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0 pointsChuckMcM5y ago0 comments

I would love OpenPOWER to succeed. I just don't see the 48 pin QFP version that costs < $1 and powers billions of gizmos. For me the ARM ecosystem's biggest win is that it scales from really small (M0/M0+) to really usefully big (A78) and has many points between those two architectures.

I don't see OpenPOWER going there, but I can easily see RISC-V going there. So, for the moment, that is the horse I'm betting on.

0 comments

dragontamer5y ago

Not quite 48-pin QFP chips, but 257-pin embedded is still smaller than Rasp. Pi. (Just searched what NXP's newest Power-chip is, and its a S32R274: 2MB 257-pin BGA. Definitely "embedded" size, but not as small as Cortex-M0)

To be honest, I don't think that NVidia/ARM will screw over their Cortex-M0 or Cortex-M0+ customers over. I'm more worried about the higher-end, whether or not NVidia will "play nice" with its bigger rivals (Apple, Intel, AMD) in the datacenter.

exikyut5y ago

The FS32R274VCK2VMM appears to be the cheapest in this series; Digi-Key have it for $30, NXP has it for "$13 @ 10K". This is for a 200MHz part.

https://www.nxp.com/part/FS32R274VCK2VMM

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/nxp-usa-inc/FS32R2...

The two related devkits list for $529 and $4,123: https://www.digikey.com/products/en/development-boards-kits-...

Those processors make quite a few reference to an "e200", which I think is the CPU architecture. I discovered that Digi-Key lists quite a few variants of this under Core Processor; and checking the datasheets of some random results suggests that they are indeed Power architecture parts.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/integrated-circuits-ics/...

The cheapest option appears to be the $2.67@1000, up-to-48MHz SPC560D40L1B3E0X with 256KB ECC RAM.

Selecting everything >100MHz finds the $7.10@1000 SPC560D40L1B3E0X, an up-to-120MHz part that adds 1MB flash (128KB ECC RAM).

Restricting to >=200MHz finds the $13.32@500 SPC5742PK1AMLQ9R has which has dual cores at 200MHz, 384KB ECC RAM and 2.5MB flash, and notes core lock-step.

After discovering the purpose of the "view prices at" field, the landscape changes somewhat.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/integrated-circuits-ics/...

The SPC574S64E3CEFAR (https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/spc574s64e3.pdf) is 140MHz, has 1.5MB code + 64KB data flash and 96KB+32KB data RAM, and is available for $14.61 per 1ea.

The SPC5744PFK1AMLQ9 (https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/MPC5744P.pdf) is $20.55@1, 200MHz, 2.5MB ECC flash, 384KB ECC RAM, and has two cores that support lockstep.

The MPC5125YVN400 (https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/product-brief/MPC5125PB.pdf) is $29.72@1, 400MHz, supports DDR2@200MHz (only has 32KB onboard (S)RAM), and supports external flash. (I wonder if you could boot Linux on this thing?)

rvense5y ago

These are all basically ten-year-old parts, aren't they?

2 more replies

na855y ago

I miss DIP chips that would fit on breadboards. I don't have steady enough hands to solder QFP onto a PCB, and I'm too cheap to buy an oven :(

Ecco5y ago

You’re supposed to drag-solder those. Look it up on YouTube, it’s super easy. The hardest part is positioning the chip, but it’s actually easier than with an oven, because you can rework it if you only solder one or two pins :)

IshKebab5y ago

There's an even easier way than drag soldering - just solder it normally, without worrying about bridges. You can put tons of solder on it.

The use some desoldering braid to soak up the excess solder. It will remove all the bridges and leave perfect joints.

na855y ago

Wow, just looked up a video and some guy did an 0.5mm pitch chip pretty darn quickly. Thank you!

1 more reply

ChuckMcMOP5y ago

https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/smt-breakout-pc... can help. I have hand soldered STM32s to this adapter (use flux, a small tip)

foldr5y ago

A cheap toaster oven or hot air tool works fine for these. Or, as others have said, a regular soldering iron with lots of flux.

awill5y ago

the war is over. Arm has won. That dominance will take a long time to fade. AWS and Apple's future is Arm.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

dragontamer5y ago

exikyut5y ago

The FS32R274VCK2VMM appears to be the cheapest in this series; Digi-Key have it for $30, NXP has it for "$13 @ 10K". This is for a 200MHz part.

https://www.nxp.com/part/FS32R274VCK2VMM

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/nxp-usa-inc/FS32R2...

The two related devkits list for $529 and $4,123: https://www.digikey.com/products/en/development-boards-kits-...

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/integrated-circuits-ics/...

The cheapest option appears to be the $2.67@1000, up-to-48MHz SPC560D40L1B3E0X with 256KB ECC RAM.

Selecting everything >100MHz finds the $7.10@1000 SPC560D40L1B3E0X, an up-to-120MHz part that adds 1MB flash (128KB ECC RAM).

Restricting to >=200MHz finds the $13.32@500 SPC5742PK1AMLQ9R has which has dual cores at 200MHz, 384KB ECC RAM and 2.5MB flash, and notes core lock-step.

After discovering the purpose of the "view prices at" field, the landscape changes somewhat.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/integrated-circuits-ics/...

The SPC574S64E3CEFAR (https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/spc574s64e3.pdf) is 140MHz, has 1.5MB code + 64KB data flash and 96KB+32KB data RAM, and is available for $14.61 per 1ea.

The SPC5744PFK1AMLQ9 (https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/MPC5744P.pdf) is $20.55@1, 200MHz, 2.5MB ECC flash, 384KB ECC RAM, and has two cores that support lockstep.

rvense5y ago

These are all basically ten-year-old parts, aren't they?

2 more replies

na855y ago

I miss DIP chips that would fit on breadboards. I don't have steady enough hands to solder QFP onto a PCB, and I'm too cheap to buy an oven :(

Ecco5y ago

IshKebab5y ago

There's an even easier way than drag soldering - just solder it normally, without worrying about bridges. You can put tons of solder on it.

The use some desoldering braid to soak up the excess solder. It will remove all the bridges and leave perfect joints.

na855y ago

Wow, just looked up a video and some guy did an 0.5mm pitch chip pretty darn quickly. Thank you!

1 more reply

ChuckMcMOP5y ago

https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/smt-breakout-pc... can help. I have hand soldered STM32s to this adapter (use flux, a small tip)

foldr5y ago

A cheap toaster oven or hot air tool works fine for these. Or, as others have said, a regular soldering iron with lots of flux.

awill5y ago

the war is over. Arm has won. That dominance will take a long time to fade. AWS and Apple's future is Arm.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse