"Guide to Programming the F8 Microprocessor"
Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corp.
Document #67095664
Copyright 1976


Introduction
------------

This manual explains how to write programs for the Fairchild F8 microprocessor 
system, and how these F8 programs cause a microprocessor system to function as 
a discrete logic replacement.

The Fairchild F8 family of logic devices consists of a Central Processing Unit 
and a number of complementary devices, manufactured using n-channel Isoplanar 
MOS technology. Components of the F8 family include the following devices:

     1) The 3850 Central Processing Unit (CPU) 
     2) The 3851 Program Storage Unit (PSU) 
     3) The 3852 Dynamic Memory Interface (DMI) 
     4) The 3853 Static Memory Interface (SMI) 
     5) The 3854 Direct Memory Access (DMA) 

Complete microprocessor based systems may vary in size and complexity from as 
little as two devices- the 3850 CPU and the 3851 PSU- to large systems 
incorporating the above five devices, plus any standard static and/or dynamic 
Random Access Memory (RAM) devices. The following are some general 
characteristics of this micro-processor device set:

     - 8-bit data organization 
     - 2 microsecond instruction cycle time 
     - Over 70 microprocessor instructions 
     - 64 general purpose registers in the CPU 
     - Binary and decimal arithmetic, and logic functions 
     - Up to 65,536 bytes of ROM and RAM, in any combination 
     - No need for special external interface devices 
     - Internal, programmable real time clocks 
     - Internal power on and reset logic 
     - Multi-level interrupt handling 
     - Clock and timing circuits


1.1 ASSUMED READER BACKGROUND
-----------------------------

This manual has been written for logic designers with little or no background 
in programming.

The reader is assumed to understand the following:

     1) Binary, octal, binary coded decimal and hexadecimal number systems
     2) Signed and unsigned binary arithmetic
     3) Boolean logic
     4) ASCII and EBCDIC character codes

For readers without the assumed background, a summary of this basic information 
is given in Appendix A.


1.2 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
----------------------------

The following manuals provide additional information on the F8 microprocessor:

     1)	F8 Circuit Data Book which provides electrical parameter data
        for all Fairchild F8 Microprocessor devices.

     2) F8 Timeshare Operating Systems Manual which ex-plains how to
        assemble and debug F8 Microprocessor programs on NCSS and GE
        Timeshare Networks.

     3) F8 Circuit Reference Manual which describes the interactive
        timing and signal sequences which occur between devices in
        the F8 Microprocessor family.

     4) F8S and F8SEM Users Manuals which describe how to assemble
        and debug microprocessor programs on the F8S and F8SEM
        hardware modules.

     5) F8 Formulator Users and Reference Manuals which describe how 
        to use and maintain Fairchild's F8 Formulator developmental hardware.