FPGA VAX update - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

23 Oct 2005

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Subject: Re: FPGA VAX update
   From: William Donzelli <aw288 at osfn.org>
   Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2005 17:09:48 -0400 (EDT)
     To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org>

  I think fab a real chip would be a better idea --
but then how many 
 people want a vax?
 Ok, I don't . Looking at a different post the vax has large microcode, 
 so a FPGA that
 can have internal ram be configured as micro-code tables would be handy.  
Did all VAX machines have microcode?

William Donzelli
aw288 at osfn.org 
Far as I know, yes.  For the 7xx series absolutely.  There was limited rom
microcode to enable booting and diags but the bulk of it was loaded at boot.
Soft loaded microcode (ignoring emulated instructions) mostly disappeared
with the Microvax and later VAX on silicon.

Allison