Featuring the PIC32 core running at 200MHz, the MZ DA is a system in package integrating either 16 or 32Mbyte of DDR2 DRAM. There is up to 2Mbyte of on chip flash and 640kbyte of RAM, as well as a 12bit A/D converter capable of 18Msample/s. A variant is available without the integrated DDR2 die; offering instead access to a 128Mbyte external memory.
Kurt Parker, product marketing manager for Microchip’s PIC32 range, said: “This is true innovation in graphics and memory, which is important when developing applications where the visual interface is important. It’s the first product in the 32bit MCU sector to offer this graphics capability.”
Although equipped with a three layer graphics controller capable of supporting 24bit colour on an SXGA display, a global colour palette look up table reduces the number of colours available to 256. “That brings more efficient access to colours,” Parker contended, “and only needs 8bit of data to be transferred from memory.”
Explaining the need for the MX DA, Parker said the typical memory available in a 32bit MCU is about 500kbyte. “But the typical graphics application needs more than 3Mbyte, and that means accessing external memory. This has interface and board space implications, as well as costg and time to market.” He added the device also supports touchscreen interfaces.
Using Microchip’s Harmony Graphics Composer software, designers can create custom drivers for a range of displays. “It can support any resolution or orientation,” Parker asserted.
According to Parker, early adopters of the MZ DA are working on such applications as medical controls, white goods, vending machines, home automation and industrial HMIs.
The PIC32MZ DA family is offered in three packages: a 169 BGA, a 176 LQFP; and a 288 BGA for external DDR2 applications.