STMicroelectronics EVALSPEAR300

Overview

EVALSPEAr300 from STMicroelectronics is an evaluation board designed for the SPEAr300 embedded ARM926EJ-S-based microprocessor unit (MPU), enabling rapid software evaluation, hardware familiarization, and application board prototyping. It integrates DDR2 memory (128 MB), NAND Flash (512 Mbit), Serial NOR Flash (8 MB), Ethernet PHY (STE100P), dual USB 2.0 host ports, USB 2.0 device port, 8-channel 10-bit ADC, LCD interface, SDIO, and JTAG/ETM9 debug interfaces.

For engineers reviewing the EVALSPEAr300 datasheet, EVALSPEAr300 pinout, EVALSPEAr300 application, or EVALSPEAr300 equivalent, this board serves as a complete reference platform for validating Linux boot flow, peripheral interoperability, real-time debugging with ETM trace, and hardware-software co-design of industrial HMI, networked edge devices, and embedded multimedia systems.

Technical Context

The EVALSPEAr300 implements the full SPEAr300 SoC feature set in a validated hardware environment: it supports boot from Serial NOR Flash (default), NAND Flash, SPI, UART, or I2C via configurable DIP switches (SW2/SW3); provides dual independent USB 2.0 host controllers with ST2052 VBUS power switching and overcurrent protection; and delivers synchronized AHB bus access to DDR2 (MT47H64M16HR-3), static memories, and peripherals.

Its debug architecture separates static and dynamic analysis: JTAG (J4) enables register/memory inspection and breakpoint control, while ETM9 trace signals (J13/J14) route real-time instruction and data flow to external trace analyzers (e.g., Lauterbach TRACE32). Power is locally regulated using PM6641 switching regulators (1.2 V core, 1.8 V DDR2, 3.3 V I/O) and an LDO (2.5 V analog).

Key Specifications

Availability

EVALSPEAr300 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial HMI development, networked edge gateway prototyping, embedded Linux BSP validation, and ARM9-based educational labs requiring stable component supply and full documentation support.

Supply support for EVALSPEAr300 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

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, specializing in microcontrollers, power management, sensors, and automotive ICs with strong focus on industrial and embedded applications.

The SPEAr® (Structured Processor Enhanced Architecture) product line targets cost-sensitive, high-reliability embedded systems requiring Linux support, rich peripheral integration, and long-term availability - exemplified by the EVALSPEAr300 reference platform.

FAQ

What operating systems are supported on the EVALSPEAr300?

The board ships with a pre-installed Linux kernel in Serial NOR Flash and supports booting via uBoot. Official ST documentation confirms support for Linux 2.6.x with BSP packages including drivers for Ethernet, USB, NAND, LCD, and ADC. No official Windows CE or Android support is provided; only Linux-based development is validated and documented.

Does the EVALSPEAr300 include a debugger or require external tools?

The board does not include an on-board debugger. It requires external JTAG debuggers (e.g., ST-LINK/V2, Segger J-Link) connected to J4 for static debugging, and external ETM trace analyzers (e.g., Lauterbach TRACE32) connected to J13/J14 for dynamic instruction tracing. No integrated debug probe is present.

Can the LCD interface drive standard TFT panels?

Yes - the J8 connector provides full 24-bit-per-pixel RGB interface signals compatible with common parallel RGB TFT modules. The SPEAr300's LCD controller supports programmable timing, pixel clock generation, and DMA-driven frame buffer updates, verified with ST's reference LCD daughter board and third-party 4.3″/7″ RGB panels.

Is the ADC input range configurable, and how is it set?

Yes - the 8-channel 10-bit ADC range is user-configurable via jumper settings on J3. Default range is 0–2.5 V (2.44 mV resolution); removing jumpers J3-1/2 and J3-19/20 allows external reference voltages (0 V ≤ Vref_n ≤ Vref_p ≤ 2.5 V) to set custom ranges - e.g., 1–2 V yields sub-mV resolution.