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== Milkymist SoC ==
== Milkymist SoC ==
The Milkymist [[system-on-chip]] uses the [[LatticeMico32]] core as a general purpose processor. It is a [[RISC]] 32-bit big endian CPU without a [[memory management unit]] (MMU). It is supported by the [[GNU Compiler Collection|GCC]] compiler and can run [[RTEMS]] and [[uClinux]].
The Milkymist [[system-on-chip]] uses the [[LatticeMico32]] (LM32) core as a general purpose processor. It is a [[RISC]] 32-bit big endian CPU without a [[memory management unit]] (MMU). It is supported by the [[GNU Compiler Collection|GCC]] compiler and can run [[RTEMS]] and [[uClinux]].


The LM32 microprocessor is assisted by a [[texture mapping unit]] and a programmable [[floating point]] [[VLIW]] coprocessor which are used by the Flickernoise video synthesis software. It is also surrounded by various peripheral cores to support every I/O device of the Milkymist One. The system-on-chip interconnect uses three bridged buses and mixes the [[Wishbone (computer bus)|Wishbone]] protocol with two custom protocols used for configuration registers and high performance [[DMA]] with the [[SDRAM]].
The architecture of the Milkymist [[system-on-chip]] is largely documented in the project founder's Master thesis report<ref name="mmthesis">{{cite web|url=http://kth.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:370883|title=A performance-driven SoC architecture for video synthesis|last=Bourdeauducq|first=Sebastien|date=2010-06|accessdate=2011-04-22|publisher=KTH}}</ref>. Most of the components of the system-on-chip, except the [[LatticeMico32]] core, were custom developed and placed under the [[GNU GPL]] license.

The architecture of the Milkymist [[system-on-chip]] is largely documented in the project founder's Master thesis report<ref name="mmthesis">{{cite web|url=http://kth.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:370883|title=A performance-driven SoC architecture for video synthesis|last=Bourdeauducq|first=Sebastien|date=2010-06|accessdate=2011-04-22|publisher=KTH}}</ref>. Most components of the system-on-chip, except the [[LatticeMico32]] core, were custom developed and placed under the [[GNU GPL]] license.


The [[QEMU]] emulator can be used to run and debug Milkymist SoC binaries<ref name="qemu">{{cite web|url=http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2011-04/msg00239.html|title=QEMU development mailing list}}</ref> on another computer.
The [[QEMU]] emulator can be used to run and debug Milkymist SoC binaries<ref name="qemu">{{cite web|url=http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/qemu-devel/2011-04/msg00239.html|title=QEMU development mailing list}}</ref> on another computer.

Revision as of 18:46, 22 April 2011

Milkymist One
ManufacturerSharism at Work Ltd.
TypeVideo synthesizer
Release dateDecember 27, 2010 (2010-12-27) (early developer kit)
Introductory price380 EUR (early developer kit)
Operating systemRTEMS, Linux
CPULatticeMico32 in a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA
Memory128MB DDR SDRAM
Storage32MB built-in NOR flash, memory card
DisplaySVGA up to 140MHz pixel clock (1280x1024)
InputUSB keyboard and mouse
CameraExternal (CVBS digitizer)
ConnectivityDMX512, MIDI, OpenSoundControl, AC97 audio, Ethernet, RC-5 infrared, USB, GPIO
Power5W
Dimensions150 x 125 x 30 mm

The Milkymist project is an informal organization of people and companies who develop, manufacture and sell a comprehensive open source solution for the live synthesis of interactive visual effects for VJs. The project goes great lengths to apply the open source principles at every level possible, and is best known for the Milkymist system-on-chip (SoC) which is among the first commercialized open source hardware system-on-chip designs written in a hardware description language.

As a result, several Milkymist technologies have been reused in applications unrelated to video synthesis. For example, NASA's Communication Navigation and Networking Reconfigurable Testbed (CoNNeCT) experiment uses the memory controller that was originally developed for the Milkymist system-on-chip and published under the GNU GPL.

The project was presented at several open source and hacker conferences such as the Chaos Communication Congress, FOSDEM and Libre Software Meeting. It was also featured on the Make Magazine blog and included in their "ultimate open source hardware gift guide 2010".

Milkymist SoC

The Milkymist system-on-chip uses the LatticeMico32 (LM32) core as a general purpose processor. It is a RISC 32-bit big endian CPU without a memory management unit (MMU). It is supported by the GCC compiler and can run RTEMS and uClinux.

The LM32 microprocessor is assisted by a texture mapping unit and a programmable floating point VLIW coprocessor which are used by the Flickernoise video synthesis software. It is also surrounded by various peripheral cores to support every I/O device of the Milkymist One. The system-on-chip interconnect uses three bridged buses and mixes the Wishbone protocol with two custom protocols used for configuration registers and high performance DMA with the SDRAM.

The architecture of the Milkymist system-on-chip is largely documented in the project founder's Master thesis report[1]. Most components of the system-on-chip, except the LatticeMico32 core, were custom developed and placed under the GNU GPL license.

The QEMU emulator can be used to run and debug Milkymist SoC binaries[2] on another computer.

Milkymist One

Flickernoise

References

  1. ^ Bourdeauducq, Sebastien (2010-06). "A performance-driven SoC architecture for video synthesis". KTH. Retrieved 2011-04-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "QEMU development mailing list".