BZZZZTTT! Wrong answer! SX chips are direct replacements for PIC 16C5x. Pin for pin, binary (not just source) code compatible, drop in, just the same as, etc... http://www.sxlist.com/techref/ubicom/picreplace.htm And Ubicom (ne: Scenix) got sued from here to there for it. Settled and now on to making other processors as well as the SX and are not allowed to say that the SX is a viable PIC replacement. But it IS. And it can run at 75MIPS (not Mhz, that is 75 Million Instructions Per Second) or can be run slower for LOWER power consumption at down to 2.7V: Since the SX has a 4:1 pipeline, it can do in one cycle what the PIC needs 4 to accomplish. Less cycles = less power @ same put-thru. AND... Someone just leaked documentation on some hidden instructions that allow this 16C5x clone to do things like: A) Implement software call and return stacks B) Do true real time multi-thread task switching C) Roll your own debugger D) FIFO the W register (8 deep) E) Push and POP the W, PC, Status, and FSR registers from their own 2 level stacks (separate from the FIFO and the regular call return stack... Which is 8 levels deep BTW.) F) send serial data in and out the OSC pins Details at: http://www.sxlist.com/ubicom/secrets.htm Note: SX's are usually programmed in the "Parallax" form of mnemonics, but the standard MPLAB mnemonics can also be used via macro translations available at the site. http://www.sxlist.com/techref/ubicom/uchip.src MPLAB code can be translated to Parallax via http://www.sxlist.com/cgi-bin/mpasm2sasm2.exe Ahhh... I love SX's: - $1.79 to $3.65 in single quantities, did I mention that is for a 75MIPS controller? http://www.parallax.com/sx/chips.asp - under $100 full ICD development system with free BASIC compiler / code generator (great for beginners, power for pros) http://www.parallax.com/sx/programming_kits.asp - massive volumes of code available 'cause it runs PIC stuff http://www.sxlist.com - and, AND, AAAANNNNDDDDD!!!!! Sorry, I'll stop now... --- James Newton, Host of SXList.com james@sxlist.com 1-619-652-0593 fax:1-208-279-8767 SX FAQ / Code / Tutorials / Documentation: http://www.sxlist.com Pick faster! > -----Original Message----- > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu > [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Hord > Sent: 2004 Dec 08, Wed 07:16 > To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. > Subject: Re: [PIC] Fake PICs > > > So why are the MDT parts called clones, fakes and pirates while the > > binary compatible, directly interchangeable Scenix parts were an > > example of American ingenuity ? > > > > Steve. > > Several reasons: > > 1. The Scenix parts are NOT intended to replace PICs. I > suspect they used the PIC instruction set as a matter of > convenience, a "feature" to attract those of us accustomed to > using it. Think about it: a minor change in their core, > different mnemonics and I wouldn't be typing this. > > I also don't believe that they are pin compatible, but that I > could easily be wrong about. _______________________________________________ http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist