Processors - eLinux.org (original) (raw)

Here is a list of different processor families, with miscellaneous notes for development information:

See also Hardware Hacking for a list of systems that include these processors.

Contents

ARC

The ARC 770D 32-bit RISC processor from the DesignWare ARC Processor IP family is optimized for running Linux. The latest version of ARC Linux is available from kernel.org and older versions as well as the GNU toolchain and several other packages like U-boot and Buildroot for ARC are available via GitHub.

More information from Synopsys:

ARM

See ARM website and the Wikipedia ARM article for information about the ARM architecture and processor family.

From the Linux perspective, there are 2 very different kinds of ARM chips:

Please note that because of security considerations for MMU-less processors, it is unwise to use them when 3rd-party or untrusted code will be running on the device. For locked-down, single function devices, MMU-less processors may be appropriate. They are usually less expensive than processors with MMU.

Some major ARM platforms/SOCs are:

MIPS

Information about MIPS processor architecture can be found here. For the Linux port information can be found here.

Processors based on MIPS architecture include

  1. TX System RISC from Toshiba.
  2. MSP series of processor from PMC Sierra.

SuperH

Superh logo.gif

Built by Renesas Technology the webpage of record for the SuperH family of microprocessors can be found here: SuperH RISC Engine Family.

Wikipedia Page: SuperH

Linux on SuperH: linux-sh

Renesas SuperH Overview

SuperH is an embedded RISC developed for high cost-performance, miniaturization, and performance per unit of power consumption (MIPS/W). We are developing CPU cores for a wide range of applications and functions and have many products available. Our product lines include a series with the SH-2 as the CPU core and on-chip large-capacity flash memory and peripheral functions such as timer, serial I/O, and AD converter, and a series with the SH-3 or SH-4 as the CPU core, which achieves high-speed data processing and is equipped with cache and MMU. Additionally, there is lineup of series with the SH2-DSP or SH3-DSP as the CPU core, which have full DSP functions and an emphasis on multimedia and communications processing. Currently available products also have lots of features, such as low power modes, low power consumption, and small size. Various versatile operating systems and development tools have been improved, allowing for more efficient development.

Devices

PowerPC

Some processors and tools for PowerPC are

Processors

Tools

The DENX Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK) provides a complete and powerful software development environment for embedded and real-time systems. It is available for ARM, PowerPC and MIPS processors and consists of:

All components of the ELDK are available for free with complete source code under GPL and other Free Software Licenses. Also, detailed instructions to rebuild all the tools and packages from scratch are included.

The ELDK can be downloaded for free from several mirror sites or ordered on CD-ROM for a nominal charge (99 Euro). To order the CD please contact office@denx.de

Detailed information about the ELDK is available here.

RT Patches

Documents

XScale

CE2110 Media Processor

The highly integrated Intel CE 2110 Media Processor helps to simplify the design of consumer electronics products with reduced BOM cost. The integrated Intel XScale® processor core at 1GHz provides processing performance and headroom to deploy new revenue-generating applications. Hardware-based decode of widely used video codecs (MPEG-2, H.264) maximizes system-level performance by enabling the processor core to be used exclusively for applications.

The Intel CE 2110 Media Processor also includes an Intel® Micro Signal Architecture (Intel® MSA) DSP core for audio codecs, a PowerVR* 2D/3D graphics accelerator, hardware accelerators for encryption and decryption, comprehensive peripheral interfaces, analog and digital input/outputs, and a transport interface for ATSC/DVB input.

x86

AVR32

In 2010 Atmel stopped the further development of the AP7000 processor.

Blackfin

m68k

The Freescale m68k family includes:

Resources:

Further reading