NXP Semiconductors MPC8555VTAPF

Overview

MPC8555VTAPF from Freescale Semiconductor is a PowerQUICC™ III integrated communications processor featuring an e500 Book E-compatible 32-bit Power Architecture™ core, 256 KB on-chip L2 cache/SRAM, dual 10/100/1000 Mbps TSEC Ethernet controllers, DDR SDRAM controller (64-bit, 2.5 V SSTL2), and integrated Security Engine with AES, DES, SHA, RSA, and RNG acceleration. It targets high-throughput network infrastructure control planes.

For engineers reviewing the MPC8555VTAPF datasheet, MPC8555VTAPF pinout, MPC8555VTAPF application, or MPC8555VTAPF equivalent, this page delivers verified electrical specs (1.2 V core, 3.3 V/2.5 V I/O), thermal limits (Tj ≤ 105 °C), clock timing (SYSCLK ≤ 166 MHz), DDR interface parameters, and functional partitioning between e500 core, CPM, and OCeaN switch fabric.

Technical Context

The MPC8555VTAPF implements a dual-issue superscalar e500 core with 32 KB L1 instruction and 32 KB L1 data caches (parity-protected), lockable per-line or globally. Its coherency module enables cache snooping across the 256 KB on-chip memory, configurable as unified L2 cache or split SRAM arrays with full ECC on 64-bit boundaries.

System-level connectivity includes two independent PCI ports (64-bit or dual 32-bit, 16–66 MHz, PCI 2.2-compliant), a 32-bit local bus controller supporting up to eight chip selects and SDRAM, and a dedicated CPM running at up to 333 MHz to offload serial protocols (FCC/SCC/SMC/USB/I²C) from the main core.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 783-pin Fine-Pitch Ceramic Ball Grid Array (FC-PBGA), 27 mm × 27 mm, 1.0 mm ball pitch, RoHS-compliant.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with MPC8555VTAPF, MPC8548CZQAGD trades one TSEC for PCIe Gen1, maintaining identical crypto and serial offload capability, while P1022NSE abandons CPM entirely for dual 64-bit e5500 cores and DDR3-making it unsuitable for drop-in replacement but appropriate for greenfield high-performance networking.

Availability

MPC8555VTAPF is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for wireless infrastructure control planes, enterprise router management modules, industrial protocol gateways, and secure network appliances requiring stable component supply across long product lifecycles.

Supply support for MPC8555VTAPF 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 processing, analog, and connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and networking markets.

The MPC8555VTAPF belongs to the PowerQUICC™ III product line, designed specifically for communications infrastructure applications requiring integrated processing, high-speed I/O, hardware-accelerated security, and deterministic real-time control.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the MPC8555VTAPF core?

The MPC8555VTAPF core operates at up to 1.0 GHz, which requires a 1.3 V ±50 mV core supply (VDD). At the standard 1.2 V ±60 mV VDD, the maximum validated frequency is 833 MHz. The actual achievable frequency depends on thermal conditions, PCB layout, and power delivery stability. All speed grades are tested and characterized per Freescale specification MPC8555E Rev. 4.2.

Does the MPC8555VTAPF support DDR2 or only DDR1 SDRAM?

The MPC8555VTAPF supports first-generation DDR SDRAM only-not DDR2 or DDR3. Its DDR controller implements 2.5 V SSTL2 signaling, programmable timing for DDR-200 to DDR-400, and features such as auto-refresh, self-refresh sleep mode, and registered DIMM support. DDR2 compatibility is absent due to incompatible voltage (1.8 V), signaling (SSTL18), and command encoding.

How many independent Ethernet MACs does the MPC8555VTAPF integrate?

The MPC8555VTAPF integrates two independent Three-Speed Ethernet Controllers (TSECs), each supporting 10/100/1000 Mbps operation and compliant with IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, and 802.3z. Each TSEC provides full-duplex GMII, MII, TBI, RGMII, and RTBI interfaces, 2 KB internal FIFOs, jumbo frame support up to 9.6 KB, and RMON statistics collection.

Is the Security Engine in the MPC8555VTAPF capable of performing TLS/SSL acceleration?

Yes, the MPC8555VTAPF Security Engine explicitly supports TLS/SSL acceleration via its integrated Advanced Encryption Standard Unit (AESU), Data Encryption Standard Execution Unit (DEU), and Message Digest Execution Unit (MDEU), which collectively handle symmetric ciphers (AES-128/192/256, 3DES), hash functions (SHA-1, SHA-256, MD5), and HMAC. This enables full TLS 1.2 record layer processing at line rate.

What package type and pin count does the MPC8555VTAPF use?

The MPC8555VTAPF uses a 783-pin Fine-Pitch Ceramic Ball Grid Array (FC-PBGA) package measuring 27 mm × 27 mm with 1.0 mm ball pitch. This package is RoHS-compliant and thermally optimized for industrial temperature operation (0 °C to 105 °C junction). Pin assignments-including VDD, GVDD, LVDD, OVDD, SYSCLK, and HRESET-are documented in Section 14 ("Package and Pin Listings") of the MPC8555E Hardware Specification Rev. 4.2.