PA-RISC Processors
Third Party PA-RISC processors
Several third-party OEMs designed PA-RISC processors for workstations and servers (Hitachi) but also for embedded systems of the 1990s like set-top boxes, TVs, device controllers and printers.
CPU | ISA | Release | Clock | Cache | Bus | Super scalar |
Units | Controllers on-chip |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amiga Hombre | PA 1.1 32-bit |
1995 | 125MHz | ? | 64-bit | 1-way | 1 Integer | Memory DMA PCI I/O VGA audio Copper Blitter |
Hitachi PA/50L |
PA 1.1 32-bit |
1993 | 33MHz | 12KB | ? | 1-way | 1 Integer 1 Floating Point |
|
Hitachi PA/50M |
PA 1.1 32-bit |
1993 | 60MHz | 12KB | ? | 1-way | 1 Integer 1 Floating Point |
|
Hitachi HARP-1 |
PA 1.1 32-bit |
1994 | 150MHz | 24KB 1MB L2 |
? | 2-way | 2 Integer 1 Floating Point (Vector) |
|
Winbond W89K | PA 1.1 32-bit |
1994 | 33/66MHz | 4KB | Intel 486 | 1-way | 1 Integer | none? |
Winbond W90210 W90215 |
PA 1.1 32-bit |
1997 | 33/66MHz | 12KB | Intel 486 | 1-way | 1 Integer MAX-1 |
DRAM DMA PCI I/O |
Winbond W90220 W90221 |
PA 1.1 32-bit |
1999 | 150MHz | 8KB | Intel 486 | 1-way | 1 Integer 1 MAC(DSP) MAX-1 |
DRAM DMA PCI IDE I/O VGA (W90221) TV (W90221) |
OKI OsP32 | PA 1.1 32-bit |
1994 | 33MHz | ? | ? | 1-way | 1 Integer | DRAM DMA |
Amiga Hombre processor
Between 1992 and 1994, Commodore designed a new graphics chipset to power Amiga computers based on HP PA-RISC, called Hombre.
The development effort apparently included HP and was based on a PA-RISC core to be available for 1995 production for a CD-based Game Machine
, cable TV, MPEG and as a PCI-based graphics accelerator.
The Hombre processor design was to be implemented in two chips:
- CPU chip (Nathaniel) with 32-bit PA-RISC core: RISC integer core based on PA-7150 at 125MHz, DMA interface, audio and CD interfaces, system, display and PCI buses
- Video chip (Natalie) with graphics functions and buses
- Both were targeted for 0.6µ, 3-level metal CMOS in 3.3 V in 304-PQFP
- 50MHz system bus, 64-bit wide
The CPU core was 32-bit PA-RISC 1.1, Integer-only with a 5-stage pipeline and 64-bit datapath
Hitachi
Hitachi was part of the PRO consortium for PA-RISC and offered both rebadged and their own workstations with HP processors. In parallel, Hitachi also designed their own custom PA-RISC processors, the PA/50 and HARP-1.
Hitachi PA/50L and PA/50M processors
The Hitachi PA/50 was a family of PA-RISC 1.1 processors designed and manufactured by Hitachi, released in 1993.
Two designs were developed: M with around 100 MIPS and L low-cost
with around 55 MIPS.
Hitachi used them as personal workstation processors and high-end embedded controllers in their own Hitachi workstations.
Thr PA/50 integrated a set of features not available at that time in other PA-RISC processors like on-chip caches, data-prefetching, a power-saving mode and SDRAM support.
- PA-RISC version 1.1 32-bit
- Built-in, pipelined FPU
- Cache 8 KB L1 instruction, 2-way set-associative, 32-byte blocks, on-chip
- Cache 4 KB L1 data, 2-way set-associative, 32-byte blocks, copy-back, on-chip
- Uncacheable memory (per page)
- TLB: 32/64-entry, 2-way set, 4K-page, each +2 additional block entries
- BTLB (256 KB-32 MB)
- Seven 32-bit shadow registers for fast interrupts
- Data-prefetching
- Non-blocking cache
- Power-saving mode, reducing frequency to 1/8
- Support for SDRAM
- PA/50L: Up to 33 MHz frequency with 3.3 V core voltage
- PA/50M: Up to 60 MHz frequency with 5.0 V core voltage
- 11.5×12.0 mm2 die, 1,280,000 FETs, 0.6µ (micron), 3-layer metal CMOS packaged in a 160-pin plastic QFP package
Used in
- Hitachi 3050RX 100C, 200 workstations
Hitachi HARP-1 processor
The Hitachi HARP-1 is a PA-RISC version 1.1 compatible CPU from Hitachi, introduced in June 1994. It is apparently a larger and faster version of the PA/50 processor with not much more information available publically. The HARP-1E supposedly included pseudo-vector processing modifications used in Hitachi vector supercomputers. L1 cache was increased to 16 KB/16 KB.
- PA-RISC version 1.1 32-bit
- Three functional units: two integer ALUs, one floating point unit and two shift-merge units
- Six-stage pipeline
- Built-in, pipelined FPU
- Built-in memory controller Memory Interface Unit, MIU
- 2-way superscalar
- Cache 8 KB L1 instruction, 1-way set-associative, 32-byte blocks, on-chip
- Cache 16 KB L1 data, 2-way set-associative, 32-byte blocks, copy-back, on-chip
- Cache 512/512 KB L2 instruction/data, off-chip
- TLB: 128/128-entry instruction/data, 1-way set
- Some say a second level TLB was included
- L2 Cache bus: 128-bit data path to L2 caches with ECC
- Processor bus: 64-bit data path to main memory and I/O
- Up to 150 MHz frequency with 3.3 V core voltage, 17W power dissipation at 120 MHz
- 16.2×16.5 mm2 die, 2,800,000 FETs, 0.5µ 3-layer aluminium + 1-layer tungsten BiCMOS, packaged in 595-pin PGA
Used in
- Hitachi SR2001 supercomputers
- Hitachi SR2201 supercomputers (HARP-1E)
- Probably others
Winbond
Winbond W89K processor
The Winbond W89K is an embedded 32-bit PA-RISC controller chip, pin-compatible with the then-popular Intel 80486DX, introduced in Spring 1994. It could be used as a drop-in replacement in mid-1990s PCs together with Winbond BIOS replacement chips. Rationale was to allow hardware developers utilize existing 486DX mainboards and components for a shorter product development process. The W89K is a level 0 PA-RISC 1.1 implementation: a 32-bit PA-RISC processor without virtual addressing.
- PA-RISC version 1.1 32-bit
- Level 0 implementation, no virtual addressing: no MMU
- Five-stage pipeline
- One functional unit: one 32-bit integer ALU
- Cache 2 KB/2 KB L1 on-chip instruction/data
- 80486 Intel bus interface
- 33 MHz and 66 MHz clock speeds were available, with the latter apparently having been achieved with a clock-doubling also used in the Intel’s 80486DX/2
- On-chip JTAG support
- 14.3×14.3 mm2 die, 1,100,000 FETs, 0.8µ, 3-layer metal CMOS
Winbond W90210/215 processor
Shortly after the W89K embedded controllers Winbond introduced more
sophisticated PA-RISC processors in Fall 1997 with the W90K line of embedded controllers.
The W90210F still was 32-bit PA-RISC 1.1 but integrated many external I/O
components on the chip — DRAM and DMA controllers, a PCI bridge and various
I/O ports.
As its predecessor, the W90210F was a level 0 PA-RISC 1.1 implementation without virtual addressing.
It was apparently used in various Internet appliances
: set-top boxes, TV sets, DVD players, PDAs,
VoIP devices, and for industrial automation.
The W90215 is identical to the W90210 but did not include license rights for the
embedded operating system and was thus cheaper.
- PA-RISC version 1.1 32-bit
- Level 0 implementation no virtual addressing: no MMU
- Five-stage pipeline
- One functional unit: one 32-bit integer ALU
- Cache 4 KB L1 instruction, direct mapped, 32-byte blocks, 256 entries
- Cache 8 KB L1 data, 2-way set-associative, 32-byte blocks, 2×64 entries, write-back
- MAX-1 multimedia extensions for multimedia applications, like MPEG decoding
- 80486 Intel bus interface
- DRAM controller
- ROM/FLASH interface
- DMA controller 2-channel 8-bit
- PCI bridge
- Two serial ports
- Parallel port
- 33 MHz and 66 MHz clock speeds
- 208-pin PQF package
Winbond W90220 and W90221 processors
The W90220F is, as its predecessor W90210, a 32-bit PA-RISC 1.1 design without MMU but integrated many external I/O components on the chip — DRAM and DMA controllers, PCI bridge, IDE channels, I/O ports and, on the W90221, a graphics/TV chip. Released in Spring 1999, it had the same target systems of set-top boxes and internet appliances. The sucessor W90221 is apparently similar, with higher clock speed, integrated (S)VGA and TV controller
- PA-RISC version 1.1 32-bit
- Level 0 implementation, no virtual addressing: no MMU
- Six-stage pipeline
- Two functional units: one 32-bit integer ALU and one 32-bit multiply-accumulate MAC module, for DSP purposes, can be used as two 16-bit modules too
- Cache 4 KB L1 instruction, direct mapped, 32-byte blocks, 256 entries
- Cache 4 KB L1 data, 4-way set-associative, write-back or write-through
- MAX-1 multimedia extensions for multimedia applications, like MPEG decoding
- 80486 Intel bus interface
- Hardware dynamic branch prediction
- 256-entry branch-target-buffer BTAC
- Memory controller supports DRAM, EDO-DRAM and SRAM; W90221 additionally SDRAM
- ROM/FLASH interface
- DMA controller 2-channel 8-bit
- IDE I/O controller four 16-bit channels
- W90221: VGA and TV controller W9971
- PCI bridge
- Two serial ports
- Parallel port
- Serial ICE port
- Up to 150 MHz clock speed at 3.3 V/5 V I/O and 3.3 V core
- W90221: 133 MHz clock speed with apparently 3.3 V at both I/O and core
- 0.35µ single-poly-triple-metal CMOS
- 208-pin PQF package
OKI OP32 processor
OKI was part of the Precision RISC Organisation (PRO) for the PA-RISC platform, and developed the OP32/50N, a PA-RISC processor in the mid-1990s through its OKI Semiconductor business unit. It was an embedded controller introduced in 1994, based on a 32-bit PA-RISC design with integrated DRAM and DMA controllers. The OP32/50N was targeted at laser printers, Fax machines, X-Terminals and the telecom and automotive markets.
- PA-RISC version 1.1 32-bit
- 33 MHz frequency
- 14.3×14.3 mm2 die, 1,100,000 FETs, 0.8µ, 3-layer metal CMOS
OKI later spun off the OKI Semiconductor business unit.
References
- Chronology of Workstation Computers (1993) Ken Polsson (November 2007. Accessed November 2007)
- PROgress (PA-RISC) Newsletter - comp.sys.hp Candace Doyle (October 1993: Precision Risc Organization. Accessed December 2007)
- Basic Concept of Cooperative Timing-driven Design Automation Technology for High-speed RISC Processor HARP-1 (PDF) Hidekazu Terai et al (October 1999: Hitachi Ltd. Accessed January 2008)
- PROgress (PA-RISC) Newsletter - comp.sys.hp, Candace Doyle (October 1993: Precision Risc Organization. Accessed December 2007)
- Winbond, Varian sign deal for thin-film IC process, Terho Uimonen (April 1994: Electronic News. Accessed January 2008 at findarticles.com)
- PA-RISC in a PC box (was: Re: HP's vision of a low-end 3000) comp.sys.hp.mpe, Stan Sieler (Februar 1996. Accessed December 2007)
- HITACHI CLAIMS TO HAVE THE INDUSTRY’s CHEAPEST UNIX WORKSTATION, USING PRECISION ARCHITECTURE..., CBR Online Archive, 28 Oct 1993
- October 1993 PROgress Newsletter, USENET post, Google Archive, 11/01/1993
- A 120- MHz BiCMOS Superscalar RISC Processor, Shigeya Tanaka et al (IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 29, no. 4, April 1994)
- W90210F PA-RISC Embedded Controller (.pdf) sWinbond Electronics Corp. (October 1997. Accessed January 2008)
- W90220F PA-RISC Embedded Controller (.pdf) Winbond Electronics Corp. (March 1999. Accessed January 2008)
- Hombre - The last Commodore custom chipset, Amiga History Guide
- CBMs Plans for the RISC-Chipset, Dave Haynie 1995