[CUWiN-Dev] Re: Alchemy CPU

[David Young]

On Sun, Jan 23, 2005 at 01:01:31PM -0600, Quantum Scientific wrote:
> Friends,
> 
> I realize that everyone's working on Milestone II, but I need some
> input when convenient.
>
> I've contacted about 50 embedded systems providers, and my focus
> and intent is to find a tiny platform based on the AMD Alchemy CPU.
> MyCable is among the first to reply, and his first answer is $500
> per each.  Of course this won't work and I told him so, but he likes
> the project and is asking questions I can't answer now.  (at bottom)

Carl,

I think that Mike has the right idea when he mentions hacking a SOHO
wireless router.  There are chips made by the millions for the purpose,
they integrate several of the capabilities we need (802.11 MAC/BBP,
400MHz MIPS CPU, ethernet, GPIO, serial) in one chip, and they're cheap.
There have to be licensable reference designs out there.  I don't think
it's such a big deal if the parts supply will run out in a few years,
since we will probably want to use a different device by then, anyway.

Here's a capable little device,
<http://www.netgear.com/products/details/WGT634U.php>, that costs
about $80.  The approach I suggest is to license the reference design,
change out the parts that are not outdoors-proof, and get an outdoor
enclosure w/ PoE and radio ports made.  Does it make sense?

Dave

-- 
David Young             OJC Technologies
dyoung at ojctech.com      Urbana, IL * (217) 278-3933