Motorola 68000 microprocessor family

CPU » 68000 family

Previous Generation		Related Family	Next Generation
6800 » 8-bit microprocessor » Up to 2 MHz » 64 KB RAM » No I/O ports 40-pin DIP	68000 » 32-bit CPU » 16-bit data bus » Up to 20 MHz » 16 MB RAM » No I/O ports 64-pin DIP 68-pin LCC 68-pin PGA	68008 » 8-bit data bus » Up to 16.67 MHz » 4 MB RAM	68010 » 32-bit CPU » 16-bit data bus » Up to 16 MHz » 16 MB RAM » Virtual memory support » No I/O ports 64-pin DIP 68-pin PLCC 68-pin PGA

Motorola 68000 (MC68000) is the first member of 680x0 line of microprocessors. Internally the 68000 is a 32-bit microprocessor - it has 32-bit data and address registers. Externally the processor has 16-bit data bus and 24-bit address bus, which limits the size of addressable memory to 16 MB. Motorola also made 68008 - a version of 68000 CPU with 8-bit external data bus. In addition to basic HMOS 68000 and 68008 processors the following modifications were produced:

68HC000 - low-power HCMOS version of Motorola 68000
68HC001 - low-power HCMOS version with selectable 8/16 bit external data bus.
68EC000 - embedded version
68SEC000 - embedded version of Motorola 68000 with static core

The 68000 architecture was much more flexible than other CPU families (z80, 80x86, z80000, etc) from programming point of view as it could be easily expanded to support full 32-bit data and address buses. This was done in Motorola 68020 family.

HMOS 68000 processors were manufactured at speeds up to 16 MHz. HCMOS 68000 microprocessors are still manufactured at this time (May 2007) at speeds up to 20 MHz.

Computers

Apple Lisa 2, Apple Macintosh 128, Atari 520STfm and 1040STfm, Commodore Amiga 500 and 1000.

Die pictures:

Motorola MC68000L8

Manufacturers

Apple

Picture of: Apple 68000-8

8 MHz
64-pin side-brazed ceramic DIP

This 68000 microprocessor was not manufactured by Apple, but it was put into separate "Apple" category due to very unusual Apple copyright on the CPU. It's likely the CPU was manufactured by Hitachi as their 68000 processors have similar packaging and chip markings.

Hitachi

Picture of: Hitachi HD68000-6

6 MHz
64-pin side-brazed ceramic DIP

Mostek

Picture of: Mostek MK68000P-8B

8 MHz
64-pin plastic DIP

Motorola

Picture of: Motorola XC68000L (SN807)

64-pin side-brazed ceramic DIP

Very rare engineering sample of Motorola 68000 processor. First engineering samples of 68000 were marked with serial numbers. This specific chip was manufactured in October 1979 and has serial number 807.

Rockwell

Picture of: Rockwell R68000C8

8 MHz
64-pin side-brazed ceramic DIP

ST

Picture of: ST TS68000CP10

10 MHz
64-pin plastic DIP

Signetics

Picture of: Signetics SCN68000C4I64

4 MHz
64-pin side-brazed ceramic DIP

Thomson

Picture of: Thomson TS68000CFN16

16 MHz
68-lead plastic LCC

Toshiba

Picture of: Toshiba TMP68HC000P-10

Toshiba microprocessors from TLCS-68000 family were fully compatible with Motorola M68000 devices. Toshiba manufactured both NMOS and CMOS processors in a variety of packages, including DIP, shrink DIP, ceramic PGA, PLCC and plastic QFP. Toshiba also offered 68K-derived controllers, and a number of peripheral devices for the TLCS-68000 family.

Modifications