NXP Semiconductors MCF5253CVM140J

Overview

MCF5253CVM140J from Freescale Semiconductor is a ColdFire V2-core microprocessor operating at 140 MHz, featuring integrated 128 KB on-chip SRAM (64 KB × 2 banks), dual FlexCAN 2.0B controllers, USB 2.0 OTG, SDRAM controller (up to 32 MB), ATA/IDE interface, and a 1.2 V core supply. It serves as a system controller in industrial networking gateways requiring deterministic real-time I/O, Ethernet-adjacent control, and multimedia peripheral integration.

For engineers reviewing the MCF5253CVM140J datasheet, MCF5253CVM140J pinout, MCF5253CVM140J application, or MCF5253CVM140J equivalent, key selection criteria include its MAPBGA-225 package compatibility, -40°C to +85°C extended temperature rating, 140 MHz Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS performance, integrated eMAC unit for DSP-like operations, and support for simultaneous SDRAM, IDE, and USB host/device operation without external glue logic.

Technical Context

The MCF5253CVM140J implements the ColdFire Version 2 (CF2) core with decoupled instruction fetch and operand execution pipelines, enabling 140 MHz operation while maintaining compact silicon area. Its System Integration Module (SIM) manages interrupt prioritization, GPIO multiplexing, and bus arbitration between internal peripherals and external memory.

It integrates a programmable PLL accepting 5–33.86 MHz crystal input (CRIN/CROUT), generating the core clock with dynamic clock switching and power-down mode. The on-chip 1.2 V linear regulator (LININ → LINOUT) supplies the CPU and PLL from a single 3.3 V I/O rail, eliminating need for external core voltage regulation.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 225-ball MAPBGA (15×15 mm, 0.8 mm pitch), RoHS-compliant, lead-free. Ball map conforms to Freescale Document MCF5253DS Rev. 4, pages 20–26.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with MCF5253CVM140J, MCF5253VM140 offers identical functionality at lower cost but lacks extended temperature qualification, while MCF5272CVM140 trades ATA/USB for integrated Ethernet - making it unsuitable for storage-centric designs but superior for pure network gateway use cases.

Availability

MCF5253CVM140J is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial gateways, audio processing nodes, embedded media players, and smart storage controllers requiring stable component supply across long production lifecycles.

Supply support for MCF5253CVM140J 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

Freescale Semiconductor (now part of NXP Semiconductors) is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in embedded processors, analog, and connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and networking markets.

The MCF5253CVM140J belongs to the ColdFire V2 microprocessor family, designed for cost-sensitive, high-performance industrial control applications requiring integrated connectivity (CAN, USB, ATA), real-time processing (eMAC), and low-power operation via on-chip voltage regulation.

FAQ

What is the maximum SDRAM capacity supported by the MCF5253CVM140J?

The MCF5253CVM140J supports up to 32 MB of external SDRAM via its native 16-bit SDRAM controller. This limit arises from the 25-bit address bus (A[24:0]) and page-mode addressing architecture defined in the MCF5253DS Rev. 4 datasheet. The controller operates in page, non-page, and burst-page modes and requires no external address latches or timing logic - enabling direct connection to standard SDRAM chips such as Micron MT48LC16M16A2.

Does the MCF5253CVM140J include an integrated voltage regulator?

Yes, the MCF5253CVM140J includes an on-chip linear regulator that converts a 3.0–3.6 V I/O supply (applied to LININ) into a tightly regulated 1.08–1.32 V core supply delivered at LINOUT. This 1.2 V LDO powers the ColdFire V2 core and PLL, eliminating the need for external core voltage regulation. A 10 µF tantalum capacitor with ESR ≤5 Ω is required on LINOUT per Freescale's design guidelines.

Can the MCF5253CVM140J operate without an external crystal?

No - the MCF5253CVM140J requires an external crystal or clock source connected between CRIN and CROUT pins to drive its on-chip PLL. The datasheet specifies a valid frequency range of 5.00–33.86 MHz for crystal operation and 5–16.94 MHz for external clock input. There is no internal RC oscillator; omitting the crystal results in no functional clock generation and processor halt.

How many independent CAN interfaces does the MCF5253CVM140J provide?

The MCF5253CVM140J integrates two fully independent FlexCAN 2.0B modules (CAN0 and CAN1), each supporting standard (11-bit) and extended (29-bit) message identifiers, programmable bit timing, and hardware message buffering. Both controllers operate simultaneously with separate TX/RX pins (CAN0_TX/CAN0_RX and CAN1_TX/CAN1_RX), enabling dual-bus automotive or industrial fieldbus architectures without software arbitration overhead.

Is the MCF5253CVM140J pin-compatible with other ColdFire processors?

No - the MCF5253CVM140J uses a proprietary 225-ball MAPBGA package with signal assignments specific to the MCF5253 family. While the MCF5253VM140 shares identical pinout and footprint, other ColdFire variants (e.g., MCF5272, MCF5282) use different packages (LQFP, PBGA-272) and incompatible ball maps. Migration requires PCB redesign and firmware adaptation due to differences in peripheral register layout and clock tree configuration.