DSP + Microprocessor Platform delivers 1.5 GHz performance.
Press Release Summary:
Integra(TM) DSP + ARM® processors C6A8168 and C6A8167 integrate TMS320C674x floating- and fixed-point DSP and ARM Cortex(TM)-A8 processor on one chip along with several peripherals: PCIe Gen2, SATA 2.0, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and dual DDR2/DDR3 interfaces. While DSP is dedicated to handling intensive signal processing needs, complex math functions, and image processing algorithms, ARM is available for GUIs, network connectivity, system control, and application processing under multiple OSs.
Original Press Release:
Introducing Industry's Fastest Single-Core, Floating-Point DSP: New C6A816x Integra(TM) DSP + ARM® Processors from Texas Instruments Provide Extreme Integration and High-Performance
New platform of devices combines 1.5 GHz TI DSP and 1.5 GHz ARM cores enabling precision, control and system cost savings for machine vision, test and measurement and tracking and control applications
DALLAS -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) builds upon the success of its existing digital signal processor (DSP) + ARM® product offerings by introducing the C6A816x Integra(TM) DSP + ARM generation of processors. The C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM processors offer the industry's fastest single-core floating- and fixed-point DSP performance with performance up to 1.5 GHz and also integrates the industry's fastest single-core ARM Cortex(TM)-A8 core with performance up to 1.5 GHz. The combined Integra DSP + ARM architecture is ideal because the DSP is dedicated to handle intensive signal processing needs, complex math functions and image processing algorithms, while the ARM is available for graphical user interfaces (GUIs), network connectivity, system control and application processing under multiple operating systems. These operating systems include Linux, Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Compact 7 and Android. The C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM processors also integrate numerous high bandwidth peripherals that lower system cost and improve system performance, making them perfect for applications such as machine vision, test and measurement and tracking and control.
Extreme integration for performance, connectivity and cost efficiencies
The two new devices in the C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM generation are the C6A8168 and C6A8167 processors. These processors integrate a TMS320C674x floating- and fixed-point DSP and an ARM Cortex(TM)-A8 processor on a single chip, along with several high-bandwidth peripherals, optimized for a broad array of applications. These peripherals include PCIExpress Gen2, SATA 2.0, dual Gigabit Ethernet and dual DDR2/DDR3 interfaces that offer various network connectivity selections and storage options and provide quick transmission of data on and off of the chip. This integration allows customers to dramatically improve performance and can reduce bill of materials (BOM) costs by as much as 50 percent through reduced chip count, including discrete memory costs, and printed circuit board (PCB) space.
Advanced display capabilities and 3D graphics
The C6A8168 and C6A8167 Integra DSP + ARM processors are equipped with an on-chip display engine allowing for output of two different streams of content for dual, simultaneous high-resolution displays. This is important in applications such as high-end machine vision systems where one display presents a touch screen keyboard and the other display shows machine performance and vision analysis output. The C6A8168 Integra DSP + ARM processor specifically integrates a 3D graphics accelerator to enable a more complex, richer GUI experience. Both processors are perfect for applications requiring a seamless graphical, dual-screen experience from a single highly integrated processor.
Highly scalable platform protects software investments and expands market opportunities
TI provides its customers with a wide range of devices - from low-power to high-performance options - including Integra(TM) DSP + ARM processors, Sitara(TM) ARM MPUs (new devices also announced today) and DaVinci(TM) digital media processors. Using these compatible offerings from TI, customers can rapidly develop multiple products with an array of features to address diverse markets, while reusing their investments in software across all the products. These new compatible Integra DSP + ARM and Sitara ARM MPU devices share the same peripheral memory maps, bus architecture and ARM Cortex-A8 core, allowing for increased functionality and product robustness while protecting investments and allowing for faster time to market. Additionally, with a broad portfolio of software compatible devices, customers can migrate within the Integra DSP + ARM product line from earlier ARM9(TM)-based low-power OMAP-L13x DSP + ARM processors and scale to the C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM processors and to future compatible devices.
Evaluate in minutes; begin development in less than an hour
Both the new the Integra DSP + ARM processors and Sitara ARM MPUs are supported by a comprehensive hardware evaluation module (EVM) and a single, free TI EZ Software Development Kit (EZ SDK), allowing customers to evaluate their devices in minutes and begin development in less than an hour. The Integra DSP + ARM processors and Sitara ARM MPUs also share a common development environment, containing TI's Code Composer Studio(TM) Integrated Development Environment that supports all TI embedded processors. This minimizes the learning curve to accelerate time to market and reduce development costs. Additionally, for ARM programmers who want to take advantage of the DSP performance in the Integra DSP + ARM processors, the TI EZ SDK contains tools to make DSP programming easy. TI's C6EZRun for code porting enables developers to easily run ARM code on a DSP without changing their ARM application code, and the TI C6EZAccel provides a library of hundreds of DSP-optimized signal processing algorithms with ARM APIs to accelerate development time.
C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM processors features and benefits
Feature Customer benefit
Performance: Highest performing In the combined DSP + ARM Integra
floating- and fixed-point DSP in devices, the DSP enables
the market with up to 1.5 GHz math-intensive algorithms and the
performance (TMS320C674x), combined ability to run numerically-precise
with the highest-performing ARM applications by offering floating-
Cortex-A8 at up to 1.5 GHz on a and fixed-point operations,
single chip including single- and double-
precision floating point, which
allow for accelerated time to
market, easier development, as well
as reduced research and development
to port algorithms. The ARM Cortex-
A8 on-chip is available for high-
level system control, network
connectivity and operating system
support to enable application
processing.
Core integration: Integrated DSP Saves board space, manufacturing
+ ARM cores suited for products costs (as much as 50 percent) and
requiring intensive signal discrete memory costs and allows for
processing,comprehensive system faster performance due to the
control, a responsive GUI and the high-speed interconnect between
ability to run applications under two cores
operating systems such as Linux,
Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact
7 and Android
Peripheral integration: Large set Provides seamless integration of
of peripheral options, including a high performance network
two-lane PCIExpress Gen2, two USB connectivity options and peripherals
2.0 ports, HDMI TX, SATA 2.0 into a single chip, while
interfaces for up to two external simplifying the sourcing
drives, two 32-bit DDR2/DDR3 external process by using one supplier
memory interfaces at up to 1.6 GHz, and reducing development
two Gigabit Ethernet MACs (GEMAC) time and cost.
and two-channel video I/O -- PCIe enables high-speed
connection to computer backplanes
and FPGAs
-- Gigabit Ethernet Mac (GEMAC) and
USB 2.0 enable customers to add
connectivity to new designs
-- SATA allows high speed
connectivity to mass storage
-- DDR3 provides larger memory
bandwidth, improving
multiprogramming and overall
system responsiveness and
performance
Advanced display capabilities and Enables 3D graphics for more complex
3D graphics: Supports up to two GUIs and facilitates a seamless
high-quality displays at up to 1920 graphical multi-screen experience
x 1280 resolution with an SGX530 with a single highly integrated
graphics accelerator up to 333 MHz processor
(C6A8168 only) to render 3D graphics
Software: TI's EZ Software A free software package allows easy
Development Kit supporting C6A816x evaluation of device (out-of-box
Integra DSP + ARM processors and experience) within minutes
compatible AM389x Sitara ARM MPUs. and development in less than
The kit also contains the TI C6EZRun an hour. It also allows easy
and TI C6EZAccel tools. development with a single
installation that includes:
development software and example
code required to start development,
TI C6EZ tools to ease DSP
programming, operating systems,
drivers for peripherals,
connectivity and display, touch
screen graphical application
launcher, graphic development kit,
example graphics and starter code.
Tools, pricing and availability
Development is made easy, and evaluation can begin in minutes with TI's comprehensive evaluation module (EVM) and the free TI EZ SDK available on ti.com. Designers can begin development on the DDR2 version (TMDXEVM8168DDR2) today for $1,895. A DDR3 version with video capture capability is expected to begin shipping in 1Q2011. Available for download, the new TI EZ SDK includes ARM and DSP source code and hundreds of ready-to-use DSP kernels, in a single package with only one installation. The SDK supports Linux today, and Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact 7 and Android support is planned for 1Q2011.
The C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM processors are sampling today. Production pricing starts at $46 per 1,000 units (1ku) for the C6A8167 Integra DSP+ ARM processor and $49 per 1ku for the C6A8168 Integra DSP + ARM processor. The high-performance AM389x Sitara ARM MPUs are pin-to-pin compatible with C6A816x Integra DSP + ARM processors and are also available for order today.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through design, sales and manufacturing operations in more than 30 countries. For more information, go to www.ti.com.
Trademarks
Integra, Sitara and DaVinci are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.
