What is the cheapest microprocessor/microcomputer?
Guy Macon
I am about to embark on a new venture. Instead of making a few very
expensive and very capable systems, I will be making very, very large
numbers of extremely low performance & low capability systems.
What is the rock bottom cheapest (in bulk) chip or
combination of chips that will allow me to:
[1] Execute a 256 byte or smaller program (masked ROM OK).
[2] Run at a clock speed of 32Khz or faster, +/- 50%
[3] Store 4 bytes in read/write memory.
[4] Provide 4 bits of digital I/O. (two inputs, 2 outputs).
Note that total cost matters, so saving a penny on the crystal
(ceramic?) is just as good as saving a penny on the uP.
I am already down to a fraction of a dollar.
Guy Macon
Electronics Engineer
6158 Flamingo Drive
Buena Park, CA 90620-1328
guym...@deltanet.com
http://users.deltanet.com/~guymacon
Bill Giovino
shift register, do some creative thinking, and hard-wire it. It sounds
like you don't need much functionality.
You can get a serial microcontroller with 8 bytes of EEPROM,
chip-on-board, tiny ROM, for under $0.30. These are the micros used in
smart cards, like the new American Express card. The most popular
manufacturers are ST-Microelectronics & Motorola. However, you will have
to pay $50K and up and sign a very scary nondisclosure agreement in the
presence of the semiconductor company's lawyers in order to see the
details of the architecture.
If you want a packaged part, there are a number of manufacturers with
ROM micros in the $0.49 to $0.75 range - NEC, Microchip, Motorola, ST.
For example - Microchip has a $0.49 PIC12:
http://Microcontroller.com/microcontrollers/news/C_microchip/c090405mcp_pic12_ROM.htm
-Bill Giovino
http://Microcontroller.com
Guy Macon wrote:
>
> What is the cheapest microprocessor/microcomputer?
>
> I am about to embark on a new venture. Instaed of making a few very
> expensive and very capable systems, I will be making very, very large
> numbers of extremly low perforance & low capability systems.
>
> What is the rock botton cheapest (in bulk) chip or
> combination of chips that will allow me to:
>
> [1] Execute a 256 byte or smaller program (masked ROM OK).
>
> [2] Run at a clock speed of 32Khz or faster, +/- 50%
>
> [3] Store 4 bytes in read/write memory.
>
> [4] Provide 4 bits of digital I/O. (two inputs, 2 outputs).
>
> Note that total cost matters, so saving a penny on the crystal
> (ceramic?) is just as good as saving a penny on the oP.
Peter
I just worked with a guy on a 'beeper' that draws power from a
cash-drawer power line. The cheapest MPU that we could find was the
8-bit Microchip PIC 12C508A/12C509A (the 509 has twice the memory of the
508). It has eight pins, can use a simple RC for the xtal. I think the
cost in volume was around 60 cents US. We looked at finding a cheaper
alternative (like a 4-bitter) but it was either too limited or more
money.
Prices have gone up in the last few months of just about everything and
supplies seems to be short and lead times long.
If you come across anything cheaper with the same number of features, I'd
like to hear about it!
Cheers,
Peter How
Guy Macon wrote:
> What is the cheapest microprocessor/microcomputer?
>
> I am about to embark on a new venture. Instead of making a few very
> expensive and very capable systems, I will be making very, very large
> numbers of extremely low performance & low capability systems.
>
> What is the rock bottom cheapest (in bulk) chip or
> combination of chips that will allow me to:
>
> [1] Execute a 256 byte or smaller program (masked ROM OK).
>
> [2] Run at a clock speed of 32Khz or faster, +/- 50%
>
> [3] Store 4 bytes in read/write memory.
>
> [4] Provide 4 bits of digital I/O. (two inputs, 2 outputs).
>
> Note that total cost matters, so saving a penny on the crystal
Zorallin
As Bill Giovino suggested, you *could* just implement a
state-based system in an eprom (your program), and
using a simple clock and some gates (or even diodes),
do the whole thing without a micro at all....just as Bill
suggested, get creative. You don't need a micro to do
digital.......
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you think you know the answer,
then you don't understand the question !"
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Macon <guym...@deltanet.com> wrote in message
news:87isf1$m...@journal.concentric.net...
Ben Zijlstra
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/bzijlstra
Just 10 dollarcent for some telephone-cost to get a nice
microcontroller-board for free.
Just kidding, did you have a look at the AT90S1200 from Atmel?
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MegaBolt
Peter <pete...@telus.net> wrote in message
news:38A2661F...@telus.net...
> Hi,
> I just worked with a guy on a 'beeper' that draws power from a
> cash-drawer power line. The cheapest MPU that we could find was the
> 8-bit Microchip PIC 12C508A/12C509A (the 509 has twice the memory of the
> 508). It has eight pins, can use a simple RC for the xtal. I think the
> cost in volume was around 60 cents US. We looked at finding a cheaper
> alternative (like a 4-bitter) but it was either too limited or more
> money.
> Prices have gone up in the last few months of just about everything and
> supplies seems to be short and lead times long.
> If you come across anything cheaper with the same number of features, I'd
> like to hear about it!
>
> Cheers,
> Peter How
>
> Guy Macon wrote:
>
Guy Macon
>
>Hi,
>I just worked with a guy on a 'beeper' that draws power from a
>cash-drawer power line. The cheapest MPU that we could find was the
>8-bit Microchip PIC 12C508A/12C509A (the 509 has twice the memory of the
>508). It has eight pins, can use a simple RC for the xtal. I think the
>cost in volume was around 60 cents US. We looked at finding a cheaper
>alternative (like a 4-bitter) but it was either too limited or more
>money.
>Prices have gone up in the last few months of just about everything and
>supplies seems to be short and lead times long.
>If you come across anything cheaper with the same number of features, I'd
>like to hear about it!
I have gotten it down to 17 cents with no external RAM, ROM, or I/O,
and a single resistor for the clock, but it's a LOT more limited.
Think of a 6502 with the Y register, most of the addressing modes
missing, and a bunch of the instructions removed. Available only
in masked rom and as a bare chip (bond it to your BWB and add a
glop of epoxy).
John Devereux
(Guy Macon) wrote:
No I/O ?????
_I_ will sell you a CPU with no I/O !
Our BC182L CPU should suit your needs, very
compact, only 3 pins. Very cost effective too. Has
internal clock. Internal everything in fact...
:)
-- John Devereux
Jon Kirwan
<jo...@devereux.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>No I/O ?????
>
>_I_ will sell you a CPU with no I/O !
>
>Our BC182L CPU should suit your needs, very
>compact, only 3 pins. Very cost effective too. Has
>internal clock. Internal everything in fact...
>
> :)
Hehe. But we've already evaluated your BC182L and it pulls power and
takes up board space. Our FUN177-3 actually manages to operate on the
power gleaned from ambient radio waves received from space, requires
no observable board space, doesn't add any SMT mounting or testing
costs, and can be purchased in rolls for the price of the roll
material (plus a very modest added profit.)
;)
Jon
Bill Giovino
> I have gotten it down to 17 cents with no external RAM, ROM, or I/O,
> and a single resistor for the clock, but it's a LOT more limited.
> Think of a 6502 with the Y register, most of the addressing modes
> missing, and a bunch of the instructions removed. Available only
> in masked rom and as a bare chip (bond it to your BWB and add a
> glop of epoxy).
What's the reliability on this device? What sort of QA does it go thru?
*** If it's got no I/O, then what GOOD is the thing? ***
BTW, you've gotten a lot of feedback here - just what are you building
that you would consider using a part that is so CRIPPLED?
-Bill Giovino
http://Microcontroller.com
Ulf Samuelsson
>combination of chips that will allow me to:
>
>[1] Execute a 256 byte or smaller program (masked ROM OK).
>[2] Run at a clock speed of 32Khz or faster, +/- 50%
Internal RC at 1 MHz
>[3] Store 4 bytes in read/write memory.
32 registers
Atmel ATtiny11 if the read/write memory is SRAM
otherwise the ATtiny12 is best in the AVR family.
>[4] Provide 4 bits of digital I/O. (two inputs, 2 outputs).
6 I/O
>Note that total cost matters, so saving a penny on the crystal
Internal RC, No Crystal, tiny12 is calibrated.
--
This is a personal view which may or may not be shared
by my employer Atmel Sweden
Ulf Samuelsson ulf 'a't atmel 'd'o't com