Processors

New TI Pin-Compatible Processors Integrate ARM, DSP, and Graphics

Texas Instruments (TI) has announced four new ARM-based processors under the Sitara and Integra brand names. These processors are part of a pin- and software-compatible family that offers optional DSP and graphics accelerators to address applications with a wide range of performance requirements. Two of the new processors are additions to the existing Sitara family, while two carry the new Integra brand name. The latest Sitara processors—the AM3892 and AM3894—feature an ARM Cortex-A8 core Read more...

TI Supports Floating-Point in New High-Performance DSPs

In early 2010, Texas Instruments (TI) announced a new multi-core DSP SoC architecture. This month, TI announced the first chips based on this architecture. This latest announcement includes details of TI’s new TMS320C66x (C66x) DSP processor core, which offers both state-of-the-art fixed-point performance and strong floating-point support. The multi-core architecture and C66x core underlie a family of new general-purpose DSPs, as well as two chips for wireless infrastructure applications, one Read more...

Analog Devices Lowers Entry Point for DSP-Enabled Processors

Analog Devices (ADI) has expanded its Blackfin family of DSP-centric embedded processors with a new low-cost family member, the ADSP-BF592. The processor delivers a respectable 800 MMACS (million multiply accumulate cycles per second) for around $3.  The trend is clear:  ever-tinier processors can take on demanding DSP applications in segments ranging from consumer electronics to medical to automotive. To enable its low price, ADI has trimmed the features of the BF592 compared to other Read more...

ARM Unveils High-End Cortex-A15 Core Targeting Applications beyond Handsets

In September, ARM announced its latest high-performance processor core–the long-rumored Cortex-A15, code-named Eagle.  The announcement contained few details, but did set out some aggressive performance targets, and also made it clear that ARM’s ambitions extend beyond hand-held devices to cellular base-stations, networking equipment, servers, and other performance-hungry infrastructure applications. One clue to ARM’s ambitions is the relatively short but significant list of new features Read more...

MimoOn Fields LTE Software for Multiple Processor Vendors

With the growth in mobile data traffic, there is increasing interest in fourth-generation (4G) cellular technologies, especially the Long Term Evolution (LTE) of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) – the successor to GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSxPA technologies.  LTE has gained a decided momentum advantage over WiMax and is expected to be the most important 4G technology.  BDTI recently spoke with mimoOn, a company headquartered in Duisburg, Germany that licenses LTE software for both Read more...

Texas Instruments’ Graphical Programming Tool Generates Prototyping Code

Texas Instruments (TI) recently introduced C6EZFlo, a graphical programming tool for its C6000 and DaVinci DSP families.  C6EZFlo is a prototyping tool to help users quickly develop initial software implementations of their applications.  In particular, C6EZFlo is designed to help programmers develop initialization, configuration, and framework code for their applications.  C6EZFlo generates C code and project files intended to be loaded into TI’s C language Code Composer Studio tool suite Read more...

ARM Introduces Cortex-M4 Core for Digital Signal Controllers

This spring, ARM added the Cortex-M4 digital signal controller (DSC) to its processor core line-up.  This product brings digital signal processing capabilities to ARM’s microcontroller core line (the Cortex-M family).  At the Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose in April, NXP demonstrated a prototype Cortex-M4-based chip running at approximately 150 MHz.  In June, Freescale announced its Kinetis line, also based on the Cortex-M4.  ST Micro and Texas Instruments have also announced their Read more...

Altera Announces Variable-Precision DSP Blocks in Stratix V FPGAs

Altera recently disclosed architecture details of its next generation Stratix V FPGA family.  The architecture features a variable-precision DSP block, designed to provide better resource utilization for algorithms requiring a variety of data widths.  Altera represents this approach via a variable precision “dial,” shown in Figure 1.  In addition to 18-bit by 18-bit (18×18) and 36×36 modes supported by previous blocks, the DSP block natively supports three 9×9 multiply operations or one 18×25 Read more...

Octasic Announces Video and Wireless Processor Chips

Octasic Semiconductor recently announced the OCT2200 family of multi-core DSP processors based on its Opus clockless (asynchronous) DSP core.  The OCT2224M is intended for media processing equipment including video conferencing systems, internet video streaming and transcoding, and video surveillance. The OCT2224W is designed for wireless applications, notably smaller basestations such as femtocell, picocell, and low power basestations.  According to Octasic, it can support GSM, EDGE, HSPA, Read more...

Freescale Takes on Texas Instruments with Multi-Core DSP Line

Freescale has announced a new high-performance DSP product line, the MSC825x, incorporating up to six StarCore SC3850 DSP cores at up to 1 GHz.  Unlike other high-performance DSPs introduced by Freescale in recent years—which were aimed almost exclusively at wireless infrastructure applications—the new chips target a range of performance-intensive applications, including medical, aerospace and defense, and test and measurement equipment.  This will put the new chips in direct competition with Read more...