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NexGen: Question is it possible to build a ARM7 Core from AM2901 Bit Slices?

phoenixcomm
ARM 7 CoreAMD AM2901 Bit Slice ALU
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This started with the wonderings of my rabid mind. In a comment to Project 14 You Decide

These are the two processors first I would have to add a register file. And since I like UltraSparc well it had 144 general-purpose registers + 8 registers just for fixed-point operations.  Where to put the register files, Barrel Shifter and Address Register/Controler are questions that I can't answer at the moment.

Maybe more who knows?

Cris

  • in reply to DAB

    Yes, the problem with the MSP43x is the low power bits and bobs it would be nuts for me to try to implement that mess! Personly I think that the ARM CORE 7 is the way to go. but it will be only 16 bits as I only have four 2901 stashed away. And just to remind everyone that this project would take a very long time.  Clem brought up the issue with licenses. I don't think this would have any to do with me as when a company buys the licenses, they are given the toolset including files for producing the silicon core, and software. I am not buying their core so I should not need a license!

  • in reply to dougw

    Hi Douglas,

     

    You could probably do most of the MSP430 with the 2901, but it would be very difficult to do all of the energy and pin management options.

    That said, you could do the instruction set with most of the control logic to the point where you could run MSP430 code.

     

    DAB

  • Hi Chris, I remember doing a design for a PDP-11 using the 2901 during my architecture class back in the 1970's.

     

    If you understand the ARM core well enough, it is probably possible to build one using the bit-slice technology, but you are going to have a lot of work to implement all of the details.

    DAB

  • Would the 2901 lend itself to emulate something like MSP430 with its 16 registers?

  • in reply to clem57

    Yes, I happen to have 4 of them stashed away. I taught a class over at TRW in the mid70's and worked for Interdata (Perkin-Elmer bought them) used 2901s in all their CPUs. while I was there I built my version of a 16 bit Z-80 and it had access to a 32Mb Memory Card that I had laying around.