
New IoT dev kit runs Linux on dual-core, multithreading MIPS CPU - alexvoica
http://blog.imgtec.com/mips-processors/creator-ci40-dev-kit-puts-the-iot-in-a-box
======
alexvoica
You can check out the Kickstarter page for a full description of the hardware
specs and the open source software stack
[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/imgtec/creator-
ci40-the...](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/imgtec/creator-ci40-the-
ultimate-iot-in-a-box-dev-kit)

~~~
voltagex_
>The Creator Ci40 IoT dev kit is available exclusively from Kickstarter

Yet "Kickstarter is not a store".

I also question why a company as big as Imagination needs Kickstarter.

~~~
alexvoica
Three main reasons.

1) Going through resellers and distributors adds a signficant premium. By
using Kickstarter, we can sell the kit at a reduced price.

2) Kickstarter enables us to communicate directly to indie developers, makers
and other hackers and get their feedback on the product.

3) The funds will help us accelerate development for the open source software
stack.

Other companies have used crowdfunding to launch products recently, including
Canonical, Sony and - more recently - Pepsi.

~~~
pkaye
How much risk are "customers" taking when they buy it through Kickstarter? If
the product is never delivered, will they get their money back?

~~~
alexvoica
If funding is not achieved, then backers get the money back. If funding is
achieved, then it is up to the company to deliver the product as promised.

There have been some cases where the companies ran out of money before they
could deliver on all or any of their promises.

------
2bluesc
This brings flash backs to PowerVR "open source" drivers from their GPUs on
ARM application processors.

~~~
alexvoica
There is no PowerVR GPU on this SoC. Besides, we are working on that too.
[http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=power-
vr-...](http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=power-vr-open-
chatter)

~~~
random778
Why must there be a PowerVR GPU on for the product to cause a flashback?

~~~
alexvoica
I was not disagreeing with the statement, only quoting from the spec list.

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mschuster91
MIPS? Why? I mean, that prevents use of all the ARM-targeted stuff that has
been developed over years :(

~~~
voltagex_
Because the creator of the product has a financial interest in the success of
MIPS

~~~
analognoise
Bingo, these are the same toolbags that were crowing about letting students
see their magic sauce Verilog, which was license encumbered and definitely not
as good as other fully open architectures out there.

Don't fall for this crap, everyone.

~~~
alexvoica
Can you please define "not as good"? I'm trying to understand if you're
referring to the quality of the hardware or the software ecosystem - or both.

MIPSfpga is a product for universities and academic institutions. There are a
number of advantages of MIPSfpga over OpenRISC and RISC-V including:

1\. The MIPS architecture is better supported by university text books. It is
used as an example of a RISC architecture and an example of a CPU
microarchitectural implementation in Patterson & Hennessy and in Harris &
Harris

2\. MIPSfpga shares Verilog source code with MIPS microAptiv UP - a commercial
core that has many licensees including Microchip Technology and Samsung. The
university professors have an interest to teach students about a CPU widely
used by the industry, not a subset of an architecture, an old implementation
of the architecture or a CPU core created only for academic purposes and not
deployed by semiconductor companies.

3\. The MIPS architecture is backed by a significant software ecosystem that
includes a dozen of commercial RTOSes, official Linux support, compilers and
debuggers, open source software, etc.

The point of MIPSfpga is not to deliver the solution optimized for a specific
line of Xilinx FPGAs (like MicroBlaze) but to teach students general design
practices, applicable to both FPGAs and ASICs. The code in MIPSfpga is not
FPGA-specific. It uses Xilinx and Altera macros for memory in caches, but
generally this is the same code used to make an ASIC.

The main idea of using MIPSfpga is that the students can play with the CPU
core, create multicore systems, modify caches, etc. If they invent something
useful, they can attract venture investment, buy a commercial license for MIPS
microAptiv UP or MIPS M5150 and create their own ASIC design company.

Hope this helps.

~~~
analognoise
What student capable of creating licensable IP would be swayed by the
arguments listed for using a license encumbered architecture? None (or,
precisely zero).

You can take those two books and apply the basics to Risc-V, develop the same
IP, and pay zero - and it's already being used in ASICs as well. In fact it's
better if you've never been polluted by seeing the license encumbered works,
to prevent any claims about originality.

