Embedded processors for DIY projects ?

[Curtin, Steven D (Steven)]

Thanks for the RAD51 reference!   Good timing - I see on page 138 of this
week's EE times, Dallas Semiconductor has a 50 MIPS 8051 variant called the
CD89C420,  (www.dalsemi.com), and Atmel has a 60 MHZ 8051 with an 8-channel
10-bit A/D called the T8xC5111 (www.atmel-wm.com).  The question is, do they
have any good eval boards out?  

For Z80 fans, Rabbit Semiconductor has a supercharged Z80 with lots of I/O
and a development board that actually includes a compiler, which for me was
a shortcoming of the AVR development board (www.rabbitsemiconductor.com).

Steve C

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Steven Curtin  
Lucent Technologies Microelectronics
ph: (732)949-4404   fax: (732)949-6711
http://curtin.emf.org
sdcurtin at lucent.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------


> ----------
> From: 	Fraser, Colin J[SMTP:colin.fraser at calanais.com]
> Sent: 	Wednesday, November 01, 2000 11:18 AM
> To: 	'buchi at takeonetech.de'; synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl
> Subject: 	RE: Embedded processors for DIY projects ?
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Michael Buchstaller [mailto:buchi at takeonetech.de]
> > Sent: 01 November 2000 14:47
> > To: synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl
> > Subject: Re: Embedded processors for DIY projects ?
> > 
> > >any in-system programmable chip will give you ability to upload a
> > >monitor of some kind.
> > 
> > Yes, that is what i want.
> 
> Don't overlook the option of using a non-flash CPU with an eprom emulator.
> 
> I'm using the 8032 in my sequencer project, with a serial programmable
> flash
> ROM.
> The ROM fits a standard eprom socket, with a fly lead on top that plugs
> into
> a PC parallel port.
> A full program only takes seconds.
> 
> The advantages of this approach are that the CPU is much cheaper (approx 2
> ukp) than your AVRs etc, the ROM will hold up to 64k (8051 architecture
> has
> separate program and data access so you can use all 64k for code) and it
> still works out cheaper than an AVR with a measly 4k flash on board.
> Also, the 8051 series is made by numerous manufacturers. You won't be left
> with a design that needs a cpu that was just discontinued by it's only
> maker.
> 
> The bog standard 8051 loses out on power over more modern CPUs, although
> various manufactures make re-vamped devices that run at silly speeds, but
> it
> makes up for it in areas such as free dev tools e.g. Systronix' excellent
> RAD51 - http://www.systronix.com/RAD51/RAD51.htm
> 
> Colin f
> 
> 
>  
>