Looking for an 8-bit Microprocessor...

[eM]

WGH

Hello everyone, I'm new around here, so allow me to present myself first.

My name is Arye Segal, I'm 20 y/o from Israel, and loved electronics ever since I was born!

So, after learning a lot of math and electricity, I think it's time for me to start using microprocessors.

I've already dealt with a few microcontrollers, but I'm looking for an 8-bit microprocessor that I can hook up to an external RAM and Flash memory. Do you know of any 8-bit microprocessors? I've already looked into the 6502 and 8032, but I want to know if there are better (that's, faster) ones out there.

The purpose of this processor is to be used as a CPU in a retro-like game console I'm designing (NES-/SNES-clone), so I want to have a lot of RAM available (8+ KBs) and Flash program memory (1+ MBs). Plus, in the near future, I'm looking to make a dedicated GPU for it using an FPGA, to load off lots of calculations from the CPU, as well as a dedicated sound processor, etc.

So, any recommendations?

Thank you very much for taking the time to even read my post!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and will be glad to receive any kind of reply,

Arye.

P.S: Will be posting the same message in the parallel 16-bit forum, regarding a 16-bit microprocessor. Is that ok or is it against the rules?

Thanks once again, guys. Truly appreciate it!


Message Edited by eM on 2009-01-23 12:00 PM

[eM]

WGH

Dear Celso,

Enough just isn't engouh!

I'm looking to design a system thats' resources are upgradable and expandable as needed. Plus, I forgot to mention, if the MPU chip package could be a PDIP, that'd be even better since it'd fit exactly into my breadboard.

Thanks a lot, Celso!

Yours,

Arye.

[Lundin]

I doubt you will find any fast CPU with PDIP today, all modern micros are surface mounted. I think Freescale might have some through-hole versions of the HCS08 but I'm not sure which derivates that have that option.

Microchip have them for certain, but then you wanted a fast CPU so it probably excludes PIC. It certainly excludes all sluggish 8051 derivates.

Since you mention external memory, cost doesn't seem to be too important. For a few dollars more you can get a 16-bit S12X with a co-processor onchip. I heard rumours saying that the S12X works well with an external bus. Beware of the older S12 derivates however, they had a horribly complicated external bus system.

Another advantage of the S12X is that it's one of the most code-effectives CPUs out there, I very much doubt you will need 1Mb of memory to store a program written for that CPU.

[celsoken]

Dear Arye,

First of all, welcome to the forum.
If I understood your application, maybe you don't need external ram. You can choose a microcontroller w/ enough ram and you can avoid external bus. For your flash needs maybe you can get a serial flash like a SD card, cheap & easy.
Regarding retro game console, look for uzebox project, it seems exactly what you described.
It's my small contribution.
Cheers,

Celso