LCD/LED TV FLASH BIOS / EPROM programming with Serial Flash Memory - W25Q32FV




The Winbond 25Q32 is a really cool part : high capacity (32 MBytes), very fast, good support for many standard instructions, supports wide bus modes... But it can be expensive depending on the application. Winbond 25Q32 is commonly used flash memory in the LED/LCD Tv's.

Electricians in Sri Lanka call this with the different names such as 
  • FLASH IC
  • PROGRAMMABLE IC
  • BIOS IC
  • EEPROM IC
  • EMMC IC
  • SPI IC
There are different series of IC's available in the market i'll mention few here
  • 24 Series 
  • 25 Series 
  • 29 Series 
Electricians mostly call this 24 Series only as Flash IC and the 25 series IC's called as EPROM/ SPI IC.  25 series is the one commonly used for LED or LCD TV's.

SPI stands "Serial peripheral Interface" Serial peripheral means electronic device which can operate out of the microcontroller and which supports microcontroller functions.

Also this is called as EPROM means "Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory". you can programme this with a binary and can be used into any application.

As I am writing a detailed tutorial, I want to use this project log to show how to programme a LED TV T-CON Board EPROM Firmware or Main Board BIOS (Firmware Flash programme ) with a Serial Flash Memory - W25Q32FV. 

The W25Q32FV (32M-bit) Serial Flash memory provides a storage solution for systems with limited space, pins, and power. This small SMD IC series offers flexibility and performance well beyond ordinary Serial Flash devices. They are ideal for code shadowing to RAM, executing code directly from Dual/Quad SPI (XIP) and storing voice, text and data.

The W25Q32FV operates on a single 2.7V to 3.6V power supply with current consumption as low as 4mA active and 1µA for power-down.

Features of W25Q32FV

  • 32Mb of Memory
  • 2.7V - 3.6V VCC
  • SOIC 8 Package
  • SPI/QSPI/QPI Interface
  • Volatile & Non-Volatile SR
  • Programmable Output Driver Strength
  • Individual Block/Sector Write Protection
  • 104MHz Frequency
  • 50µs, 3ms Write Cycle Time (word, page)

  • Pin Configuration of 
    W25Q32FV












    Pin descriptions













    Find the detailed information in the Data sheet of the W25Q32FV

    1. CS Pin - Which gives Enable/Disable signal from from Microcontroller. When CS pin is High this IC will deselect and there won't be any output from this IC. In terms of power consumption this will be in standby mode. When the CS signal Low this IC will be selected and starts to communicate with the Microcontroller. In that time power will be restored to normal mode from standby.                
    2. PIN2 : DI (Data Input) pin and PIN5 : DO (Data output) pin. When PIN 6 (Clock Pin) is HIGH when rising edge DI pin starts to writes the data.  When PIN 6 (Clock Pin) is LOW via DO pin IC'S starts to read the data. We call this DI and DO pins as Unidirectional pins.
    3. PIN 3 : WP - Write Protection When  WP pin got LOW signal it starts to writing some binary into this chip or programming some binary into this chip when WP is LOW this will protect the IC from preventing external signals coming inside. Prevents signals coming from status register.
    4. PIN 7 : HOLD/REST If you give input to this PIN you can hold the running program or reset the program.                  
    5. PIN 8 : VCC Voltage supply for the IC. between 2.7 v to 3.6 V.
    All this 25 series IC's have same pin configuration  you can replace this IC with the Any of the same 25 series IC with same or higher capacity. You can't use the less capacity IC.

    You can find this flash memory in several boards in a LED TV such as main board T-CON board.



      Photos Courtesy : Husni

      Now let's see what the problems caused in the LED tv When this 25Q32 IC malfunction.

    • Stand by release - Standby won't release
    • Auto Restart - Will trigger auto restart
    • Logo Stuck -  Logo will get stuck
    •  Logo Restart 
    • Malfunction - Eg : When you change the channel sound will increase like that.
    • Blank Screen
    • No Display
    A friend brought in his LG 32″ LED TV with the complaint of standby problem. The color of the power LED is red color. The TV can’t even be turned on with the help of remote control and front panel power button.


    Note : When this IC malfunctions don't immediately copy a new programme to this chip. You can take a back of existing programme inside the chip and re programme it again inside the chip and see that will probably solve the problem. In case your binary inside the Chip already corrupted or Or chip damaged you can take backups then you have to download the binary from official sites and program a blank same series chip and replace the new chip in the board.

    Each board have its own binary inside the flash memory so based on the board you have to download the firmware bin files and upload in to the blank W25Q32FV flash memory and replace it with the damaged flash memory from your LED TV board.

    There are few sites you can download the Flash programmes for different types of TV models and for different types of boards. 

    I'm not sure these are official sites but still you can get most of the binaries. or you can contact the official service dealer for your TV.

    Now let's see how we are going to programme this IC's with the Downloaded binaries.














    • And you need a EEPROM Flash BIOS USB Programmer Which supports W25Q32FV flash memory chip. Please find the link here from Daraz you can check the specification it's supports for Winbond W25Q32. 














     


    https://www.daraz.lk/products/quanbu-stable-lcd-flash-18v-adapter-2425-series-spi-usb-to-ttl-soic8-clip-ch341a-usb-programmer-i107582581-s1015668969.html

    • Socket Programmer Adapter For 25xx Eeprom Flash Memory









     

    • Fix Adapter For 25xx Eeprom Flash Memory on top of the Programmer






























    • Fix and fit the 25Series IC into the adapter.













    • Connect it to your USB, If all good power indicator will be light up.
    • Install the driver and Install CH3A1A Programmer software provided with the Driver CD.

    • Select your flash type and Manufacturer and the name
    In our case we will select 25 Series manufacturer is Winbond and the name : W25Q32. And finally click Detect button.

    You can see the chip details if all good. ( For this demo i'm using a W25Q64 which is a higher capacity chip then W25Q32 technically only capacity changes others things should be same for both IC's.



     

    • Click open button and load the firmware or flash program  .bin file downloaded for your specific TV model and board. And now click the program button












     

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