"Andrew Smallshaw" <andrews RemoveThis @sdf.lonestar.org> wrote in message
news:slrnfq3if1.3b3.andrews@sdf.lonestar.org...
> On 2008-01-30, Frank Eggink <freggink RemoveThis @gmx.net> wrote:
>> Is there anyone out there interested in starting a new z80 project?
>
> Not many. Looking at a few groups (comp.arch.embedded in particular)
> I see a few processors of choice for new projects. The usual
> options are PICs (awful) and AVR (better) for the low end stuff,
> MSP430 for mid-range projects and ARM for apps that are more
> comparable to a full size computer than a typical hobby project.
>
> The Z80 is old - I see that true Z80s aren't a stock item for
> Digikey for instance. Modern microcontroller circuits can be much
> simpler than the equivalent Z80 system with integrated RAM, EEPROM,
> ADCs etc meaning that for simple stuff you often don't need any
> other chips on the board. A JTAG interface allows for both
> programming and very powerful debugging, e.g. with the MSP430 I am
> able to run DDD and GDB on the desktop machine, debugging a program
> running on the project's hardware. Finally systems based on such
> systems are likely to go together faster and be cheaper than a Z80
> equivalent, in part due to the lower chip count.
>
Re:Z80
I work for a manufacturer that designed some ( fairly low tech) control
systems back in the early 80's.
The control unit design was based on the Z80. The system is still in
production so the Z80 is still being used today.
Since the design is still perfectly good...there was certainly never any
need to upgrade the CPU to anything newer...
the only thing that still gives me a laugh...is that when the "off" button
is depressed...the Z80 is so slow that it takes a few seconds for the
machine to actually shut down. <G>
>> Stay informed about: z80 help 
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