- November 18, 2013
November 18, 2013--Microchip Technology announced PIC32MZ Embedded Connectivity (EC) family of 32-bit MCUs. It provides class-leading performance of 330 DMIPS and 3.28 CoreMarks/MHz, along with dual-panel, live-update Flash (up to 2 MB), large RAM (512 KB) and the connectivity peripherals—including a 10/100 Ethernet MAC, Hi-Speed USB MAC/PHY (a first for PIC MCUs) and dual CAN ports—needed to support today’s demanding applications.
The PIC32MZ also has class-leading code density that is 30% better than before, along with a 28 Msps ADC that offers throughput rates for 32-bit MCUs. Rounding out this family’s high level of integration is a full-featured hardware crypto engine with a random number generator for high-throughput data encryption/decryption and authentication (e.g., AES, 3DES, SHA, MD5 and HMAC), as well as a SQI interface and a high number of serial channels.
Embedded designers are faced with ever-increasing demands for additional features that require more MCU performance and memory. At the same time, they are looking to lower cost and complexity by utilizing fewer MCUs. The PIC32MZ family provides 3x the performance and 4x the memory over the previous-generation PIC32MX families, along with a high level of advanced peripheral integration. For applications requiring embedded connectivity, the family includes Hi-Speed USB, Ethernet and CAN, along with a broad set of wired and wireless protocol stacks. Many embedded applications are adding better graphics displays, and the PIC32MZ can support up to a WQVGA display without any external graphics chips. Streaming/digital audio applications can take advantage of this family’s 159 DSP instructions, large memory, peripherals such as I2S, and available software.
Field updates are another growing challenge for design engineers and managers. The PIC32MZ’s 2 MB of internal Flash enables live updates via dual independent panels that provide a fail-safe way to conduct field updates while operating at full speed.
The PIC32MZ is Microchip’s first MCU to employ Imagination’s MIPS microAptiv core, which adds 159 new DSP instructions that enable the execution of DSP algorithms at up to 75% fewer cycles than the PIC32MX families. This core also provides the microMIPS instruction-set architecture, which improves code density while operating at near full rate, instruction and data cache, and its 200 MHz/330 DMIPS offers 3x the performance of the PIC32MX.
Microchip is making four new PIC32MZ development tools available today. The complete, turn-key PIC32MZ EC Starter Kit costs $119, and comes in two flavors to support family members with the integrated crypto engine (Part # DM320006-C) and those without (Part # DM320006). The Multimedia Expansion Board II (Part # DM320005-2), which is available at the introductory rate of $299 for the first six months and can be used with either Starter Kit to develop graphics HMI, connectivity and audio applications. The 168-pin to132-pin Starter Kit Adapter (Part # AC320006, $59) enables development with Microchip’s extensive portfolio of application-specific daughter boards. The PIC32MZ2048EC Plug-in Module (Part # MA320012, $25) is available for existing users of the Explorer 16 Modular Development Board.
Pricing starts at $6.68 each in 10,000-unit quantities.