[En-Nut-Discussion] network throughput gain (nicrtl output)

[NGB]

Quoting Damian Slee <damian at commtech.com.au>:

> Hi all,
> our engineer here has found this Atmel ARM91
> AT91FR40162-CI
> >From memory;
> 1MB flash
> 16bit thumb instructions I think.
> 256K RAM
> 75MIPS
> 32 IO
> 8 chipselects for memory mapped stuff.
> BGA package though.
> 
> www.digikey.com has it listed for ~US$15.  Our local supplier in Western
> Australia ~US$17.50 for MOQ 83 or whatever minimum pack size is.
> 
> If we could find a stable GCC binary tool chain, certainly would be having a
> play some time in the new year.
arm-elf tool chains are easy to build, but I wouldn't' discount the mega128 just 
yet: 
-Dont' forget to debug any arm core you need some sort of jtag interface, that 
alone will set you back $2200 USD.
-Connecting any kind of peripherial will require some sort of level transaltion 
if it's 5V (on 32 + 24 lines)
-Anything you do connect will need to be fast enough, other wise you put so many 
waitstates on the bus the ARM is waiting half the time
-I think the 75 Mips quoted are with ARM instructions, with thumb, you will 
loose about 50%

I'm saying all this from experience we have both ARM and MEGA128 based designs, 
and there are heaps of cases where MEGA128 is a lot better suited.

Nic





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