[sdiy] Re: Bottom Ten ICs

[Richard Wentk]

At 15:53 07/10/2004 +0100, Paul Maddox wrote:
>Richard,
>
>I see your point, but to me the 68K is an old obsolete CPU, thats well due
>for retirement.

I wouldn't use it in a new design. :-) But architecturally it's still a 
favourite.

>16MIPs is enough for most apps, agreed sometimes you need more.

16 mips is fine for yer basic MIDI interface, but I'm thinking more for DSP 
apps, especially laser show controllers - lots of fp maths potential there 
- and perhaps digital synthesis.

Acksherly I've found Reaktor makes a damn fine uber Lissajous generator, so 
at the moment the laser controller is laptop based. But some stand-alone 
smarts may become useful in the future for a different project.

>My biggest bugbare is that the newer CPUs are all SMD, which means no
>prototypeing onto vero (yeah, I know you can get adapters but that costs),
>so you have to design a PCB and get it made, before you can start
>prototyping a design.

Plus it just doesn't look as cool. :-)

SMD is the bane of many a DIYers life. Things used to be so simple when you 
could just get out a wiring pen. (Sigh...)

>last time I checked (a year ago) around $70 each, so not bad for what you're
>getting.

That's a lot of bang for the buck, especially with current exchange rates.

>Hehehe, NEVER, until they can guarantee delivery at a set time!
>but, thats a whole different argument.

You mean a MIDI interface can? ;-)

Richard