> > 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.
It depends of your definitioon of expensive ;) But AFAIR IBM announced
that the cheapest 401 or 403 were in the $15-20 range in large quantities.
This should not scale to unaffordable amounts for a few chips. Motorola
are somewhat more expensive, but you get what you pay for. For example
the MPC823 includes (if you believe it):
- Instruction and data cache
- MMU
- PCMCIA Master controller
- USB controller
- LCD display controller (color)
- Video controller (?)
- Memory controller (8 banks)
I don't know how they fit this into only 256 pins. And for me the hardest
part would be to solder a BGA package ;).
OTOH the evaluation boards of Motorola are too expensive IMHO
(approx $2500).
(downloading the full doc soon but today my BW to Motorola www server is
around 2 bytes/second :-()
Gabriel