Defunction act of MIPS in PIC32 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: martinribelotta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 02:13:31 pm
content: I was looking the microchip page and found this:https://www.microchip.com/en-us/products/microcontrollers-and-microprocessors/32-bit-mcus/pic32-32-bit-mcus/pic32cm-mcSpoiler: Is a new PIC32 with motor control engines but the particularity is the usage of cortex-m0+ as a core.In my view, this mark the defunction act of MIPS in next PIC32 versions...Of course, mchip is knowed as good supplier of very long term parts and I not expect any essitation of old PIC32 MIPS based parts, but I have doubts about new parts using MIPS cores, at least of mpchip side.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 02:31:10 pm
content: Microchip went with MIPS at a time when the rest of the industry was going with ARM, and many major customers wouldn't even listen to a sales pitch for any MCU not based on ARM. They appeared to want to be the only company using MIPS in its MCUs. Maybe that hasn't worked out too well for them.

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 03:30:05 pm
content: Microchip bought Atmel. These are renamed Atmel SAM.

author: martinribelotta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 03:56:40 pm
content: Quote from: NorthGuy on March 07, 2021, 03:30:05 pmIn quick review of PIC32MC series, this appear using the PIC32 IPCores. In other hand, the Atmel SAM (previos knowed as Atmel SAM by Atmel) maintain many of the originak atmel IPCores and are diferent product lines apart of PIC32

author: iMo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 04:08:52 pm
content: It looks to me they just moving the atmel's SAM series into a new "pic32MC" family. It does not indicate the "pic32MX/MZ" is going to be phased out..

author: NorthGuy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 04:30:30 pm
content: Quote from: martinribelotta on March 07, 2021, 03:56:40 pmDo you mean periphery? Compare the PIC32CM datasheet to PIC32MM. What exactly MM periphery do you see used in CM?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 05:35:41 pm
content: Quote from: imo on March 07, 2021, 04:08:52 pmYeah.Now the "recent" history of MIPS may also be a factor. See other threads about it.Still hard to tell what the future holds - I mean, at least 5 years from now. Things may once again change. Microchip may turn to RISC-V. Or not. ARM may lose significant market share and its attractivity too. I think we discussed ARM a while ago, and I don't think this scenario would be totally out of the question.

author: igendel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 08:10:55 pm
content: Quote from: imo on March 07, 2021, 04:08:52 pmDon't know if it's related, but reading this I remembered that this week's Microchip PCN included the following EOL announcement:https://www.microchip.com/product-change-notifications/Data/RMES-28YLFC770/RMES-28YLFC770_Affected_CPN_03022021.pdf

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 08:38:52 pm
content: Quote from: igendel on March 07, 2021, 08:10:55 pmIt seems this only relates to a -to me- very obscure kind of dual-row QFN package. Personally I wouldn't use such a package in a project because these kind of packages are not the easiest to solder (no room for excess tin to go anywhere so the amount of paste and stencil thickness is much more critical). Let alone that this particular package looks excessively difficult to route compared to regular QFN or BGA. All in all I wouldn't worry about the other packages becoming obsolete.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2021, 09:13:42 pm
content: Quote from: martinribelotta on March 07, 2021, 03:56:40 pmNot at all. It's a rebranded SAM. And one particularly uninteresting.What was it called originally, ATSAM E51?Also yes, phasing out the VTLA packaging. Really, who came up with that monstrousity?New (MIPS) PIC32 came out very recently with the updated PIC32MK that supposedly solve all the issues in the original (errata and architecture choices)too bad the PIC32MM is not being updated, nor the PIC32MX which are my goto for cheap USB or cheap CAN+USB but could use a refresh in prepiherals/capabilitiesWill be eager to see a PIC32RV or whatever they will call it.. or the dsPIC33A (32bit dsPIC)