if softcores are available, i like to see a possibility to have access to core and can create own functions in FPGA.
in 99% of Software programs that run too slow, the program execute again and again only 50-200 asm instructions.
for example when do video encoding/decoding/audio there are a few functions that need 90% of the time.
this are IDCT fft and H264 deblock YUV->RGB RGB->YUV and scaling, but with better quality as GFX Cards do.
have this funcs in Hardware speedup apps a lot.on ffmpeg this funcs are written in SIMD assembler to get best speed.
currently ffplay on my very old AMD64 3000+ (real 1,8 GHZ) can play a wmv mp4 video 640*480 with max 95% CPU load.DVD.320*240 mpg videos need 17% cpu load.DVD need less than 95% CPU load.
there is no Overlay here and no asm instruction (pure C code).So the 68k CPU need yuv->rgb translation.but the use of no gfx card overlay have advantage that a window partly on top of video display is correct see.
native ffplay that use on windows overlay and SIMD ISSE in asm written code need 17% CPU load.
if there is a future define to have this funcs in HW, then its possible to change winuae too to support this with CPU instructions.
So i think its important for a softcore CPU to use the ability to do full operations in Hardware and not with single CPU instructions
On PC simular is see too.full HDTV decoding is too slow for a single X86 CPU.
they use the programmable directx pixelshader or GFX Cards to do this MP4 functions in HW faster a X86 can do.
and a FPGA with CPU softcore can have this feature more easy integrate, have access to full memory and beat a real 060 easy in overall performance
