A tiny Open POWER ISA softcore written in VHDL 2008
You cannot select more than 25 topics Topics must start with a letter or number, can include dashes ('-') and can be up to 35 characters long.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Go to file
Anton Blanchard c18830a5e5 Add an option to use Docker
Some distros don't have a version of ghdl with the  LLVM or GCC backend,
so add a Docker image as an alternative.

Signed-off-by: Anton Blanchard <anton@linux.ibm.com>
5 years ago
fpga Add a few FFs on the RX input to avoid metastability issues 5 years ago
hello_world hello_world updates 5 years ago
media
micropython Update micropython 5 years ago
scripts Improve dependencies.py and add a --synth option 5 years ago
sim-unisim
tests Dump CTR, LR and CR on sim termination, and update our tests 5 years ago
.gitignore
.travis.yml
LICENSE
Makefile Add an option to use Docker 5 years ago
README.md
cache_ram.vhdl
common.vhdl Fix a ghdlsynth issue in fast_spr_num 5 years ago
control.vhdl
core.vhdl Fix a ghdlsynth issue in icache 5 years ago
core_debug.vhdl
core_tb.vhdl Reduce simulated and default FPGA RAM to 384kB 5 years ago
countzero.vhdl
countzero_tb.vhdl
cr_file.vhdl Dump CTR, LR and CR on sim termination, and update our tests 5 years ago
cr_hazard.vhdl
crhelpers.vhdl
dcache.vhdl
dcache_tb.vhdl
decode1.vhdl
decode2.vhdl
decode_types.vhdl
divider.vhdl Remove unused signal 5 years ago
divider_tb.vhdl
dmi_dtm_dummy.vhdl
dmi_dtm_tb.vhdl
dmi_dtm_xilinx.vhdl
execute1.vhdl Fix a ghdysynth inferred latch error in execute 5 years ago
fetch1.vhdl
fetch2.vhdl
glibc_random.vhdl
glibc_random_helpers.vhdl
gpr_hazard.vhdl
helpers.vhdl
icache.vhdl Fix a ghdlsynth issue in icache 5 years ago
icache_tb.vhdl
icache_test.bin
insn_helpers.vhdl
loadstore1.vhdl
logical.vhdl
microwatt.core
multiply.vhdl
multiply_tb.vhdl
plru.vhdl
plru_tb.vhdl
ppc_fx_insns.vhdl
register_file.vhdl Fix ghdlsynth issue in register file 5 years ago
rotator.vhdl
rotator_tb.vhdl
sim_bram.vhdl
sim_bram_helpers.vhdl
sim_bram_helpers_c.c
sim_console.vhdl
sim_console_c.c
sim_jtag.vhdl
sim_jtag_socket.vhdl
sim_jtag_socket_c.c
sim_uart.vhdl
soc.vhdl Removed unused core_terminated signal 5 years ago
utils.vhdl Add log2ceil and use it in bram code 5 years ago
wishbone_arbiter.vhdl
wishbone_bram_tb.bin
wishbone_bram_tb.vhdl
wishbone_bram_wrapper.vhdl Add log2ceil and use it in bram code 5 years ago
wishbone_debug_master.vhdl
wishbone_types.vhdl
writeback.vhdl Fix a ghdysynth inferred latch error in writeback 5 years ago

README.md

Microwatt

Microwatt

A tiny Open POWER ISA softcore written in VHDL 2008. It aims to be simple and easy to understand.

Simulation using ghdl

MicroPython running on Microwatt

You can try out Microwatt/Micropython without hardware by using the ghdl simulator. If you want to build directly for a hardware target board, see below.

  • Build micropython. If you aren't building on a ppc64le box you will need a cross compiler. If it isn't available on your distro grab the powerpc64le-power8 toolchain from https://toolchains.bootlin.com
git clone https://github.com/micropython/micropython.git
cd micropython
cd ports/powerpc
make -j$(nproc)
cd ../../../
  • Microwatt uses ghdl for simulation. Either install this from your distro or build it. Next build microwatt:
git clone https://github.com/antonblanchard/microwatt
cd microwatt
make
  • Link in the micropython image:
ln -s ../micropython/ports/powerpc/build/firmware.bin main_ram.bin
  • Now run microwatt, sending debug output to /dev/null:
./core_tb > /dev/null

Synthesis on Xilinx FPGAs using Vivado

  • Install Vivado (I'm using the free 2019.1 webpack edition).

  • Setup Vivado paths:

source /opt/Xilinx/Vivado/2019.1/settings64.sh
  • Install FuseSoC:
pip3 install --user -U fusesoc

Fedora users can get FuseSoC package via

sudo dnf copr enable sharkcz/danny
sudo dnf install fusesoc
  • Create a working directory and point FuseSoC at microwatt:
mkdir microwatt-fusesoc
cd microwatt-fusesoc
fusesoc library add microwatt /path/to/microwatt/
  • Build using FuseSoC. For hello world (Replace nexys_video with your FPGA board such as --target=arty_a7-100):
fusesoc run --target=nexys_video microwatt --memory_size=8192 --ram_init_file=/path/to/microwatt/fpga/hello_world.hex

You should then be able to see output via the serial port of the board (/dev/ttyUSB1, 115200 for example assuming standard clock speeds). There is a know bug where initial output may not be sent - try the reset (not programming button on your board if you don't see anything.

  • To build micropython (currently requires 1MB of BRAM eg an Artix-7 A200):
fusesoc run --target=nexys_video microwatt

Testing

  • A simple test suite containing random execution test cases and a couple of micropython test cases can be run with:
make -j$(nproc) check

Issues

This is functional, but very simple. We still have quite a lot to do:

  • There are a few instructions still to be implemented
  • Need to add caches and bypassing (in progress)
  • Need to add supervisor state (in progress)