Subject: RE: The Digital Network Appliance Reference Design
To: None <port-arm32@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Neil A. Carson <CARSON@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk>
List: port-arm32
Date: 04/10/1997 04:01:25
Hi,

> 	It sounds very much like a cross between the settop box that
> 	Online Media were trialing in the UK a while back and the
> 	ARM7500 development board from VLSI. The latter runs the
> 	stock NetBSD/arm32 port (IIRC).

No, it doesn't :-)
> 	
> 	I (like much of port-arm32) have what could be thought of as a 
> 	'big brother' of the DNA - a Risc PC from Acorn, Same CPU, two
> 	simm sockets, ATA drives etc...

In many ways, the RiscPC is seriously outdated in comparison to the
DNA. The bus is much much slower, the CPU slower (and older), the expansion
system much more primitive, ... The list goes on.

> 	The RiscPC also has a second CPU slot, that can take another ARM
> 	CPU or a Pentium - odd but useful :)

Indeed.

> 	Only problem with the DNA looks to be getting enough storage into
> 	it - a single Zip drive just doesn't cut it - but if that

Well, it's just an IDE interface.
> 	interface can take an ATA drive as well... 

> 	Looks like we've found a worthy successor to the Multia for the
> 	'cute small non intel unix box' title - the benchmarks for the
> 	SA110 CPU show it outperforming a P-Pro200 by a little.

*Floating point* :-) I don't think you'll see one of thse things
running OpenGL at the same speed as a Multia.

> 	(Though the current NetBSD code needs work wrt to cache flushing
> 	to get better performance)

Surprisingly, it's amazing just how much better a 66MHz mainbus helps this. 
That's not to say this isn't happening though.

>                 David/abs               abs@anim.dreamworks.com

> .---- I've been too drunk to love ----.-- I've been too drunk to remember -.
> |          too drunk to care          |    the hell of the night before    |
> |  looked like death, felt like hell  |   I've been drinking myself blind  |
> `------ been the worse for wear ------'-- and still I'll drink some more --'


> On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, Joe Broxson wrote:

> > I've been on the phone with digital trying to get details... Kinda got the
> > run around seems no one knows that it exists over there..  I know the
> > thread is off topic, but there is obviously some interest on this list...
> > If anyone get's pricing or eval unit info, I know many of us would LOVE to
> > know!
> > 


	Yours aye,

	Neil

--
* Neil A Carson
* The Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham
* e-mail carson@rmcs.cranfield.ac.uk
* Address: Kitchener Mess, RMCS, Shrivenham SN6 8LA. Tel: (0370) 593183