IBM Breathes New Life Into Their PowerPC 405GP
by David Gilbert

Introduction

First introduced some time ago, this chip has been talked about for quite a while. Now that platforms have been developed to take advantage of the 405GP chip, we can see that this version of the PowerPC has indeed raised the bar of embedded computing. Let's take a look at what's being done with the 405GP.

POWER to the People

Available with a core CPU speed of 266 MHz, the 405GP chip still consumes less than 2 W of power, which is impressive. Aside from a 266 MHz CPU, what else does 2 W of "juice" get you? An complete array of system functions and interfaces surround the 405 core, including an SDRAM controller, DMA controller, external peripheral controller, PCI interface, Ethernet support, interrupt controller, I²C controller, general-purpose I/O, serial ports, and "Code Pack" Decompression (for storing instructions in memory in a compressed state for up to a 40% reduction in footprint).

There are three packaging options for this chip, and this combines with the various other features to provide a means of using this product in environments that might not previously be able to take advantage of the PowerPC architecture before. Now, thermal considerations are reduced, physical space requirements are reduced, and performance limitations are surpassed.

The versatility of this chip is such that new applications for embedded computing such as voice recognition, robust database software, and high-performance networking are being tackled.

Shortcomings?

Even though the 405GP has no floating-point unit, operations of this nature can be emulated in software. This is perhaps the only serious factor that limits where the chip should be deployed, though its processing power and high degree of peripheral integration make it well-suited to many diverse software applications.

Conclusions

IBM has made application notes available for addressing the concerns of migrating code from the 405GP to the 440GP, as well as other concerns related to the platform in general. Software investments in the PowerPC architecture are very well protected since the architecture itself conforms to standards created for this very purpose.

Additional Reading

Embedded Planet: PowerPC-Based Single-Board Computers (PC/104)

IBM Software: Embedded ViaVoice, Multiplatform Edition

IBM Software: Database and Data Management: DB2 Product Family: DB2 Everyplace: Overview

PowerPC 405GP Embedded Processor Technical Library

IBM Announces Two New High-Performance PowerPC Processors

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