XMOS boosts performance & connectivity with 2nd-generation multicore MCUs
The latter family are “Hi-resolution Audio connectivity processors”, which Xmos says will enable “high resolution [sampling rate] audio to be deployed in a wider range of consumer and professional product designs. Asked if – in the light of the xCORE Audio introduction, and the company’s recent visibility in audio-centric designs – audio has become the main focus area for its activities, and Xmos spokesman says that to the contrary, its intent is to be a supplier of MCU products to the broad market.
“Audio happens to be one of the sectors where designs have progressed faster [making that activity higher profile].” He comments that the Xmos processors – with their multi-threaded and deterministic behaviour – have been gaining acceptance in many areas, and are, “finding a space between [conventional] microcontrollers and FPGAs; the flexibiity of FPGAs, but at the price point of MCUs.”
The xCORE-200 multicore microcontroller family is “Gigabit Ethernet enabled” – integrating 16 32bit-RISC-processor-cores in a single device, the first xCORE-200 device delivers up to 2000 MIPs of real-time computing power and is 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet-equipped, with programmable MAC layer and Internet webserver support. This, Xmos, says, opens a path to Gigabit-speed Internet-of-Things applications. It has a dual-issue pipeline, that contributes to the “2x performance” claim; four times the RAM of its predecessors (up to 512 kB SRAM) and up to 2Mbytes of on-chip flash. There is a programmable USB 2.0 interface (the interface is emulated by a process running in the xCORE multicore fabric; the Ethernet MAC is also a software implementation).
Xmos is introducing a complete family of chips in the 200 series, in three bands characterised by being general-purpose controllers; or having the USB interface; or with USB plus Gigabit Ethernet. An evaluation board contains, as well as all the expected hooks and access features needed to check out the processors (inlcuding 53 I/Os), a selection of the types of sensor that users might employ in a connected-device product; for example, a 3D accelerometer and magnetometer; and six servo interfaces. This – the eXplorerKIT evaluation board has already been sampled to lead customers.
Specific parameters of the first member in the xCORE-200 family, XE216-512-TQ128 device include:
– 16 high-performance 32bit RISC processor cores
– Up to 2000MIPs of high performance compute for general purpose and DSP processing
– 512 kBytes of embedded SRAM memory
– Support for a 480 Mbps USB 2.0 interface, including integrated PHY
– 10/100/1000 Ethernet port with flexible MAC layer, webserver support and RGMII PHY interface
– 88 fully flexible Hardware-Response I/Os
– 128pin TQFP package.
The XE216-512-TQ128 will cost less than $4.75 in high volume; the family map will be filled in with parts configured to provide 8, 10, 12 and 16 cores. Advanced xCORE-200 products with 24 and 32 high-performance 32bit-processor cores will be available in the second half of 2015. A new release of the xTIME-Composer Studio development tools provides full support for xCORE-200 family, and is available through a free download.
The xCORE-AUDIO device reflects the use that audio systems designers have found for the company’s existing processor family. It will assist in “delivering bit-perfect audio across a rich set of audiophile and professional interfaces…. [in] both high-resolution consumer audio and complex multichannel professional audio applications.” xCORE-AUDIO Hi-Res targets the emerging market for stereo high resolution USB headphone amplifiers, DACs and AVR systems, while xCORE-AUDIO Live supports prosumer and professional audio applications including DJ kits, mixing, audio content creation and conferencing.
xCORE-AUDIO is an optimised variant of the XMOS xCORE-200 multicore microcontroller, with the stereo Hi-Res-2 sampling now, and will cost less than $2.00 in high volume. The first xCORE-AUDIO Live products will follow in April 2015. The devices offer the combination of a high-grade USB 2.0 implementation, to audio standards, with the higher resolution needed to handle high-sampling-rate audio streams. Xmos comments that the demand for high-resolution audio content for consumption on the move, and the complexities of creating the same content in the studio and concert hall, are well served by our its USB 2.0 and networked audio solutions. Selecting output formats from Xmos’ audio I/O libraries, and using multicore power to implement complex DSP functions, can produce professional audio solutions at consumer prices.
Samples of xCORE-AUDIO Hi-Res 2 support:
– USB 2.0 (Full-speed and High-speed), USB Audio Class 1.0, USB Audio Class 2.0, USB Firmware Upgrade (DFU) 1.1.
– I²S, DSD and SPDIF output formats.
– 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, 384kHz sample rates.
– Broad range of host platforms supported including:
– Made For iPhone support including role switch and External Accessory Framework.
– Android device, Windows PC, and Apple OSX support
– Small-footprint 64pin TQFP packages and 128pin TQFP packages available.
The xCORE-AUDIO Hi-Res 2 development board is also now available.
XMOS; www.xmos.com
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