Motorola launches new V4e based Coldfires.

[Oli_hd]

Its faster, its newer, it looks cooler and its got extra snazzy bits, its the 12 new V4e Coldfires.


Up to 266Mhz and 410 MIPS
133Mhz DDR SD-Ram controller.
MMU and dual precision FPU.
33/66Mhz PCI controller.
USB2.0 and 10/100 Ethernet.
And Hardware-acceleration encryption

For more info visit http://e-www.motorola.com/files/abstract/overview/MCF547XMCF548X.htm

My favorite is the MCF5475

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Should the 388 PBGA package be a problem for your project?

It does a bit, I could hand solder the QFP package but, err, its a bit hard when the contacts are under the chip ;-)
Ive spent most of the day reading up on the chips and optimum layouts for PBGA chip designs and have figured it all out, I think. :-)

Its a nice chip.. although Im not sure about the "Hardware-acceleration encryption" bit.

a new design, i suppose.

Yep, but Im sticking with the current prototype for a while yet, its going to be hard to get the new Coldfires for a while...

Usually the USB embedded in one of these multi function chips is a device not a host. Not very useful.

Correct, "The USB module implementation on the MCF547x product family provides all the logic necessary to
process the USB protocol as defined by version 2.0 specification for peripheral devices."  :-(  :-(

Oli, how does the inclusion of this FPU makes it easier to emulate the previous 68k processors? Is it instruction compatible?

The FPU wouldnt help with the 68K emulation, no.
As for the FPU being the same as the one in the 68K, no as well, there is a list of differences which include:
The ColdFire uses 64-bit double-precision and the M68000 family uses 80-bit
extended precision.
Coldfire FPU does not support:
fpGEN d8(An,Xi),FPx
fpGEN xxx.{w,l},FPx
fpGEN d8(PC,Xi),FPx
fpGEN #xxx,FPx
fmovem (Ay)+,#list
fmovem #list,-(Ax)
fmovem FP Control Registers
Its all in the MCF5475RM.pdf doc.

By the way, how far are you from a final production prototype? (in terms of work not time  )

Moving on...  :-P
Under half way.. but the last half will be the quicker bit :-)
sorry its taking so long, its only a part time thing you see :-(

[Oli_hd]

Hi,

Would it be possible to launch an app similar to Oxypatcher that patches 68k programs to use Coldfire instructions?

No as Oxypatcher type programs needs the CPU to load the OS first, and the Coldfire cant, I would have to get a Coldfire native kickstart to do that (Either get a licenece to port KS3.1 or use Aros... Mmmmm)
The way Im doign it is to have a flash chip on the board which the Coldfire looks to first, that loads the patcher and then looks for the kickstart.

would it be useful to reflash your card if you don't want to reflash smd chips with other methods...

well a socketed PLCC chip could be used but I think you would have more chance of installing the chip wrong than the flashing going wrong on a SM chip.
If something happens when you are reflashing the SM flash chips you can always send them off to be reflashed, that woudlnt be hard at all, I think that would be a better thing than getting the user to change the flash chip or something.