> Some of the newer SOC (system-on-a-chip) provide very good
> cost/performance.  For example, the Alchemy Au1000 [1] was priced at
> $39 in lots of 10,000 when announced (I would hope the price wouldn't
> be too prohibitive for a small quantity), and for that you got a 400MHz
> MIPS core, two 10/100 ethernet controllers, four UARTs, USB, SDRAM
> controller, etc, etc.
>
Yep, I agree, and I would prefer to stick close to SOC type chips, which would simplify
design and lower chip count.  I would like to keep the controller speed below 40Mhz -
actually closer to 20mhz.  As you bus speed increases, the crosswalk, noise and other
factors start creeping in.  In the "old days" of 1,2,4Mhz chips, you could basically loose
wire a board, but at higher speeds (10Mhz+), line traces lengths, position, etc. become
VERY important.  I don't want to turn this into a signal analysis experiment. ;-)

Beside, let's face it, any old 16bit, off the shelf, controller running at 20Mhz will run
circles around a Qbus VAX, and this thing will probably spend the bulk of it's time
waiting for the VAX.  This is not a slam to the Qbus VAX...it's just the fact of the
matter.  So 400Mhz seems like over kill on a serrious magnitude!

Now if this thing were to perform multipule task i.e. support 6 IDE drives, impliment USB,
sound, or whatever madness one can conjure up, then we can start talking faster CPU.

Thanks for the heads up on those SOCs...that will give me some good reading!

jam