Western Design Center | 6502, 65816 Microprocessors, IC, IP and Boards

65xx - Embedded Intelligence Technology

Welcome, to The Western Design Center, Inc.'s (WDC) Technology Development website. WDC is the home of the 6502 and 65816 CMOS microprocessors. You are invited to learn more about us, our products and our support for your 65xx brand embedded microprocessor PCB, ASIC and/or FPGA product development.

"Legendary 65xx microprocessors keep on cranking!"

The legendary 6502/65816 microprocessors with both 8-bit and 8/16-bit ISA's keep cranking out the unit volumes in ASIC and standard microcontroller forms supplied by WDC and WDC's licensees. Annual volumes in the hundreds (100's) of millions of units keep adding in a significant way to the estimated shipped volumes of five (5) to ten (10) billion units. With 200MHz+ 8-bit W65C02S and 100MHz+ 8/16-bit W65C816S processors coming on line in ASIC and FPGA forms, we see these annual volumes continuing for a long, long time.

The 6502 is likely the only processor family that has remained loyal to its ISA over the last 45 years. In addition it has served the widest spectrum of electronic markets through those years. For example, it has served and in some cases created markets for the PC, video game, toy, communication, industrial control, automotive, life support embedded in the human body medical devices, outside the body medical systems, engineering education systems, hobby systems, and you name it electronic market segments. I might add the 6502 has served in a highly reliable and successful way!

As added food for thought, the 6502/65816 microprocessors protect millions of lives annually within embedded heart defibrillation and pacing systems. We are quite proud of what our customers and partners have created and continue to create with the 6502 Embedded Intelligence Technology for the benefit of mankind!

65xx - Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.

-Bill Mensch

"Simple elegance is a hallmark of the WDC CMOS 65xx brand technology."

The WDC 65xx system bus, as shown in the system block diagram below, is highly flexible and effective whether on PCB's with our Chips or on ASIC microcontrollers with our Cores. It is easy to use and is efficient for power, performance, and cost. The WDC 65xx synchronous control bus enables asynchronous processing events to be interfaced with a minimum of logic and therefore minimizes cost and performance delays.