I am looking for some comparision between hardware and software MAC. I understand that that while some chipsets implement MAC totally in h/w some do the same in s/w. The normal argument given is that h/w costs less power.
Is there any study/paper which details out the design choices, one makes especially with respect to low power, for MAC implementation.
Thanks
-ashutosh
I don't know if a hardware MAC necessarily uses less power -- certainly a one-clock hardware MAC, such as you find in general-purpose DSP chips doesn't.
I guess a lot of it depends on how your putative hardware MAC is designed, vs. how your instruction set is arranged.
Stupident takes the datasheet and reads.
BTW, MAC is also Media Access Controller. Depending on particilar realization, it can have more or less functionality implemented in hardware.
Just dying from boredom, are you, Tim?
VLV
So bored I forgot the other meaning of MAC?
It's these newsgroup postings before breakfast that I should avoid -- they're either wrong or I go flying off the handle or both...
y s
Thanks Tim and Vladimir. I meant medica access controller. I dont think datasheets can give a clear idea about power consumption of MAC esp hardware MAC. For example take Wi-Fi chispet where the MAC layer is implemented in h/w, The current consumption of the MAC-block is not reported seperately, to the best of my knowledge.
MAC power consumption is negligible compared to PHY consumption. PHY drains a LOT of power, especially in WiFi. For that matter, MAC power can be ignored.
Vladimir Vassilevsky DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant
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