compilers for Fujitsu 16b uCs?

Hi - I've recently identified some of Fujitsu's 16b microcontrollers,
such as the MB90387
(http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/edevices/microelectronics/microcontrollers/datalib/16bit/mb903851.html)
as being a good match for a board I'm thinking about redesigning. My
attraction to it is that it is 16b (while the uC I'm currently using,
an Atmel ATMEGA168, is 8b), has built in CAN (while I'm using an
external CAN controller), and is in a very small leaded package (LQFP
48, 9x9mm).

What I'm not sure about is availability of these chips in the USA (I so
far have yet to find a distributor that carries the MB90387), and the
compiler selection. What compilers exist for these chips? Are there any
free ones? I have been very happy with AVR-GCC.

Thanks!

-Mike

Mike Noone wrote:

> What I'm not sure about is availability of these chips in the USA (I so
> far have yet to find a distributor that carries the MB90387), 

I suspect that's because you started looking at the wrong end of the 
supply chain.  These controllers are mainly for automotive usage (thus 
the built-in CAN), i.e. for customers who would usually buy wholesale 
directly from Fuji.  You'll want to start by asking Fuji for a 
distributor, rather than ask distributors if they carry Fuji.

 > and the compiler selection. What compilers exist for these chips?

Fuji offers their own compiler (effectively for free) including a 
reasonably usable IDE.

Mike Noone wrote:
> Hi - I've recently identified some of Fujitsu's 16b microcontrollers,
> such as the MB90387

Danger, Will Robinson! My experience with Japanese micros has been
universally bad; documentation, tools, support. I suspect you won't be
able to buy them at all unless you can guarantee minimum volumes of
100-250K per year, anyway.

Have you considered one of the CAN-bearing ARMs from Philips?

And if 16bitness is not mandatory, what about the AVRs with CAN?

larwe wrote:
> Mike Noone wrote:
> > Hi - I've recently identified some of Fujitsu's 16b microcontrollers,
> > such as the MB90387
>
> Danger, Will Robinson! My experience with Japanese micros has been
> universally bad; documentation, tools, support. I suspect you won't be
> able to buy them at all unless you can guarantee minimum volumes of
> 100-250K per year, anyway.
>
> Have you considered one of the CAN-bearing ARMs from Philips?
>
> And if 16bitness is not mandatory, what about the AVRs with CAN?

I have heard this about Japanese semi manufacturers as well.

8b is probably OK. I would like to have a little more horsepower on
this board - but it is not absolutely necessary. I was looking at the
Philips LPC2129 earlier today - looks good except I wish it had more
ADC channels. That would probably be the easiest route as Philips has
good distribution stateside, as well as a wide array of supporting
tools.

The CAN AVRs are not in workable packages for me. They're either in
9x9mm QFN packages which don't allow traces to be routed underneath
them, or in 14x14mm TQFP packages which are about as wide as the board
that the chip is destined for. I would love to stick with AVRs - but
they just don't have any that fit my needs.

Is Renesas the same way? The R8C/23
(http://www.renesas.com/fmwk.jsp?cnt=r8c23_root.jsp&fp=/products/mpumcu/m16c_family/r8c_tiny_series/r8c23_group/)
looks like a good fit, but it's been "under development" for quite some
time now, so I'm unsure if it will ever even be available.

Thanks,

-Mike

I think there's also some PIC24 (Microchip 16 bits) with CAN.. 

Mike Noone (nleahcim@gmail.com) wrote at Saturday 02. December 2006 22:25 in
comp.arch.embedded:

> Hi - I've recently identified some of Fujitsu's 16b microcontrollers,
> such as the MB90387
> (http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/edevices/microelectronics
microcontrollers/datalib/16bit/mb903851.html)
> as being a good match for a board I'm thinking about redesigning. My
> attraction to it is that it is 16b (while the uC I'm currently using,
> an Atmel ATMEGA168, is 8b), has built in CAN (while I'm using an
> external CAN controller), and is in a very small leaded package (LQFP
> 48, 9x9mm).
> 
> What I'm not sure about is availability of these chips in the USA (I so
> far have yet to find a distributor that carries the MB90387), and the
> compiler selection. What compilers exist for these chips? Are there any
> free ones? I have been very happy with AVR-GCC.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> -Mike

I'm using this controller family MB90Fxxx quit a lot for more than 5 yeras
now. Here in Germany they are readily available (thru GLYN i.e.)
It is a nice architecure and the whole family is code compatible, just
different I/O and memory resources.
Fujitsu has a good C compiler (Softune) that you can just for the asking.


-- 
Reinhardt Behm, Bodenheim, Germany, reinhardt.behm@t-online.de