Re: [openppc] Chipset for OpenPPC?

[Bjørn Stadil <bjorn@stadil.com>]

On Monday 29 October 2001 11:36 am, you wrote:
> > The board is being routed now. 

> There are several concerns from the experts:
> 1. Bus speed. Most old Slot1 motherboard use 33 / 66 MHz bus.
> The present motherboard + CPU use 133 MHz, but they use Socket.

The Slot1 boards are only development boards not intended as high volume 
offering.  Its not that we are not aware of the Slot1 vs Socket  issue.  Its 
costly to make the male-male connectors for socket 370 or other.   

> 2. Rom Bios. The CPU module need a special made BIOS.

There will not be any BIOS issues.  The board will initialize using BORCH x86 
emulation so it will look and act as a x86 CPU starting up.  We are looking 
at LinuxBIOS as well.  LinuxBIOS is bios / board specific. 

> Which Slot1 motherboard is compatible with the module?

All if we use BOCHS.   For LinuxBIOS a port has do be done (fairly simple) to 
each chipset.  

> Who will make the BIOS?

No bios needed. 

> 3. The production of Slot1 motherboard is already phased out. Who will 
create  and sell new Slot1 motherboards?

Nobody.  There is still millions of old Slot1 BX machines out there. 

> 4. There are rumors that previous products from Silicon Fruit are 
vaporware. 

Yes and No.  We deliberately stopped the initial development.  We talked at 
length to IBM about the price of their NorthBridge Avignon.  They wanted 
$100+ for one chip.  Compare that to $15 or so for a x86 Chipset and your 
product becomes too expensive. Few people will pay $400+ for a motherboard.   





>Is this Slot1 module just another "Vaporware"?

Again Yes and No.  Yes we will make initial development boards.  The reaction 
from developers and the community in general will determine what we do then.  
 
Bjorn

> Regards
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-- 
Bjorn Stadil
bjorn@stadil.com
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