Last month Motorola introduced the MC56F83xx family of control-oriented DSPs. The MC56F83xx is the second processor family based on the 56800E core. It succeeds the DSP56F8xx, which uses the older, slightly less efficient 56800 core. All six members of the MC56F83xx family operate at an instruction cycle rate of 60 MHz, making them about 50% faster than the DSP56F8xx. (The DSP56F8xx operates at clock rates of up to 80 MHz, but requires two clock cycles per instruction.) In addition, the MC56F83xx contains up to 256 Kbytes of on-chip flash memory, roughly double the amount available on the DSP56F8xx. Last but not least, the MC56F83xx adds a number of peripherals, such as an on-chip temperature sensor.
While the MC56F83xx is much faster than its predecessor, it is quite slow compared to most mainstream DSPs. For example, an analysis of BDTImark2000™ scores shows that a 160 MHz Texas Instruments ’C54x is roughly three times faster than a 60 MHz MC56F83xx. (BDTImark2000™ scores for these and other processors are available at http://www.BDTI.com/Resources/BenchmarkResults/BDTImark2000.) However, the MC56F83xx targets automotive and industrial applications that require only modest signal processing speed. In automotive applications in particular, cost-effectiveness and reliability are often more important than high signal processing speed.
The pricing and features of the MC56F83xx reflect these priorities. The pricing for the MC56F83xx, which begins at $8.13 in 10,000-unit quantities, is modest given its processing capabilities, its complement of on-chip flash memory and peripherals, and its safety features. Motorola is emphasizing the safety features, which extend to the memory system and the peripherals. For example, the MC56F83xx includes an on-chip power supervisor that allows the processor to perform a controlled shutdown if the supply voltage begins dropping out of a safe operating range.
Motorola is one of the largest semiconductor suppliers to the automotive industry. Its continued development of the 568xx family reflects the growth of signal processing in automotive markets. As signal-processing hardware become less expensive, signal processing is infiltrating a growing range of automotive systems. At the same time, increasing demands in areas such as emissions control and safety create an expanding need for computational horsepower. As a result, DSPs are likely to proliferate in applications like electronic power assisted steering, advanced engine control systems, and occupant detection.
All six members of the MC56F83xx are currently sampling. Pricing for the MC56F83xx ranges from $8.13 to $15.93 depending on the size of on-chip memory and complement of peripherals.
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