What Processor do I have?

DavyBurns · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 04, 2004 Posts: 30

I have Just bought a Navman 300 with V3 SmartSt maps, and it works very well, problem is, when I look for other downloadable software, it asks whether I need SH3, Arm, Arm2002, Mips or Xscale.
Anyone any ideas's?
Thanks
davy

DavidW · Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2004 4:56 pm Post subject:

The rule these days is to choose ARM in the absence of any clear indication to the contrary. SH3 and MIPS processors were only used in Pocket PC 2000 devices, which were superseded about 2.5 years ago.

The PiN 300 uses an XScale according to the information I have, though the XScale uses an ARM core. If there's a specific XScale version of a program, use it (sometimes it's possible to optimise code specifically for the XScale), otherwise use ARM.

If you get a choice of versions, choose the one for Windows Mobile for Pocket PC 2003 (otherwise known as Pocket PC 2003).

David

UKHABU · Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 1:56 pm Post subject:

The Navman Pin 300/Navman Pin V1 or 100 all of which are really re-badged Mitac Mio 168 devices.

They use a 32 bit Intel XScale PXA-255 300 Mhz RISC processor that uses ARM v.5TE instruction set architecture.

For lots more useless info! go here !

http://www.intel.com/design/pca/prodbref/252780.htm
_________________
Silva MultiNavigator
GSAK V4.2.2
MemoryMap OS 2004 & V5 Navigator
Navman Pin(Mitac Mio 168)
Navman SmartST Pro V2 & V3
Mitac Mio 558

DavidW · Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 5:24 pm Post subject:

All Intel processors with a PXA-2nn model number are XScale processors - an Intel chip based around an ARM core.

I think they're all v.5TE instruction set, though the pipelines are, if I remember rightly, set up differently to other ARM processors used in Pocket PCs. That's why you sometimes get software specifically optimised for XScale - especially things like video playback software.

David
(who used to program professionally in ARM assembler)

UKHABU · Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 8:41 pm Post subject:

Pah! youngsters today!
I used to program professionally using paper tape with ICL PLAN on a ICL 1902A mainframe using 32k Ferrite Core main memory (yep that IS 32k!!!)
_________________
Silva MultiNavigator
GSAK V4.2.2
MemoryMap OS 2004 & V5 Navigator
Navman Pin(Mitac Mio 168)
Navman SmartST Pro V2 & V3
Mitac Mio 558

Robin2 · Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 9:31 pm Post subject:

The first computer I used was a Ferranti Mercury at Harwell in the 1950s. It occupied an air conditioned building the size of a bungalow, and the (resident) Ferranti engineer changed about 25% of the valves (yes, valves) every Monday to try to minimise failures in service. Input and output were by paper tape, and I guess the computing power would be about the same as my present PDA
Robin

UKHABU · Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:49 pm Post subject:

I would very much doubt if the processing power was anything near that of a modern PDA.

I often look back at the devices we were using only 10 years ago and think how far we have come - the average calculator has more processing power than the entire Apollo Lunar Module.
_________________
Silva MultiNavigator
GSAK V4.2.2
MemoryMap OS 2004 & V5 Navigator
Navman Pin(Mitac Mio 168)
Navman SmartST Pro V2 & V3
Mitac Mio 558

DavidW · Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 9:52 pm Post subject:

It's truly amazing how processing power moves on.

I have a desktop computer in the loft that uses an 8MHz ARM2 processor. I've got one next door that's still used sometimes that uses an ARM710 at 40MHz. It has a usable GUI, too (I used to write software on one of those - it's an Acorn Risc PC).

The iPAQ hx4700 sat on my desk has a 624MHz Intel PXA270 - which is ARM based. It supports 32 bit addressing and the Thumb opcodes, unlike the ARM710 (26 bit addressing only, no support for Thumb) in the Risc PC.

David

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