The 320xx or NS32000 is a series of microprocessors from National Semiconductor ("NS", "Natsemi"). They were likely the first 32-bit general-purpose microprocessors on the market, but due to a number of factors never managed to become a major player. The 320xx series was also used as the basis of the Swordfish series of microcontrollers. A microprocessor (sometimes abbreviated µP) is a digital electronic component with transistors on a single semiconductor integrated circuit (IC). ... Categories: Electronics companies of the United States | Companies based in California | Corporation stubs ... 32-bit is a term applied to processors, and computer architectures which manipulate the address and data in 32-bit chunks. ... The integrated circuit from an Intel 8742, a 8-bit microcontroller that includes a CPU running at 12 MHz, 128 bytes of RAM, 2048 byte of EPROM, and I/O in the same chip. ...

Beginnings: the 32016 and 32032

NS32016 Microprocessor

The first chip in the series was originally called 16032, later renamed 32016 to emphasize its 32-bit internals. It became available in the late 1970s, and may have been the first 32-bit chip to reach mass production and sale (at least according to National Semiconductor marketing). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (930x287, 19 KB) Description: National Semi NS32016 Microprocessor Source: http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (930x287, 19 KB) Description: National Semi NS32016 Microprocessor Source: http://www. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

The original 32016 had a 16-bit external databus, a 24-bit external address bus, and a full 32-bit instruction set. It also included a coprocessor interface which allows coprocessors such as FPUs and MMUs to be attached as peers to the main processor. In computer architecture, a bus is a subsystem that transfers data or power between computer components inside a computer or between computers. ... An address bus is (part of) a computer bus, used by CPUs or DMA-capable units for communicating the physical addresses of computer memory elements/locations that the requesting unit wants to access (read/write). ... An instruction set, or instruction set architecture (ISA), describes the aspects of a computer architecture visible to a programmer, including the native datatypes, instructions, registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt and exception handling, and external I/O (if any). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A floating point unit (FPU) is a part of a CPU specially designed to carry out operations on floating point numbers. ... MMU, short for memory management unit, is a class of computer hardware components responsible for handling memory accesses requested by the CPU. Among the functions of such devices are the translation of virtual addresses to physical addresses (i. ...

The instruction set was extremely complex but mostly regular, with a large set of addressing modes. It was somewhat similar in spirit to (but not compatible with) the popular DEC VAX minicomputer instruction set. The 32016 was also very similar to the Motorola 68000, which also used 32-bit internals with a 16-bit data bus and 24-bit address bus. Digital Equipment Corporation was a pioneering company in the American computer industry. ... VAX is a 32-bit computing architecture that supports an orthogonal instruction set (machine language) and virtual addressing (i. ... Minicomputer (colloquially, mini) is a largely obsolete term for a class of multi-user computers which make up the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems (traditionally, mainframe computers) and the smallest single-user systems (microcomputers or personal computers). ... The 68000 grew out of the MACSS (Motorola Advanced Computer System on Silicon) project, begun in 1976. ...

The 32032 was introduced in 1984. It was almost completely compatible, but featured a 32-bit data bus (although keeping the 24-bit address bus) for somewhat faster performance. There was also a 32008, which was a 32016 with a data bus cut down to 8-bits wide for low cost applications. It was philosophically similar to the MC68008, and equally unpopular. The Motorola 68008 is an 8/16/32-bit microprocessor made by Motorola from the early 1980s on. ...

National Semiconductor also produced related support chips like Floating Point Units (FPUs), Memory Management Units (MMUs), and Direct Memory Access (DMA) controllers. With the full set plus memory chips and peripherals, it was feasible to build a 32-bit computer system capable of supporting modern multi-tasking operating systems, something that had previously been possible only on expensive minicomputers and mainframes. A floating point unit (FPU) is a part of a CPU specially designed to carry out operations on floating point numbers. ... MMU, short for memory management unit, is a class of computer hardware components responsible for handling memory accesses requested by the CPU. Among the functions of such devices are the translation of virtual addresses to physical addresses (i. ... Direct memory access (DMA) allows certain hardware subsystems within a computer to access system memory for reading and/or writing independently of the CPU. Many hardware systems use DMA including disk drive controllers, graphics cards, network cards, and sound cards. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Both the 32016 and the 32032 were notoriously unreliable. They were, in fact, so unreliable that their manufacturer became informally known throughout the industry as "Nominal Semidestructor," a moniker which can hardly have helped sales of the later products in the 32000 family, whatver the other reasons for their market troubles. There was a somewhat better chance of getting them to work if a full batch of CPU, MMU, FPU, and DMA chips were purchased as a matched, tested set, from Natsemi. Nonetheless, reliability trouble made the early 320xx's fairly unpopular, and Natsemi were forced to sell them at much lower prices than the competing 68000 in order to sell any at all. This low price did at least make them somewhat popular with hobbyists wanting to build 32-bit computers on a very small budget.

The 32332, 32532, Swordfish & Others

During the 1980s, successor chips called the NS32332 and NS32532 arrived, maintaining a good degree of compatibility, with much improved reliability and performance. By then the damage to reputation had been done, however, and these chips were (probably unjustly) ignored by most of the market. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

In 1985, National Semi introduced the NS32332, which was a much improved version of the 32032. From the datasheet, the enhancements include "the addition of new dedicated addressing hardware (consisting of a high speed ALU, a barrel shifter and an address register), a very efficient increased (20 bytes) instruction prefetch queue, a new system/memory bus interface/protocol, increased efficiency slave processor protocol and finally enhancements of microcode." There was also a new NS32382 MMU, NS32381 FPU and the (very rare) NS32310 interface to a Weitek FPA. 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Weitek Corporation was a former chip-design company that originally concentrated on floating point units for a number of commercial CPU designs. ...

In the Spring of 1987, National Semi introduced the NS32532. Running at 20-, 25- & 30-MHz, the NS32532 was an improved NS32332 with an integrated MMU and improved memory performance. Interestingly, there wasn't a new FPU; the NS32532 used the existing NS323381. The NS32532 was the basis of one of the few fully realized "public domain" hardware projects (that is, resulting in an actual, useful machine running a real operating system, in this case Minix or NetBSD), the PC532. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the operating system in general. ... NetBSD is a freely redistributable, open source version of the Unix-like BSD computer operating system. ... The PC532 was a home-brew microcomputer design created by George Scolaro and Dave Rand in 1989-90, based around the National Semiconductor NS32532 microprocessor (a member of the NS320xx series). ...

The Swordfish was the semi-mythical NS32732 (sometimes called NS32764), originally envisioned as the high performance successor to the NS32532. This program never came to the market, but derivatives aimed at embedded systems arrived circa 1990 (along with versions of the older NS32000 line for low cost products such as the NS32GX32, NS32FV16, NS32FX161 and NS32FX164). These processors had some success in the laser printer and fax market, despite intense competition from AMD and Intel RISC chips. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This article is about the year. ... 1993 Apple LaserWriter Pro 630 laser printer A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. ... A Samsung fax machine. ... Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC), is a microprocessor CPU design philosophy that favors a smaller and simpler set of instructions that all take about the same amount of time to execute. ...

Datasheets exist for an NS32132, apparently designed for multiprocessor systems, but there is no evidence that the processor was ever produced.

http://www.sun.com/microelectronics/picoJava/pioneers/vol2/professor.html has an interesting perspective on why the later 32000 series processors failed from an insider.

Machines Using the NS32000 Series

An few example machines using NS32000-series CPUs:

• Acorn Business Computer (models 200 & 210) - NS32016 (with 6502 host)
• BBC Micro - NS32016 Second Processor[1]
• Whitechapel MG-1 - NS32016
• Whitechapel MG200 - NS32332
• Opus - NS16032 PC Add-On Board
• Sequent Balance - NS32016, NS32032 & NS32332 Multiprocessor
• Heurikon VME532 - NS32532 VME Card (with cache)
• PC532 - NS32532
• National Semiconductor ICM-3216 - NS32016
• National Semiconductor ICM-332-1 - NS32332 w/ NS32016 I/O processor
• National Semiconductor SYS32/20 - NS32016 PC Add-On Board w/ Unix
• Encore Multimax - NS32332 & NS32532 Multiprocessor
• Trinity College Workstation - NS32332
• Tektronix 6130 & 6250 Workstation - NS32016 & NS32032
• ETH Ceres Workstation - NS32532
• Siemens PC-MX2 - NS32016
• Siemens MX300 - NS32032
• Siemens MX500 - NS32332 (Sequent Boards)
• Compupro 32016 - NS32016 S-100 Card
• Symmetrics S/375 - NS32016
• General Robotics Corp. Python - NS32032 & N32016 Q-Bus Card

The Acorn Business Computer 210, also known as the Cambridge Workstation. ... The BBC Micro, affectionately known as the Beeb, was an early home computer. ... Sequent Computer Systems, or Sequent, was a computer company that designed and manufactured multiprocessing computer systems. ... The PC532 was a home-brew microcomputer design created by George Scolaro and Dave Rand in 1989-90, based around the National Semiconductor NS32532 microprocessor (a member of the NS320xx series). ... Categories: Electronics companies of the United States | Companies based in California | Corporation stubs ... Categories: Electronics companies of the United States | Companies based in California | Corporation stubs ... Categories: Electronics companies of the United States | Companies based in California | Corporation stubs ... Encore Computer was an early pioneer in the parallel computing market base in Marlboro MA. They offered a number of designs starting in 1985, they were never as well known as the other pioneers of this field, namely Pyramid, Alliant and Sequent. ... Siemens AG (FWB:SIE, NYSE: SI)is the worlds largest electronics company. ... The Q-bus (also known as the LSI-11 Bus) was one of several bus technologies used with PDP and MicroVAX computer systems manufactured by the Digital Equipment Corporation of Maynard, Massachusetts. ...

Similarly named non-NS processors

The use of some variation on the number thirty-two was the obvious naming scheme for any series of 32-bit microprocessors. This leads to a certain amount of confusion and totally unrelated processors with similar names. For example: 32 (thirty-two) is the natural number following 31 and preceding 33. ...

• There was the WE32xxx microprocessor series made by Western Electric. This chipset was used in the AT&T 3B2 series of minicomputers.
• A very widespread series of DSPs by Texas Instruments is the TMS320 line (starting with the TMS32010).

None of these are remotely related to the National Semiconductor NS32000 series. Western Electric (sometimes abbreviated WE and WECo) was a US electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995 . ... This article describes the present AT&T Inc. ... 3B is family of computer systems, produced by AT&T In the early to mid 1980s. ... Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN), better known in the electronics industry (and popularly) as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, USA, renowned for developing and commercializing semiconductor and computer technology. ... Texas Instruments TMS320 is a blanket name for a series of digital signal processors from Texas Instruments. ... Categories: Electronics companies of the United States | Companies based in California | Corporation stubs ...

External links

• 32016 co-processor

This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed under the GFDL. The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (FOLDOC) is an online, searchable encyclopedic dictionary of computing subjects. ... GNU logo (similar in appearance to a gnu) The GNU Free Documentation License (GNU FDL or simply GFDL) is a copyleft license for free content, designed by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) for the GNU project. ...