MULTICORE programming made easier: Texas Instruments delivers new multicore evaluation modules, jumpstarting customer designs on TMS320C665x KeyStone-based DSPs

Facilitating easier development with high-performance multicore processors, Texas Instruments Incorporated today announced the availability of two new evaluation modules (EVMs) for its KeyStone-based TMS320C665x multicore digital signal processors (DSPs). The TMDSEVM6657L and TMDSEVM6657LE EVMs allow developers to quickly get started designing with TI’s newest processors, the TMS320C6654, TMS320C6655 and TMS320C6657. Combining fixed- and floating-point capabilities, TI’s C665x multicore processors deliver real-time high performance at low power coupled with smaller form factors so that developers can more effectively meet the requirements of markets such as mission critical, industrial automation, testers, embedded vision, imaging, video surveillance, medical, and audio and video infrastructure.

“Our goal has always been to make multicore programming easier and more accessible to developers,” said Ramesh Kumar, business manager, multicore processors, TI. “With the availability of our new, low-priced C665x EVMs, we are driving our KeyStone devices into smaller and more portable products, enabling developers to take advantage of multicore in a wider range of high-performance and portable applications.”

TI’s TMDSEVM6657L sells for $349, and the TMDSEVM6657LE sells for $549. Both EVMs include a free Multicore Software Development Kit (MCSDK), TI’s Code Composer Studio™ integrated development environment and suite of application/demo codes to allow programmers to quickly come up to speed on the new platform. In addition, TI’s TMDSEVM6657L includes an embedded XDS100 emulator, while the TMDSEVM6657LE includes a faster emulator, the XDS560V2, for quicker program load and ease of use.

Starting at just under $30 at 10 KU, TI’s C665x processors offer developers access to devices that are high performance while still being power and space efficient. The low power consumption and small form factor of 21mm x 21mm enable portability, mobility and low power energy sources such as battery and interface powering to drive breakthrough products. The C6657 features two 1.25-GHz DSP cores, delivering up to 80 GMACs and 40 GFLOPs, while the C6655 and C6654 singlecore solutions deliver up to 40 GMACs and 20 GLOPS and 27.2 GMACs and 13.6 GLOPS, respectively. Under normal operating conditions, the C6657, C6655 and C6654 power numbers are at 3.5W, 2.5W and 2W, respectively. TI’s C665x DSPs also feature large on-chip memory coupled with a high-bandwidth and efficient external memory controller, making them an ideal choice for a variety of high-performance and portable applications.

About TI’s KeyStone multicore architecture
TI’s KeyStone multicore architecture is the platform for true multicore innovation, offering developers a robust portfolio of high-performance, low-power multicore devices. Unleashing breakthrough performance, the KeyStone architecture is the foundation upon which TI’s new TMS320C66x DSP generation was developed. KeyStone differs from any other multicore architecture as it has the capacity to provide full processing capability to every core in a multicore device. KeyStone-based devices are optimized for high performance markets including wireless base stations, mission critical, test and automation, medical imaging and high performance computing.

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