Date   : Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:57:04 +0100
From   : info@... (Sprow)
Subject: (no subject)

In article <86268.1786.qm@...>,
   Peter Craven <cjl_craves@...> wrote:
> What is the difference between 80186 and ARM7 coprocessors in terms of 
> memory, speed  and necessary programs?

They're probably not directly comparable since they're different processors,
a bit like saying an 123MHz ARM is (faster/slower) than a 456MHz Pentium.
Also, there's about 20 years between them in age.

80186: 2MHz Tube interface, 512kB RAM (3rd party upgrade to 1MB available),
       32kB EPROM, 10MHz CPU (CPU can be replaced and overclocked per John
       Kortink's description on this list)
ARM7:  2MHz Tube interface, 16MB RAM (also supports 32MB per details on
       this list, tracked for 64MB but not tested), 512kB flash ROM
       (external upgrade to 4MB), 64MHz CPU, 8kB on chip cache.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'necessary programs'. The 80186 boots into a
monitor program, but otherwise requires DR DOS to be loaded (or GEM) off
disc. The ARM boots into a Tube OS like the 6502 coprocessor does and runs
BASIC V by default from ROM.

Chalk and cheese,
Sprow.