[Coco] Re: [Color Computer] Is this a discussion about a new Coco?

[Mark Marlette]

At 04:24 PM 4/18/2005, you wrote:

John,

Go read the Connect One data sheets.... We are saying the same thing.....

As far as the rest of the SB's options. We have off loaded the uP with some 
of the logic.

We are just fine in the performance area.


>On Mon, 2005-04-18 at 17:04 -0400, Roger Merchberger wrote:
> > Rumor has it that Mark Marlette may have mentioned these words:
> >
> > [snippage]
> >
> > >I'll take as many of the SuperBoard's that you can make for under $100,
> > >that includes all of the options, including the Ethernet. The Ethernet
> > >chip alone costs well over $65...
> >
> > [snippety-doo-dah]
> >
> > There are a lot of Ethernet chips that are way under the $10/chip range
> > (like the RealTek 8139) - they'd have to be to offer a $9.99 PCI Ethernet
> > card. So some people may wonder why the Superboard can't be based on 
> one of
> > these chips...
>
>My initial reaction, I'll grant. I knew *why* but still...
>
> >
> > ... The reason: These chips would be more accurately called "WinEthernet"
> > chips, along the same lines of "WinModem" chips - the host processor does
> > *all* of the work; the chip is just a basic "bridge" to the interface. The
> > 6809/6309 could never keep up if it had to do all the work; especially at
> > Ethernet speeds - so the design would have to be centered around a chip
> > that does all the work itself - these chips are much more expensive.
>
>Comment from the peanut gallery: Wouldn't it make more sense to just
>build the SuperBoard around an I/O coprocessor? Rather than pay for $56
>Ethernet chip, pay for the $5 Ethernet chip and add design the whole
>board around a $25 microcontroller or embedded CPU. That's $30 you still
>have some money left over for the PCB, PHY, and whatever else is on the
>SB, plus you get a nice coprocessor that could be used for other stuff
>if you're feeling particularly sacreligious that day...
>
>-- John.
>
>
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