Analog Devices Inc. ADSP-21161NCCAZ100

Overview

ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 from Analog Devices is a 100 MHz SHARC® 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor with dual computational units (PEX/PEY), 1 Mbit on-chip dual-ported SRAM, integrated SDRAM controller, and four synchronous serial ports supporting I²S audio interfaces. It executes SIMD instructions in a single cycle and delivers 440 MFLOPs sustained performance for real-time audio and communications processing.

For engineers reviewing the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 datasheet, ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 pinout, ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 application, or ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 equivalent, key selection criteria include its 225-ball CSP_BGA package, 110 MHz optional core rate, IEEE 32-/40-bit floating-point support, glueless multiprocessing capability, and hardware-accelerated circular buffer addressing for filter and FFT implementations.

Technical Context

The ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 implements a Super Harvard Architecture with four independent buses enabling simultaneous instruction fetch, dual data fetch, and nonintrusive zero-overhead I/O. Its dual-processing-element (PEX/PEY) SIMD engine executes identical instructions on separate data streams, doubling throughput for math-intensive algorithms like FIR/IIR filtering and 1024-point FFTs.

It integrates an on-chip instruction cache, two hardware data address generators (DAG1/DAG2) supporting up to 32 circular buffers, and a dedicated I/O processor managing 14 DMA channels. Memory subsystem includes dual-ported SRAM blocks configurable for mixed code/data storage and a glueless SDRAM interface supporting up to 660 MB/s transfer rates at 48-bit width.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 uses a 225-ball CSP_BGA package (17 mm × 17 mm, 0.8 mm pitch) with ball grid arranged in 15 × 15 array. Pin functions are defined per Analog Devices Rev. C datasheet Section 11 (Pin Function Descriptions) and Figure 1 functional block diagram.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar DSP processor applications.

Compared with ADSP-21161NCCAZ100, ADSP-21161NKCAZ100 offers identical functionality with extended temperature tolerance, while ADSP-21262KCPZ-2B provides significantly higher compute density but mandates full hardware revision-neither is pin-compatible, and both require firmware adaptation for full feature utilization.

Availability

ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for professional audio mixing consoles, medical ultrasound beamformers, wireless baseband transceivers, and industrial motor control systems requiring stable component supply and long-term obsolescence management.

Supply support for ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Analog Devices, Inc. is a global leader in high-performance analog, mixed-signal, and DSP technology, headquartered in Norwood, MA, with design centers worldwide and over 50 years of semiconductor innovation.

The SHARC® processor family-including ADSP-21161NCCAZ100-is engineered for computationally intensive, real-time signal processing in audio, medical imaging, military radar, and industrial automation where deterministic latency and IEEE-compliant floating-point precision are critical.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100?

The ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 operates at a guaranteed 100 MHz core instruction rate (10 ns cycle time), with a 110 MHz option supported under specific voltage and temperature conditions per Analog Devices Rev. C datasheet Section 17. This enables single-cycle execution of SIMD instructions and sustained 440 MFLOPs performance in commercial temperature range (0°C to +70°C).

Does the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 support I²S audio interface natively?

Yes, the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 supports I²S natively through its four programmable synchronous serial ports (SPORT0–SPORT3). Each port can be configured for I²S stereo operation with selectable word lengths (8–32 bits), enabling up to 16 I²S channels using two stereo codecs-no external framing logic or level shifters are required for direct connection to audio ADCs/DACs.

How much on-chip memory does the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 provide, and how is it organized?

The ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 integrates 1 Mbit (128 Kbytes) of on-chip dual-ported SRAM, divided into two independent 512 kbit blocks (Block 0 and Block 1). Each block supports concurrent access by the core processor and I/O processor, allowing simultaneous instruction fetch and data transfer without contention-critical for real-time streaming applications.

Can the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 interface directly with SDRAM without external logic?

Yes, the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 features a glueless SDRAM controller supporting standard 16 Mb to 256 Mb SDRAM devices. It generates all necessary control signals (RAS, CAS, WE, DQM, CKE) and supports auto-refresh, burst reads/writes, and pipelined addressing-enabling direct connection to SDRAM without glue logic or FPGA bridging.

What boot sources are supported by the ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 at power-up?

The ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 supports four boot sources controlled by BMS, EBOOT, and LBOOT pins: 8-bit EPROM, host processor (8/16/32-bit), SPI-compatible device, or another ADSP-21161NCCAZ100 via link port. Boot mode selection is latched at power-up reset and determines initial program load path without firmware intervention.