Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 29 Jan 1998 13:45:29 +0100 | From | "J.D. Bakker" <> | Subject | Re: Suitable chipset for a pocket linux box |
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>> Don't rule out the PowerPC chips, though. IBM has some nice inexpensive >> embedded versions, like the PPC403 series, with cache, DRAM interface, >> multiple DMA and more goodies. Do a search on the IBM website; there's >> pretty complete documentation on all chips. > > I'd love to use powerpc but i'm sure they are a very expensive >option. If they have a cheap portable series then ok but unless they are >cheap they are a no go. We can put some money in now because its been >assigned as a thesis project to one of the undergrads.
There are two variants of embedded PPC's: the Motorola chips and the IBM parts. My general feeling is that Mot has the expensive, feature-laden versions, while IBM has inexpensive, less complex chips. I still have a headache from my last encounter with a Mot embedded chip (the 68360 QUICC), so I would go for the PPC403GCX by IBM.
Advantages: - cheap ($25 in 10000; I'll contact IBM on their 100ex price) - simple to interface to DRAM and 8-bit flash (you wouldn't want to use a PCI Bridge on an embedded board, would you ?) - nice goodies like a MMU, DMA, cache... - solderable 160-lead PQFP
Challenges: - No FPU - I don't know how different the MMU is from that in the PPC port.
JDB.
-- Jan-Derk Bakker, official C3 agency.
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