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From: Vladimir Vassilevsky on 13 Dec 2009 16:41 linnix wrote: > On the other hand, my complaint with Atmel is that they are not moving > fast enough with AVR. Being burned several times with obsoleteness of Atmel AVRs and flash memory chips (no replacement offered), I'd rather unrecommend Atmel. Vladimir Vassilevsky DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant http://www.abvolt.com
From: Vladimir Vassilevsky on 13 Dec 2009 16:49 Ben Bradley wrote: > On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:44:30 -0600, Vladimir Vassilevsky > <nospam(a)nowhere.com> wrote: > >> >>I guess Freescale redesigns old parts for new technologies. > > > I've heard of this happening (a part being converted to a newer, > denser, cheaper and 'better' process and keeping the same part number) > and causing a problem (usually with a design that took advantage of > something not well documented) more than once over the decades. Common problem is modern "74" and "74LS" series logic which actually has something CMOS inside. "Better" doesn't always mean "good". Vladimir Vassilevsky DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant http://www.abvolt.com
From: -jg on 13 Dec 2009 17:41 On Dec 14, 10:31 am, Jon Kirwan > Separate subject. The ARM7TDMI core is widely found from a variety of > _active_ suppliers. Although the controllers vary regarding the add > on functions, which vary everywhere from memory protection schemes to > UARTs, the development toolsets that you use and invest valuable time > learning well can often be used from one to another. Which does help > set aside some serious problems (not all, obviously) when forced to > consider "switching horses." The ARM7TDMI is moving into NFND territory, as it is eclipsed by M3 and M0 cores. NXPs newest development tools underline this. NXP have largely pin-compatible migration pathways, but that does not mean the change will be painless. > > The 8051 core is almost like that, in that Analog Devices (a few > specialized devices), Atmel (AT89), Dallas Semi, Infineon, SiLabs, and > STMicro (PSD3200?) make some options. I still have a box or two of > Intel's. But Intel no longer makes them. Of those, SiLabs is > probably the only one betting on their core. Dallas is owned by > Maxim, which makes other micros it is pushing hard. Atmel, obviously, > is putting almost all its efforts elsewhere and has a demonstrated > record that would worry me. Analog Devices selections are just plain > too narrow and they are expensive and may be dropped, in my opinion. > STMicro also has other families it is pushing. The 8051 market is growing in Asia, as there are now a LOT of vendors there, with 80C51 variants. These tend to be less visible in the USA. As mentioned, the leading USA-centric vendor is Silabs, with very high performance cores (including good 5V ones), then Atmel who are expanding their AT89LP series, and ADi have a growing range of metering 8051s, and Cypress PSoC3 has now moved to a 80C51 core. (with PSoC5 using M3) NXP have just released 5V LPC9xx series models, as they move to fix one blind spot, (but it is clear their main effort is behind M0/M3 - M0's already show at Digikey). Winbond (now called Nuvoton) has a growing family of 80C51, again covering 5V. It is rare to see 5V M3/M0, so Vcc is becoming one 8:32 delimiter. SRAM size is another : 4-8K is where most 8051's top-out, and pin- count has most devices at and under 32 pins being 8 bits, and very few 32/33 pin ARM offerings. -jg
From: Jon Kirwan on 13 Dec 2009 17:49 On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:41:44 -0600, Vladimir Vassilevsky <nospam(a)nowhere.com> wrote: >linnix wrote: > >> On the other hand, my complaint with Atmel is that they are not moving >> fast enough with AVR. > >Being burned several times with obsoleteness of Atmel AVRs and flash >memory chips (no replacement offered), I'd rather unrecommend Atmel. Completely agree. An other vote there. Jon
From: Jon Kirwan on 13 Dec 2009 17:51
On Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:41:34 -0800 (PST), -jg <jim.granville(a)gmail.com> wrote: >On Dec 14, 10:31�am, Jon Kirwan > Separate subject. �The ARM7TDMI core >is widely found from a variety of >> _active_ suppliers. �Although the controllers vary regarding the add >> on functions, which vary everywhere from memory protection schemes to >> UARTs, the development toolsets that you use and invest valuable time >> learning well can often be used from one to another. �Which does help >> set aside some serious problems (not all, obviously) when forced to >> consider "switching horses." � > > The ARM7TDMI is moving into NFND territory, as it >is eclipsed by M3 and M0 cores. > NXPs newest development tools underline this. > NXP have largely pin-compatible migration pathways, >but that does not mean the change will be painless. I'm out of date, then!! >> The 8051 core is almost like that, in that Analog Devices (a few >> specialized devices), Atmel (AT89), Dallas Semi, Infineon, SiLabs, and >> STMicro (PSD3200?) make some options. �I still have a box or two of >> Intel's. �But Intel no longer makes them. �Of those, SiLabs is >> probably the only one betting on their core. �Dallas is owned by >> Maxim, which makes other micros it is pushing hard. �Atmel, obviously, >> is putting almost all its efforts elsewhere and has a demonstrated >> record that would worry me. �Analog Devices selections are just plain >> too narrow and they are expensive and may be dropped, in my opinion. >> STMicro also has other families it is pushing. � > >The 8051 market is growing in Asia, as there are now >a LOT of vendors there, with 80C51 variants. >These tend to be less visible in the USA. > >As mentioned, the leading USA-centric vendor is Silabs, with very high >performance cores (including good 5V ones), then Atmel who are >expanding their AT89LP series, and ADi have a growing range of >metering 8051s, and Cypress PSoC3 has now moved to a 80C51 core. (with >PSoC5 using M3) > NXP have just released 5V LPC9xx series models, as they >move to fix one blind spot, (but it is clear their main effort is >behind M0/M3 - M0's already show at Digikey). > Winbond (now called Nuvoton) has a growing family of 80C51, again >covering 5V. > > It is rare to see 5V M3/M0, so Vcc is becoming one 8:32 delimiter. >SRAM size is another : 4-8K is where most 8051's top-out, and pin- >count has most devices at and under 32 pins being 8 bits, and very few >32/33 pin ARM offerings. Thanks! Jon |