Embedded processors for DIY projects ? (Forth!)

[Bjorn Julin]

> > Im interested to run Forth on a 8051 derivate since
> > it takes so much assembler lines to do simple things.
> > Actually it looks like Forth is getting a upswing
> > a load of robot hobbyists prefear Forth in their robots!
> >
>I'm with you there.  I've been programming Forth off and on since >1982, 
>it's nice to see it continuing to find use.  The New Micros
>(http://www.newmicros.com/) MaxForth running on the 68HC11 was my major 
>reason for using that part.

Yes i have seen that, also there is a Forth kernel for
the HC11F1 by Karl Lunt that im going to try out.
How much slower is the HC11 when it runs a Forth intepretator
then assembler? Is there a compiler for max forth for the HC11?

Its wery small and runs in the internal 1K memory of the HC11 F1.

I have also been looking for a Forth for the 68000 and i
think the Quartus Forth is quite interesting!

>There is now a C based Forth called pForth that's ANSI compliant, and >is 
>designed to compile to embedded platforms if you set the right >compile 
>switches.  It's available at http://www.softsynth.com/.   >I've used it on  
>the PC since '96 and it works quite well.   You can >then target compile 
>this for micros that have a C compiler, and this >is much easier than the 
>old way of rewriting the kernel for each >target processor.  In the case of 
>the 8051 the Franklin C compiler >works very well.  pForth runs at about 
>half the
>speed of an assembly based Forth, but with a 60 MHz processor just >doing 
>MIDI sequencing, you can probably afford to take that hit.

But since its a compiling Forth, does it not compile
into naitive language of the micro chosen?
Or does the compiled code run on some sort of a small forth or
C kernel since its half as fast ??
newer the less as you say using a 60 or 90 Mhz 8051 and forth
is quite power full even for realtime tuff like scaning kbd,
pots, generating envelopes, etc etc synth stuff!

>You can also
>use Forth as a front end, then code the time-critical stuff in >assembly 
>and run that off of an interrupt.

Thats what im also interested in, there is a new micro:
http://www.ptsc.com/index.oct272000.html

What about it , anyone tried the PSC1000??
The best would be to run Forth on a forth micro!

Reg
BJ

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