F68hc11fn???

[R10]

I have a dedicated computer with a F68HC11FN V 3.3, But i Know that there are a version of the same computer with a F68HC11FN V 3.5.
Can i change the V3.3 for the V3.5, are they compatibles?

[RMDumse]

V3.3 and V3.5 are compatible in many ways, but they are not perfectly compatible. V3.3 is based on an A8 processor, and V3.5 is based on a E9 processor. So for starters, the ROM in the A8 starts at $E000 where the larger E9 ROM starts at $D000.

Also, the E9 processor has some additional timing features, so one pin that used to be an output comes up as an input, so a different initialization may be needed.

Entry points in the language are preserved, but the V3.5 has many improvements, including floating point support.

So, if you don't have an existing program, yes, the V3.5 will drop right in.

If you have an existing program, the V3.5 may drop in, but may have some conflicts with where the program is installed.

If youve got source code and can recompile the existing program, very minor edits will make it fully compatible.

[R10]

Many thanks for the answer.
The compueter have an eeprom with the program for the F68hc11fn, and there are a new eeprom that works with the V3.5.

If i change the eeprom and the F68hc11fn V3.3 for a V3.5, the computer would work fine?

[nmitech]

If i change the eeprom and the F68hc11fn V3.3 for a V3.5, the computer would work fine?

Depends, you may not have to change anything at all if your existing eeprom memory configuration is not overlaped with address from 0xD000-0xDFFF and your application program does not use PA3. If PA3 is used, you just need a single line to switch to V3.5
Here are the differences on V3.3 and V3.5

V3.3 is a custom MC68HC11A8 MPU with Max-FORTH V3.3 embedded in ROM. Technical data of the HC11A8 processor can download here,
http://e-www.motorola.com/files/microcontrollers/doc/data_sheet/MC68HC11A8.pdf

V3.5 is a custom MC68HC11E9 MPU with Max-FORTH V3.5 embedded in ROM. Technical data of the HC11E9 processor can download here,
http://e-www.motorola.com/files/microcontrollers/doc/data_sheet/M68HC11E.pdf

V3.3 has 8K Rom, E000-FFFF where Max-Forth is resided

V3.5 has 12K Rom, D000-FFFF where Max-Forth + Floating Point are resided

V3.3 has 256 byte of SRAM
V3.5 has 512 byte of SRAM

PA3 on V3.3 is Output only
PA3 on V3.5 is bidirectional. Data direction for PA3, PACTL register, $B026 bit 3.

For your convinience, the memory map of Max-FORTH V3.3 & V3.5 can download here,

http://www.newmicros.com/FORTH/HC11/MEMMAP33.TXT

http://www.newmicros.com/FORTH/HC11/MEMMAP35.TXT

[Han-earl]

Given that the processor on the NMIN-0021A is a MC68HC11E9, am I correct in thinking that the following blurb from the newmicros website is outdated?

"It is important to remember, the resources of the NMIN-0021A are limited. The Terminal Input Buffer is limited to 16 character capability (A8 version)."

I assume that the E9's 512bytes of RAM would allow the TIB size to be greater.

Am I also correct in thinking that, other than the size and physical construction, the NMIN-0021A and NMIN-0121 are more or less identical?

Thanks.

[nmitech]

"It is important to remember, the resources of the NMIN-0021A are limited. The Terminal Input Buffer is limited to 16 character capability (A8 version). I assume that the E9's 512bytes of RAM would allow the TIB size to be greater."

>> The Drop Point and NMIN-0021A boards come with Max-FORTH V3.5 (E9), not V3.3 (A8). The TIB buffer on V3.5 is limited to 80 characters.

"Am I also correct in thinking that, other than the size and physical construction, the NMIN-0021A and NMIN-0121 are more or less identical?"

>> They are slightly different in size and physical pinout locations, and the latest modified version of NMIN-0021A has the DB9 serial connector instead of DB25 connector.