Editing Motorola 68000 (section)

==68EC000==
[[File:KL Motorola 68EC000 PLCC.jpg|thumb|Motorola 68EC000 controller]]

The 68EC000 is a low-cost version of the 68000 with a slightly different pinout, designed for embedded controller applications. The 68EC000 can have either a [[8-bit computing|8-bit]] or [[16-bit computing|16-bit]] [[bus (computing)|data bus]], switchable at reset.<ref>{{cite web|last=Boys|first=Robert|url=http://www.faqs.org/faqs/motorola/68k-chips-faq/|title=M68k Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), comp.sys.m68k|date=January 6, 1996|access-date=May 3, 2010|archive-date=July 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716180641/http://www.faqs.org/faqs/motorola/68k-chips-faq/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The processors are available in a variety of speeds including 8 and 16&nbsp;[[MHz]] configurations, producing 2,100 and 4,376&nbsp;[[Dhrystone]]s each. These processors have no [[floating-point unit]], and it is difficult to implement an FPU [[coprocessor]] ([[Motorola 68881|MC68881/2]]) with one because the EC series lacks necessary coprocessor instructions.

The 68EC000 was used as a controller in many audio applications, including [[Ensoniq]] musical instruments and sound cards, where it was part of the [[Musical Instrument Digital Interface|MIDI]] synthesizer.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.advocacy/browse_thread/thread/4d6a98b6febc10dc Soundscape Elite Specs. from Fax Sheet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130110004/http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.advocacy/browse_thread/thread/4d6a98b6febc10dc |date=January 30, 2010 }}, Google Groups, April 25, 1995.</ref> On Ensoniq sound boards, the controller provided several advantages compared to competitors without a CPU on board. The processor allowed the board to be configured to perform various audio tasks, such as [[MPU-401]] MIDI synthesis or [[Roland MT-32|MT-32]] emulation, without the use of a [[terminate-and-stay-resident program]]. This improved software compatibility, lowered CPU usage, and eliminated host system memory usage.

The Motorola 68EC000 core was later used in the m68k-based [[Freescale DragonBall|DragonBall]] processors from Motorola/[[Freescale]].

It also was used as a sound controller in the [[Sega Saturn]] game console and as a controller for the [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] [[JetDirect]] [[Ethernet]] controller boards for the mid-1990s [[HP LaserJet]] printers.