ADI, TI DSPs debut for less than $2

Two major DSP vendors—Analog Devices and Texas Instruments—have drastically cut price tags on its latest processors in an effort to bring sophisticated signal processing to a broader range of cost-sensitive applications.

TI said it opened order entry for its TMS320C553x ultra-low-power DSPs at $1.95 in 1,000-unit quantities, a price point it claims is the industry's lowest. And Analog Devices introduced a 200-MHz version of its Blackfin ADSP-BF592 embedded processor that delivers 400-MMAC performance for $1.99 each in 1,000-unit quantities. Applications include industrial, medical, audio, video, and portable medical equipment, among others.

TI said its TMS320C553x DSPs also offer the industry's lowest total power with total active core power < 0.15 mW/MHz at 1.05V and standby power < 0.15 mW. The C553x DSPs are supported by the $55 C5535 eZdsp development kit for a one-time C55x promotional price of $55 for the next 55 days (normally priced at $99). TI is offering up to 50 MHz and 100 MHz performance options for each DSP, which is housed in a 12-mm x 12-mm BGA package with 0.8-mm pitch. Free samples of the C5535 ultra-low-power DSPs are available today. For more on this story: click here.

According to ADI, the 200 MHz version of its Blackfin ADSP-BF592 embedded processor achieves a BDTImark2000 performance score of 1120 and a BDTImark2000/$ performance/cost score of 562. This compares with the 400 MHz version's BDTImark2000 score of 2240 and BDTImark2000/$ score of 747—which was the highest performance/cost score ever recorded by DSP benchmarking firm Berkeley Design Technology Inc., according to the company.

Housed in a tiny 9 mm x 9 mm 64-lead LFCSP package, the new 200-MHz Blackfin BF592 features low active power draw of just 51 mW at 200 MHz and low standby power of less than 1 mW, consuming 80 percent less power than comparable solutions to extend battery life, ADI said.

An EZ-KIT Lite evaluation kit for the Blackfin ADSP-BF592 is being offered for a discounted price of $99 (normally $199) until December 31, 2011, available from ADI's authorized distributors.