News and New Products

Microcontroller offerings go public

By Robert Cravotta -- EDN, 3/3/2005

Texas Instruments has for years been using and delivering ARM-based cores but only to a few customers. The TMS470 platform of ARM7TDMI-based general-purpose processors are the first devices from Texas Instruments that are publicly available. The range of devices include 64 to 1024 kbytes of single-cycle-access flash memory at 60 MHz in pipeline mode. The on-chip analog-to-digital converter sports a 1.5-μsec conversation time, and the device family include standard and high-end CAN (controller-area-network) controllers. The programmable high-end timer supports pulse-width modulation and capture and compare functions, or it can act as 32 programmable I/O channels.

The TMS470R1A64, A128 and A256 operate at 48 MHz and are available now with prices beginning at $4.95 (1000). The TMS470R1A288, A512, A768, and A1024 will operate as fast as 60 MHz and will be available by midyear with prices beginning at $8.95 (1000). In addition to the ARM7 third-party development environments, Texas Instruments offers an integrated development environment for the TMS470 devices. The TMX-SK470R1A256 development kit is available for $395 and includes a development board with the TMS470 device, a JTAG debugger with a USB connector, a power supply, a C compiler, a simulator, and the Kickstart version of IAR’s Embedded Workbench for ARM.

Texas Instruments, 1-800-336-5236, www.ti.com/tms470pr.