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Own An Open Source RISC-V Microcontroller (crowdsupply.com)
"Did you ever think it would be great if hardware was open to the transistor level, not just the chip level?" writes hamster_nz, pointing to a new Crowd Supply campaign for the OnChip Open-V microcontroller, "a completely free (as in freedom) and open source 32-bit microcontroller based on the RISC-V architecture." hamster_nz writes:
With a completely open instruction-set architecture and no license fees for the CPU design, the RISC-V architecture is well positioned to take the crown as the 'go to' design for anybody needing a 32-bit in their silicon, and Open-V are crowd-sourcing their funding for an initial manufacturing run of 70,000 chips, offering options from a single chip to a seat in the design review process. This project is shaping up to be a milestone for the coming Open Source Silicon revolution, and they are literally offering a seat at the table. Even if you don't end up backing the project, it makes for very interesting reading.
Their crowdfunding page argues "If you love hacking on embedded controllers, breaking down closed-source barriers, having the freedom to learn how things work even down to the transistor level, or have dreamed of spinning your own silicon, then this campaign is for you."
Their crowdfunding page argues "If you love hacking on embedded controllers, breaking down closed-source barriers, having the freedom to learn how things work even down to the transistor level, or have dreamed of spinning your own silicon, then this campaign is for you."
... and a sea story:
A fairy tale starts with, "Once upon a time ... "
A sea story; "Hey, this ain't no shit ... "
So, this ain't no shit:
When I trained on electronics in this man's Navy in 1965, I went to NAS Memphis and we worked on a vacuum tube computer that filled up a whole wall. We'd open the windows in the winter because it was HOT in there.
There were two tubes per flip-flop module. The tubes burned out often and we'd have to troubleshoot that.
Our goal was to use a row of toggle switches to turn lights "on" for a binary one, and "off" for a binary zero.
We would load up one register with four bits and the only other register with four bits and then we'd press a switch that could only execute an add and we'd better get the right binary number on the third row of lights.
We started (I shit you not) all of our algebra, trig, geometry, etc. including square root extraction by pencil and paper and then moved into the slide rule age.
The only goddam transistors we saw were the 9-volt radios playing Elvis.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
If you want hardware open to the transistor level and not just the microcode level ...
Like most RISC processors, RISC-V doesn't use microcode. Microcode is a CISC thing.
Who can hand solder QFN chips?!
Get a tube of solder paste (good old PbSn, not RoHS) and a $29 toaster oven from Walmart for reflow.
Pro-tip: Use a different toaster oven for grilled cheese sandwiches.
. We also need to be able to DIY them, and therefore we need to have access to the right tools so we can create (or, as an option, order) the chips by ourselves ;) Also, we need a tool to (that is easy to) design the chips too, so we can build them later :D
But, at a start, this action is a very good one...
SiFive is working on this exact problem--to let DIYs get access to real, packaged, custom silicon based on either your specification or with your RTL. Stay tuned for some announcements coming up at next weeks (11/29) RISC-V workshop.