Re: Dreaming in Technicolor

Bob Furber <[email protected]>
Newsgroups gmane.comp.hardware.motorola.microcontrollers.coldfire
Organization Intec Automation Inc.
Message-ID <[email protected]>
Yevgeni:

> Microcontroller with 5V IO is sure not low-power.

The MCF5208, MCF5329 are quite low-power ..but Spartan I/O capabilities.

>> AtoD:              8 ch 12 bit, 100+ Ksps
> Any 12 bit ADC on the CPU silicon is unknown for me. I guess, the reason is
> the noise. Possibly, QSPI connected external ADC (e.g. Maxim) will be a good
> choise.

The MPC55xx have a very lovely 12 bit ADC module (eQADC) ..but poor 
access to cheap, abundant external memory to host a OS.

Actually, I could sum up my dream controller: a 400 MHz cross between a 
MCF5329 (for its CPU and external bus) and a MPC55xx (for its to-die-for 
I/O).

> 2. Common considerations:
> Traditionaly, the real-time control functionality is implemented by IO
> oriented low-cost microcontroller (or DSP), which is running small footprint
> RTOS or no RTOS at all. The computation-demanding high-level functionality is
> traditionally implemented by a communication oriented microcontroller.

Yes, way back, one designed a controller board with a CPU surrounded by 
a bunch of discrete IO and glue chips. But traditions evolve. The trend 
is towards more and more thoughtful integration to reduce development 
costs, unit costs, realestate and power: Multi-chip+glue --> dual 
controller --> single controller "that has it all".

> Coldfire family has excellent control capabilities together with quite
> powerful CPU core. Using a small footprint RTOS, the core resources are enough
> for entry-level networking, USB and other general purpose system functionality
> with moderate calculational demands. Look, for example, for NetBurner
> development kits.

Yes, they do have impressive capabilities ..and serious limitations when 
it comes to accessing enough memory and computing power for things such 
as network security and serious networking interactivity.

Bob Furber
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