Low voltage hobbyist-accessible microcontrollers?

[Tim Shoppa]

Ah, so it's a pdp-11 clone?

The TI MSP430 seems to be much closer to me in terms of PDP-11
architecture. That said, the MSP430 is missing most of the
wonderful orthogonal address modes that makes an -11 an -11.

Tim.

 

[Stefan Heinzmann]

In the perfect world there would be a flash-based microcontroller,
serially programmable, that could run off a single cell (meaning 0.9V -
1.8V or so).

There are 0.9V microcontrollers, for example from Seiko/Epson, but
they're ROM based. I'm not aware of any Flash (whether on chip with a
microcontroller or separate) that goes down in Voltage that far. Your
best bet will be to use a DC/DC converter to step up the voltage.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

There are 0.9V microcontrollers, for example from Seiko/Epson, but
they're ROM based. I'm not aware of any Flash (whether on chip with a
microcontroller or separate) that goes down in Voltage that far. Your
best bet will be to use a DC/DC converter to step up the voltage.

I think the former actually incorporate an on-chip charge pump to
double the cell voltage with the help of a couple of external caps.
Some Japanese mask micros have a mask option to select straight
through or boosted input PS voltage.

For smaller quantity or more demanding applications, an external
doubler, an extra cell, or a higher voltage cell may be the best
solution.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Stefan Heinzmann]

I think the former actually incorporate an on-chip charge pump to
double the cell voltage with the help of a couple of external caps.
Some Japanese mask micros have a mask option to select straight
through or boosted input PS voltage.

For smaller quantity or more demanding applications, an external
doubler, an extra cell, or a higher voltage cell may be the best
solution.

You're right, I checked the Epson data sheets. Whichever, the OP will
not have much fun with them, as they're ROM based. I second your advice.

 

[Jonathan Kirwan]

The TI MSP430 seems to be much closer to me in terms of PDP-11
architecture. That said, the MSP430 is missing most of the
wonderful orthogonal address modes that makes an -11 an -11.

Yup, that's it in a nutshell, I think. The price they paid for more than 8
registers was too dear, in my opinion, and very much ill-advised. However, the
hardware on the MSP-430 continues to impress me.

Jon