P8X16A DIP24 16xI/O Propeller - now working ;)

Cluso99 · 2013-07-21 04:09

For those wanting a smaller propeller... 16 I/Os plus all other features of the existing prop

Here are some pics of my P8X16A DIP24 Propeller chip working...

It is a standard Propeller P8X32A with only P0..P7 & P24..P31 I/O pins in a 0.6" DIP24 package.
i.e. 8 Cogs, 32KB hub ram, 32KB hub rom, provision for crystal operation, download via P30/P31, and optional boot eeprom on P28/P29.

The pics include green flashing leds on P0.P7. The prop is plugged into a cheapie $1 170 pin protoboard.

A P8X12A DIP20 is also in the works... Only 12 I/Os with P2..P7 & P24..P29. Downloading/Programming is not possible so the EEPROM must be pre-programmed.

Heater. · 2013-07-21 04:19

I can't help thinking some gruesome surgery has been going on here.

Dr_Acula · 2013-07-21 06:07

Yikes!

Is it cheaper?

Martin_H · 2013-07-21 06:24

This is a riot, the fact that it works is awesome, but it needs duck tape for the full effect.

Rsadeika · 2013-07-21 07:43

Yikes!

Is it cheaper?

Heck of a business opportunity, buy at full price, and then sell them at half price, after you have cut the original chip in half. So, what can you do with the bottom half? Add it to the stack of other dead chips, maybe in ten years somebody will have come up for a way to use it. My question is, how did he cut that sucker in half, a special little guillotine that was designed?

Ray

Cluso99 · 2013-07-21 18:50

I could possibly sell the P8X16A for the amazing price of $20 because they are a limited edition chip.
I am thinking of offering them, complete with its own designed pcb. Any takers???

The P8X12A would be dearer - twice the work to make!

If you look closer at the single chip photo you can see the old P8X32A markings

Here's how I made it...
* bend the 16 pins to be removed back and forth until they break off
* put the chip in a vice and carefully cut with a fine hacksaw between the 7th and 8th pin
* put the end of the chip in a bench grinder and grind the chip until the 8th pin has just been removed.
* clean up the chip with isopropyl alcohol
The exposed end of the chip shows a nice set of individual wire frame pins.

I am also thinking of making a P8X8A LDIP16 - 8 I/O pins on P24-31 only.
The LDIP16 package is in an "L" shape with original DIP40 pins 9-12 on the left and 29-40 on the right side, 0.6" pitch.

jmg · 2013-07-21 19:11

Cluso99 wrote: »

Here's how I made it...
* bend the 16 pins to be removed back and forth until they break off
* put the chip in a vice and carefully cut with a fine hacksaw between the 7th and 8th pin
* put the end of the chip in a bench grinder and grind the chip until the 8th pin has just been removed.
* clean up the chip with isopropyl alcohol
The exposed end of the chip shows a nice set of individual wire frame pins.

Some people clearly have WAY to much spare time.... !!

phatallica · 2013-07-21 20:42

Cluso99 wrote: »

I am also thinking of making a P8X8A LDIP16 - 8 I/O pins on P24-31 only.
The LDIP16 package is in an "L" shape with original DIP40 pins 9-12 on the left and 29-40 on the right side, 0.6" pitch.

Please let me know when the QFP version has been tested ... the un-marked ones, so nobody can ever guess what the triangular contraption might be.

Cluso99 · 2013-07-21 20:45

Over on another thread they were asking about the max clock frequency. I thought I would test my P8X16A and obtained some interesting results...

CON
{
  _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL16X     'Set to ext low-speed xtal, 16x PLL
  _XINFREQ = 5_000_000          'Xtal 5MHz                                      works
}
  _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL16X     'Set to ext low-speed xtal, 16x PLL
  _XINFREQ = 7_680_000          'Xtal 7.68MHz                                   works
{
  _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL16X     'Set to ext low-speed xtal, 16x PLL
  _XINFREQ = 8_000_000          'Xtal 8MHz                                      doesn't work!
  _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL8X      'Set to ext low-speed xtal, 8x PLL
  _XINFREQ = 13_500_000          'Xtal 13.5MHz                                  works
  _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL8X      'Set to ext low-speed xtal, 8x PLL
  _XINFREQ = 15_000_000          'Xtal 15.0MHz                                  works
  _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL8X      'Set to ext low-speed xtal, 8x PLL
  _XINFREQ = 16_000_000          'Xtal 16.0MHz                                  works
}
PUB Toggle  
  dira[0..7]~~                  'make Pxx output
  repeat                        'Starts a repeat loop
     !outa[0..7]                'Invert output Pxx
'    waitcnt(clkfreq / 1000 * DelayMS + cnt)  'wait mS
     delay
PRI DELAY | i, a
  repeat i from 0 to 10000
    a++

Obviously this is a very basic test though Chip has said the hub ram access would likely fail first. The spin part of the program runs in hub (interpreter is still in cog).

Not only does the DIP perform faster than the QFP, but the PLLx8 mode permits a faster clock speed.

lanternfish · 2013-07-22 00:53

And with Vdd, Vss, BOEn, Reset and xtal pins at the bottom of the package board layout is a breeze.

franksanderdo · 2013-07-22 06:06

Hi Cluso

I am still searching for the Smiley in tears :-D
Funny idea which would look much better if you could make the chip itself visible.

If you optimise the cutting process, i.e. using a CNC Mill (controled by some P8X16A or PX8X8A) you would be able to sell the cutted parts as modern art ;-)

Regards
Frank

Toby Seckshund · 2013-07-22 06:17

Don't forget that driving some nails though the top of the chip will gain access to the "B" port.

Cluso99 · 2013-07-22 16:35

Toby: I thought of drilling a fine hole through 4 cogs to render them inoperable. Then I could have a P4X16A - just what some of you were asking for. But I figured that it would likely result in a short, presuming of course that I managed to get the cog(s) in the first place.

Toby Seckshund · 2013-07-23 02:07

You might spike the Hub ram!

But then, you could spawn a whole series of them with various RAM amounts, another step towards P*Cs, A*Rs, ...

And anyway, why is that everbody wants even numbers of Cogs? It is very oddist!

fixmax · 2013-07-23 10:21

This thread makes me feel like its April 1st...

kwinn · 2013-07-23 13:35

jmg wrote: »

Some people clearly have WAY to much spare time.... !!

That was my first though as well. Then I checked the date just to be sure I hadn't been transported to April first.

Too bad you couldn't cut it in half and end up with two P4X16A's.

Sapieha · 2013-07-23 15:05

Hi kwinn.

It is not correctly in half ---- it is next after silicon IC --- If You count pins You will find that

kwinn wrote: »

That was my first though as well. Then I checked the date just to be sure I hadn't been transported to April first.

Too bad you couldn't cut it in half and end up with two P4X16A's.

kwinn · 2013-07-23 15:21

Sapieha wrote: »

Hi kwinn.

It is not correctly in half ---- it is next after silicon IC --- If You count pins You will find that

Yes, I realized that. The comment was made in jest.
No way to cut the chip itself in half and still have anything work. Even if it was possible you would need to duplicate four of the pins for the crystal, boe and res.

Jonathan · 2013-07-23 18:06

Here in California we would call the CPS (Chip Protective Services). All of your chips would be seized and placed in foster care and you would be charged with many felony criminal counts. Since you are from lawless Australia I assume you can get away with such atrocities. ;-0

Seriuosly, hilarious. What a fun thing to do. I'll be looking to see how small yuo can make 'em.

Jonathan

Dr_Acula · 2013-07-23 20:06

Seriuosly, hilarious. What a fun thing to do. I'll be looking to see how small yuo can make 'em.

Don't tempt him. He might go ahead and produce a propeller with NO inputs and outputs

Cluso99 · 2013-07-23 21:52

Dr_Acula wrote: »

Don't tempt him. He might go ahead and produce a propeller with NO inputs and outputs

I have one with 16 I/O and no power/ground/BOE/reset and no processor - does this count? Guess it's a P0X16A in DIP16 (but in my case I have cut the pins off, so in DFN16? format).

BTW I was going to release it on April 1 but I was just too busy at the time.

Peter Jakacki · 2013-07-23 22:10

I hadn't read this thread because I thought you were talking about a little PCB module, however I can see that you are a "cut" above all the rest of us and we can also see what you mean when you refer to the "daily grind". You're a chip off the old block you are. Have you tried doing this to your DE2 board?

@Jonathan - you make em, us aussies break em!

lanternfish · 2013-07-24 00:16

Cluso99 wrote: »

I have one with 16 I/O and no power/ground/BOE/reset and no processor - does this count? Guess it's a P0X16A in DIP16 (but in my case I have cut the pins off, so in DFN16? format).

BTW I was going to release it on April 1 but I was just too busy at the time.

ROFL. (In)Completely dumb peripheral

Peter Jakacki · 2013-07-24 00:36

lanternfish wrote: »

ROFL. (In)Completely dumb peripheral

Au contraire mon ami, these pins are able to withstand not just 5V but perhaps even 500V! Surely that's a desirable peripheral?

P8X16A DIP24 16xI/O Propeller - now working ;)

Comments