Date   : Sun, 07 Aug 2005 08:30:44 +0100
From   : Sprow <info@...>
Subject: Re: 80186 co-pro

In article <E1E1WOh-0003wc-00@...>,
   Mark Usher <mu.list@...> wrote:
> Sounds like a good project for Sprow... how about an external Pentium
> co-pro. Enough Pentium I/II/III chips around for a pittance these days.

I thought about an x86 coprocessor about 5 years ago, though at the time I
planned to use a normal PC via its parallel port, since the rest of the
problem is "just software".

> Not to sure what it could be used for though, how about running BeebEm on a
> beeb :-)

I couldn't think of an immediate use for it either, hence not bothering.

Making one out of raw chips into a proper co-processor board is a bit more
tricky, though not impossible
 - modern x86's aren't actually much use on their own, you tend to need
   a northbridge to access memory for example (there are some embedded
   exceptions with integrated DRAM controller)
 - needing a small nuclear power station to power it, when internal to the
   Master it hangs off the Master's PSU

Cheers,
Sprow.