NXP Semiconductors MCIMX27LMOP4AR2

Overview

MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 from NXP Semiconductors is an i.MX27L multimedia applications processor based on the ARM926EJ-S core, operating at up to 400 MHz with 16 KB instruction and 16 KB data caches, integrated eMMA_lt video accelerator, and support for DDR/SDRAM, NAND/NOR Flash, and SDHC interfaces. It targets portable media players, digital cameras, and wireless PDAs requiring low-power, high-performance embedded processing.

For engineers reviewing the MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 datasheet, MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 pinout, MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 application, or MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 equivalent, key selection criteria include its –40°C to +85°C industrial temperature grade, MAPBGA-473 (Case 1931-04) package, absence of ATA-6 and H.264 hardware codec, and verified support for USB OTG 2.0, FEC 10/100 Ethernet, and CSI CMOS sensor interface.

Technical Context

The MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 implements a Harvard-architected ARM926EJ-S core with MMU, ETM9 debug support, and dual AHB bus interfaces (I-AHB/D-AHB), connected via a 6×3 AHB crossbar switch (MAX) to on-chip peripherals including LCDC, SLCDC, CSI, and AUDMUX. Its memory subsystem integrates 45 KB VRAM and 24 KB ROM for boot code.

It features a modular peripheral set including three CSPI controllers, two I²C buses, six UARTs, two SSI ports, and a dedicated 1-Wire interface for battery ID EPROMs. Power management includes DPTC, clock gating, and multiple independent power domains - optimized for 90 nm dual-Vt process leakage control.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 is housed in a 19 mm × 19 mm MAPBGA-473 package (NXP Case 1931-04), with 473 solder balls arranged in a 25×25 array (excluding corner blanks). The package supports lead-free assembly and meets JEDEC J-STD-020 moisture sensitivity level 3.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with MCIMX27MOP4A, MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 removes ATA-6 and H.264 hardware blocks to reduce die size and dynamic power, making it optimal for battery-constrained portable imaging. Against i.MX283, it retains legacy multimedia peripherals (CSI, eMMA_lt, LCDC) critical for camera-centric designs but lacks modern security co-processors.

Availability

MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for portable media players, digital cameras, and industrial handheld terminals requiring stable component supply and long-term industrial temperature support.

Supply support for MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 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

NXP Semiconductors is a global semiconductor company specializing in secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and IoT applications, with leadership in ARM-based application processors and edge AI.

The i.MX27 family was designed specifically for low-power, high-performance portable multimedia devices - balancing ARM9 efficiency with dedicated video/audio accelerators and rich peripheral integration for camera, display, and connectivity subsystems.

FAQ

What is the maximum supported DDR speed for MCIMX27LMOP4AR2?

The MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 supports DDR SDRAM at up to 266 MHz (133 MHz clock), compliant with JEDEC DDR-266 specifications. This enables sustained memory bandwidth of 2.1 GB/s in 16-bit configuration, sufficient for D1-resolution video buffering and OS runtime heap allocation. External DDR timing parameters must be configured per Section 4.2 of the MCIMX27EC datasheet Rev. 2.

Does MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 include hardware H.264 encoding capability?

No, MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 does not include hardware H.264 encoding. As documented in the i.MX27L feature differentiation, the VPU block (including H.264 baseline profile encode/decode) is excluded from the i.MX27L variant. Only H.263 P3 and MPEG-4 SP decode are hardware-accelerated; H.264 encode must be implemented in ARM software.

Which package type is used by MCIMX27LMOP4AR2?

MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 uses the MAPBGA-473 package (NXP Case 1931-04), measuring 19 mm × 19 mm with 0.5 mm ball pitch. This package is distinct from the 404-ball MAPBGA used by MCIMX27VOP4A and is required to accommodate the full peripheral I/O count and thermal requirements of the industrial-grade variant.

Can MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 directly interface with a CMOS image sensor?

Yes, MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 includes a dedicated CMOS Sensor Interface (CSI) supporting 8-bit or 16-bit parallel YUV/RGB data streams synchronized to VSYNC/HSYNC. It natively accepts CCIR656 format and supports common sensors like OV7670 and MT9M001 without external FIFO or bridge ICs - confirmed in Section 2.3.8 of the MCIMX27EC datasheet.

What is the function of the eMMA_lt module in MCIMX27LMOP4AR2?

The eMMA_lt (enhanced Multimedia Accelerator – light) module in MCIMX27LMOP4AR2 provides hardware-accelerated video preprocessing and postprocessing, including scaling, color space conversion (YUV↔RGB), deblocking, and deringing. It operates independently of the ARM926EJ-S core, reducing CPU utilization by up to 70% in camera preview and video playback pipelines.