Other SMS300/8X300/8X305 uses?

[Brent Hilpert]

On 2016-Nov-29, at 1:10 PM, Paul Berger wrote:
> On 2016-11-29 5:00 PM, Eric Smith wrote:
>> On Tue, Nov 29, 2016 at 12:11 PM, Brent Hilpert <hilpert at cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
>> 
>>>  is the 8X300 the 'unusual', proto-DSP device discussed in a chapter of
>>> the Osborne book?
>>> 
>> I don't know whether Osborne described it that way, but since the 8X300 and
>> 8X305 don't have a multiplier, only support 8-bit addition, and can only
>> address 512 bytes of data address space, they wouldn't make very good DSP
>> processors.  However, since all instructions execute in 250 ns, they'd be
>> able to perform some DSP operations faster than contemporary 8-bit
>> microprocessors, which usually took at least 2 us for the simplest
>> instructions, and even longer for fancier instructions.
> 
> I just went and got my Osborne book...
> 
> " The 8X300 is described by its manufacturer as a "microcontroller" rather than a "microprocessor".  This distinction draws attention to the unique capabilities of the 8X300 which make it the most remarkable device described in this book"
> 
> "The 8X300 is designed to serve as a signal processor or logic controller, operating at very high speed."

Those are the statements I was recalling the sentiment of.
I used the phrase proto-DSP in the sense of not-quite a DSP but directed towards high data/IO throughput, or precursor to DSPs.

I remember the device from going through the Osborne book, and had wondered where it might have been actually used, thinking of medical or mil/avionics, so it's interesting to hear in this thread it found use in more commonplace/accessible products.