Propeller Multicore Concept
The Propeller family of microcontrollers are designed to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, without the need for interrupts or the dictates of an onboard operating system.
The Propeller 1 (P8x32A) has been in production since 2006, while the Propeller 2 (P2X8C4M64P) is a 2020 release.
P1 and P2 Hub RAM Interfaces
The Propeller microcontrollers’ eight processing cogs (cores) each operate independently or cooperatively, communicating through shared resources at-will. Each cog has direct access to its internal memory and shares equal access to all I/O pins and system resources. This nimble design affords flexible processing power and easy adaption to numerous uses, freeing developers from task-specific ICs while reducing part counts and design-to-production time.
Processing is swiftly performed in isolation within individual cogs. Shared resources are accessed through a time-sharing “Hub” mechanism, conceptually demonstrated by these animations. See the table below them for a feature comparison.
Propeller Microcontroller Feature Comparisons
| Feature/Specification | Propeller 1 (P8X32A) | Propeller 2 (P2X8C4M64P) |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 3.3 V | 1.8 V Core, 3.3 V I/O |
| Internal Oscillator | ~12 MHz or ~20 kHz | 20+ MHz or ~20 kHz |
| Nominal System Speed | 80 MHz | 180 MHz @105 °C |
| Cogs (cores) | 8 | 8 |
| Internal Execution Speed | 0 to 160 MIPS (20 MIPS/cog) | 0 to 720 MIPS (90 MIPS/cog) |
| Hub Access Speed | 20 MB/s/cog @ 80 MHz | 720 MB/s/cog @ 180 MHz (using FIFO) |
| Main RAM | 32 KB | 512 KB |
| Cog RAM | 512 longs | 512 longs Cog RAM + 512 longs Lookup RAM |
| Inter-Cog Communication | Main RAM or External I/O | Main RAM, Lookup RAM, Attention Signal, or External I/O |
| I/O Pins | 32 | 64 |
| I/O Type | Digital | Digital and analog with smart circuits |
| Assembly Instructions | 79 | 358 |
| Languages | Spin, PASM, BASIC, C/C++, Blockly | Spin2, PASM2, MicroPython, Forth, BASIC, C/C++ |
