iMX8M

I have done a quick bringup on iMX8M… a couple of days work.. time record for me I think! :)

RISC OS run natively , but I plan to do RISC OS/Genode hybrid some day.

Bench mark .. CPU is running in 1Ghz

Test Benchmark
Processor – Looped instructions (cache) 2002825 1126%
Memory – Multiple register transfer 17063 10532%
Rectangle Copy – Graphics acceleration test 343 141%
Icon Plotting – 16 colour sprite with mask 1 0% (what happened here?)
Draw Render – Render draw file 12301 1357%

Numbers are expected ,but draw file render is quite fast!

Nice. Shows that we haven’t hit peak AArch32 yet!

Nice to see that porting RISC OS is getting easier over time :-)

Nice. Shows that we haven’t hit peak AArch32 yet!

Unfortunately, the iMX8M did away with the most important feature of the iMX6 and the main reason to make an ARMX6 such a nice, balanced machine: S-ATA. As it stands, boards with the iMX8M are both slower and more expensive than the RPi 4. It performs more like a RPi 3.

The iMX8 (without the M!) still has S-ATA, but I am not aware of a dev board that is available.

I have done a quick bringup on iMX8M… a couple of days work.. time record for me I think! :)

A bit more practice and you should be down counting in hours :)

RISC OS run natively , but I plan to do RISC OS/Genode hybrid some day.

Now that’s one we’d all like to hear more news on(a genode based RO install), but I would prefer you spend the time working on it rather than telling us.

Now that’s one we’d all like to hear more news on(a genode based RO install), but I would prefer you spend the time working on it rather than telling us.

Yes sorry. The native port is a big step in the right direction, since Genode can run on the same hardware (or at least hacked in).

The iMX8M has a nice feature , MU (message unit) for inter cpu communication. It has dedicated registers and also possibility for shared ram. So the first thing I will do is to test that with 32bit binaries on a dedicated core. If I can make that work, launch RISC OS and setup a module that redirect swis to MU. If that works, starting to implement genode code as replacement for some swis. I know I talk a lot, but things needs to settle in my mind , and talking helps quite often.

Explaining things to others is often the best way to get things clear in one’s own head!

Feel free to explain your idea’s

Even if they perhaps fly over some of our heads :-)

I know I talk a lot,

I beg to differ, I suspect I could do a good job of putting you back in 3rd place (or lower).

but things needs to settle in my mind, and talking helps quite often.

Talk (write) away, there may be some small understanding out here that may help, and even if that doesn’t happen then you at least have organised your thoughts while explaining.

Does it work on this?
https://www.solid-run.com/fanless-computers/cubox/#cubox-m

(nota: no SATA, but eMMC)

That is an updated version of the iMx6 based Mimi.m which is nice for RISC OS, but it’s main advantage is the eSATA which is about 3x the speed of a USB attached drive on a Pi4. With both on USB it would be interesting to compare performance, the iMx8 is 1.8GHz out of the box, but the Pi4 can be easily over clock to 2.1GHz.

Who needs SATA in the age of nvme? Nvme is one of the things I like to do.

1.5GHz if it’s this.

Overclock ability for Rpi4 depends on board revision.

rev 1.1 runs stable at 2.147GHz with active cooling
rev 1.4 runs stable at 2.2GHz with active cooling, runs a bit hot at 2.4GHz

Rpi 400 uses newer CPU stepping so runs stable at 2.4GHz with passive cooling.

If/when the CM4 gets ability to boot direct from Nvme may make it easier to port to RISC OS.

Who needs SATA in the age of nvme? Nvme is one of the things I like to do.

Might struggle fitting a mvme in a cubox/mini.m form factor though, plus it runs hot enough with external storage.

Started on the hybrid system..
I can powerdown the 32bit core from itself and power it up again from Genode. Very useful.

:)

Just looked at my RISC OS Marks for the Mini.m which is an iMx6 at 1GHz, and the looped instructions are the same – I’d expect the iMx8 to be at least 50% more. The memory is about twice as fast, which good. Rectangle copy is the same as the mini.m without R-Comps video acceleration, which isn’t great.

ehm …

I can start RISC OS from Genode , but no use yet. Next step is inter-core communication.

So Message Unit is ON. I can send messages between the cores. Very fun!

You’ll be running multiple OS instances (one per core) and passing tasks round them in no time at all.

Very fun!

Absolutely. Could we be about to witness the first ever instance of multicore RISC OS?

Absolutely. Could we be about to witness the first ever instance of multicore RISC OS?

Not really. But there will be multicore SWI’s, but that isn’t the same as SMP in RISC OS. I think Jeffery is doing a great job in that area.

for those who can view twitter:

https://twitter.com/QtARM/status/1366512533855739905

and for those who can’t:

RISC OS (core 1) running debug output with Message Unit to Genode running on core 0

If one of the cores is running a network capable OS and you send the message to that core (and OS) can you relay it to a network hosted SysLog server?

If one of the cores is running a network capable OS and you send the message to that core (and OS) can you relay it to a network hosted SysLog server?

Yes should work. I cannot see any issue except for speed…