout of the DUE or Mega shields, it isn't surprising).

Some quick thoughts about the layout of the board:
  • There is a 2 pin connector for external power that juts out on the side. I would prefer that the pins be vertical instead of horizontal, so the shield can be placed against a wall, and also so the pins can't be bent if the shield falls down;
  • There are 6 M3 sized holes for mounting or raising the board off the ground for standoffs. Unfortunately the two holes on the left side (with the Teensy facing you) are too close to the female headers that you can't use normal M3 screws. I think this is due to the Arduino layout also. I remember in the past having to cut a nylon M3 nut in half so it could fit adjacent to the headers.
  • I had bought the previous version to use with the Gamedunio3 which comes in an Arduino shield package. Unfortunately that will not work directly with the current board, because the headers used by mounting the Teensy are tall enough that I can't mount the Gamedunio3, I would need to get another set of Arduino stacking headers to raise the current headers high enough to allow clearance of the Teensy 4;
  • The on/off pin is connected to the on/off button at the front.
 
I just ordered one and it came. I had the previous version for the 3.2, and the layout is roughly the same (but then since it is trying to match the layout of the DUE or Mega shields, it isn't surprising).

Some quick thoughts about the layout of the board:
  • There is a 2 pin connector for external power that juts out on the side. I would prefer that the pins be vertical instead of horizontal, so the shield can be placed against a wall, and also so the pins can't be bent if the shield falls down;
  • There are 6 M3 sized holes for mounting or raising the board off the ground for standoffs. Unfortunately the two holes on the left side (with the Teensy facing you) are too close to the female headers that you can't use normal M3 screws. I think this is due to the Arduino layout also. I remember in the past having to cut a nylon M3 nut in half so it could fit adjacent to the headers.
  • I had bought the previous version to use with the Gamedunio3 which comes in an Arduino shield package. Unfortunately that will not work directly with the current board, because the headers used by mounting the Teensy are tall enough that I can't mount the Gamedunio3, I would need to get another set of Arduino stacking headers to raise the current headers high enough to allow clearance of the Teensy 4;
  • The on/off pin is connected to the on/off button at the front.

Hi Michael,

I just got mine last Thursday. Everything seemed to work as expected until I tried using the SDIO card. No matter what libraries I used it the SD card was not being recognized. So I removed the T4 to check the ribbon cable and saw two traces leading to the adapter side ribbon cable connector that looked burnt. Using a magnifying glass I could see the traces appeared to be split:(

Here is a slightly blurry picture: (Shakey hands)
20200307_123939.jpg

I have contacted Tindie to see if I have any recourse on this. I am really curious to see if yours works ok. I bought this board to use until T4.1 or the T4 breakout boards are available.

EDIT: I wonder if this might have been a returned unit that they sent to me.
 
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Hi Michael,

I just got mine last Thursday. Everything seemed to work as expected until I tried using the SDIO card. No matter what libraries I used it the SD card was not being recognized. So I removed the T4 to check the ribbon cable and saw two traces leading to the adapter side ribbon cable connector that looked burnt. Using a magnifying glass I could see the traces appeared to be split:(

I have contacted Tindie to see if I have any recourse on this. I am really curious to see if yours works ok. I bought this board to use until T4.1 or the T4 breakout boards are available.

EDIT: I wonder if this might have been a returned unit that they sent to me.
Sorry to hear that. The solder joints on mine look fine.

I have a Samsung 32GB micro-SD card that has some test files on it. I loaded the card onto the new Teensy 4.0, and ran the program from the audio shield that tests reading 1-4 files at the same time.

The first time it ran, it stopped after reading the 2nd file. I power cycled it, and it sees a card is present, but it can't read the filesystem. I try several more times, doing things like re-inserting the card and reloading the program, and it similarly can't read the card.

Ok, I figured, maybe the file system got corrupted, so I load the card reader into one of my micro-SD readers, and mount it onto my Linux system, and the 4 files are there.

I then take it to another Teensy 4 that does have the micro-SD card attached, and I put the card in that reader, load up the program, and it can't read the filesystem.

I finally put the card into a Teensy 3.5, and load the program into the Teensy 3.5, where it works perfectly.

I will look to see if I have other cards and maybe reformat the Samsung card. I'm pretty sure I used the Samsung card when I was doing read speed tests in the January time frame.
:confused:
 
Sorry to hear that. The solder joints on mine look fine.

I have a Samsung 32GB micro-SD card that has some test files on it. I loaded the card onto the new Teensy 4.0, and ran the program from the audio shield that tests reading 1-4 files at the same time.

The first time it ran, it stopped after reading the 2nd file. I power cycled it, and it sees a card is present, but it can't read the filesystem. I try several more times, doing things like re-inserting the card and reloading the program, and it similarly can't read the card.

Ok, I figured, maybe the file system got corrupted, so I load the card reader into one of my micro-SD readers, and mount it onto my Linux system, and the 4 files are there.

I then take it to another Teensy 4 that does have the micro-SD card attached, and I put the card in that reader, load up the program, and it can't read the filesystem.

I finally put the card into a Teensy 3.5, and load the program into the Teensy 3.5, where it works perfectly.

I will look to see if I have other cards and maybe reformat the Samsung card. I'm pretty sure I used the Samsung card when I was doing read speed tests in the January time frame.
:confused:

Hi again,

Here is what I sent to them about this problem and this is what I have spent a couple of day's trying to figure out.
I have done further testing and found out that if reduce the T4 clock speed to 396 MHz it will read the SDCard. BUT only if I do not have anything plugged into the USB HOST port. If I plug anything into the USB HOST port it will not read the SDCard, I have tried powered USB HUB’s . Does not work. If I plug in a power supply to the power jack on the adapter board, NO change. It’s one or the other. The HOST USB port will not work if an SDCard is installed and the SDCard will not work if any thing is plugged into the USB HOST port. I thought it might be a power supply problem but as you see above it is not. Proper documentation would really help. I think that it is either a failure of the board or a design flaw. Even without using the SDCard with USB HOST port booting up the board is sketchy.

$70.00 Please help!

Either there is a design problem here or there is a severe lack of documentation. In my opinion:)
If you are having the same sorts of problems I am then I believe it is a design flaw. You and mjs513 stated that you have a T3.2 version of the board and it did not sound like you had problems with it. If I am right. The first clue is having to reduce the T4 clock speed to 396 MHz to get the SDCard to read (Haven't even tried writes yet).
I have tried using SD, SDFAT, uSDFS with no luck under the above conditions.
Am REALLY! curious as to what the problem is.

Done whining now:)
 
I have never had a problem with reading or writing any properly formatted SD cards on the T3.x or the T4. And I have tried several types of SD cards. All SD card libraries and hardware have always worked unless I messed up programming sketches.
 
Either there is a design problem here or there is a severe lack of documentation. In my opinion:)
If you are having the same sorts of problems I am then I believe it is a design flaw. You and mjs513 stated that you have a T3.2 version of the board and it did not sound like you had problems with it. If I am right. The first clue is having to reduce the T4 clock speed to 396 MHz to get the SDCard to read (Haven't even tried writes yet).
I have tried using SD, SDFAT, uSDFS with no luck under the above conditions.
Am REALLY! curious as to what the problem is.

Done whining now:)

Note, the 3.2 version of the board does not have a SD card reader so it isn't comparable to the Teensy 4.0 board.

I have 3 Teensys with a micro-SD card reader attached to the SPI2 port for the 'built-in' SD card reader:
  • The trainer4edu/FRDM4236 board (note, FRDM4236 soldered the capacitors/resistors on the PCB, but I soldered the PCB to the Teensy 4);
  • My beta board with Paul's breakout board; (and)
  • The Arduino-Teensy4 board we are talking about.

I can't get the beta board to access the micro-SD card at all. I may not have properly re-attached the FPC cable, so I'm going to ignore this board.

I also have 2 micro-SD cards:
  • Samsung EVO Select 32GB card; (and)
  • SanDisk Ultra 32GB HC I.

Both are fairly fast cards, but I suspect the Samsung is the faster of the two. Unlike the larger SD cards, the micro-SD cards don't list the speed on card.

I originally was using Arduino 1.8.11 and TeensyDunio 1.50. I decided to rev up to Arduino 1.8.12 and TeensyDunio 1.51.

The Teensy with the FRDM setup can read either card up to 816 Mhz. I can't repeat the failures I saw before. Perhaps I did not insert the card properly. Perhaps since the full moon is tomorrow, maybe that glitched things. :p

The Arduino-Teensy4 is in a world of hurt.

I can run at 24Mhz/faster with the SanDisk card. If I put in the Samsung card, it hangs in the middle of the test. I switched the compiler options down to "Debug", and it got a little further. If I go to 150Mhz or faster, it just will not read the card.

I haven't tried using USB host devices at this point.
 
Note, the 3.2 version of the board does not have a SD card reader so it isn't comparable to the Teensy 4.0 board.

I have 3 Teensys with a micro-SD card reader attached to the SPI2 port for the 'built-in' SD card reader:
  • The trainer4edu/FRDM4236 board (note, FRDM4236 soldered the capacitors/resistors on the PCB, but I soldered the PCB to the Teensy 4);
  • My beta board with Paul's breakout board; (and)
  • The Arduino-Teensy4 board we are talking about.

I can't get the beta board to access the micro-SD card at all. I may not have properly re-attached the FPC cable, so I'm going to ignore this board.

I also have 2 micro-SD cards:
  • Samsung EVO Select 32GB card; (and)
  • SanDisk Ultra 32GB HC I.

Both are fairly fast cards, but I suspect the Samsung is the faster of the two. Unlike the larger SD cards, the micro-SD cards don't list the speed on card.

I originally was using Arduino 1.8.11 and TeensyDunio 1.50. I decided to rev up to Arduino 1.8.12 and TeensyDunio 1.51.

The Teensy with the FRDM setup can read either card up to 816 Mhz. I can't repeat the failures I saw before. Perhaps I did not insert the card properly. Perhaps since the full moon is tomorrow, maybe that glitched things. :p

The Arduino-Teensy4 is in a world of hurt.

I can run at 24Mhz/faster with the SanDisk card. If I put in the Samsung card, it hangs in the middle of the test. I switched the compiler options down to "Debug", and it got a little further. If I go to 150Mhz or faster, it just will not read the card.

I haven't tried using USB host devices at this point.

Here is a link of the dialog between Chris and I which I believe is the creator of this breakout board and myself:
https://discuss.tindie.com/t/inop-sd-card/109047

I have yet to use an SD card that did not work with the Teensy, if not wore out and is formatted properly no matter what library I used. Lucky I guess.
 
It seems Chris feels that I might have a bad breakout board. He has built and tested a new board using the SD library's available for the T4. He had no obvious problems with using the SDcard and the breakout board. He is sending me a new board to test out so hopefully mine was really a bad unit.
 
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