Texas Instruments OMAP3515DCBBA

Overview

OMAP3515DCBBA from Texas Instruments is a high-performance applications processor based on the ARM Cortex-A8 core running at up to 720 MHz, integrating PowerVR SGX graphics acceleration, a camera ISP, display subsystem with dual-panel support, and comprehensive peripheral interfaces including USB OTG/Host, MMC/SD, McSPI, McBSP, UART, I²C, and GPMC. It targets portable media players, digital video cameras, and web tablets requiring rich multimedia processing and Linux/Android OS support.

For engineers reviewing the OMAP3515DCBBA datasheet, OMAP3515DCBBA pinout, OMAP3515DCBBA application, or OMAP3515DCBBA equivalent, key selection considerations include its 515-pin s-PBGA (CBB) package with POP memory stacking capability, 256-KB L2 cache, adaptive voltage scaling via SmartReflex™, and hardware-accelerated video encode/decode pipelines supporting HD resolution output.

Technical Context

The OMAP3515DCBBA implements an in-order, dual-issue, superscalar ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessor core compliant with ARMv7 architecture and Thumb-2 instruction set, featuring 16-KB/16-KB L1 instruction/data caches and integrated NEON SIMD coprocessor for accelerated media processing. Its memory subsystem includes SDRAM controller (SDRC) with LPDDR support, General Purpose Memory Controller (GPMC), and 64-KB shared SRAM.

Graphics and imaging are handled by the dedicated PowerVR SGX subsystem (exclusive to OMAP3515 family), delivering up to 10 MPoly/sec, alongside a full-featured Camera ISP supporting BT.601/BT.656 interfaces, CCD/CMOS sensors, and hardware resize (1/4× to 4×). The display subsystem provides parallel RGB output up to 24-bit, RFBI interface, NTSC/PAL DACs, and temporal dithering.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

The OMAP3515DCBBA is housed in a 515-ball s-PBGA package with CBB suffix, featuring 0.5-mm ball pitch on top and 0.4-mm on bottom, optimized for POP memory integration. Ball assignments follow TI's standardized quadrant layout (A–D) with defined signal multiplexing per Table 2-1 of SPRS505H.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with OMAP3503DCBBA and AM3517BZCNA, the OMAP3515DCBBA uniquely delivers PowerVR SGX graphics in the OMAP3 generation, making it the only option among the three for embedded 3D UIs and OpenGL ES–based applications without external GPU.

Availability

OMAP3515DCBBA is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for portable media players, digital video cameras, and web tablets requiring stable component supply and long-term design-in support.

Supply support for OMAP3515DCBBA 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

Texas Instruments is a global semiconductor leader specializing in analog, embedded processing, and wireless technologies, with decades of experience in high-performance mobile processors.

The OMAP3515DCBBA belongs to TI's OMAP™3 family, designed specifically for portable multimedia applications demanding balanced CPU performance, hardware-accelerated graphics, and low-power video processing in compact form factors.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the OMAP3515DCBBA?

The OMAP3515DCBBA operates at a maximum guaranteed frequency of 720 MHz for the ARM Cortex-A8 core under commercial temperature conditions. This frequency is achieved using adaptive voltage scaling managed by SmartReflex™ technology, which dynamically adjusts core voltage to maintain stability while minimizing power consumption. The actual sustained frequency in a given design depends on thermal management, PCB layout, and power delivery integrity.

Does the OMAP3515DCBBA include integrated graphics acceleration?

Yes, the OMAP3515DCBBA integrates a PowerVR SGX graphics accelerator, delivering up to 10 million polygons per second and supporting OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0 and OpenVG 1.0 APIs. This hardware acceleration is exclusive to the OMAP3515 variant within the OMAP35xx family and is absent in the OMAP3503. The SGX engine enables smooth UI rendering, 2D/3D compositing, and video post-processing without burdening the ARM core.

What memory interfaces does the OMAP3515DCBBA support?

The OMAP3515DCBBA supports two primary memory interfaces: a 32-bit SDRAM Controller (SDRC) for LPDDR/DDR memory with up to 1 GB address space, and a 16-bit General Purpose Memory Controller (GPMC) with eight chip-select outputs for NAND/NOR flash, SRAM, and FPGA peripherals. The CBB package also enables Package-on-Package (POP) stacking for integrated memory solutions, reducing footprint and interconnect inferences.

How many general-purpose I/O pins does the OMAP3515DCBBA provide?

According to the SPRS505H datasheet, the OMAP3515DCBBA supports up to 188 general-purpose I/O (GPIO) pins, though pin multiplexing restricts the number simultaneously available. In the CBB package, certain GPIOs (e.g., gpio_112–gpio_115, gpio_144–gpio_176) are not implemented. All GPIOs support configurable pull-up/down, interrupt generation, and can be assigned to alternate peripheral functions via register-controlled muxing.

What video output capabilities does the OMAP3515DCBBA offer?

The OMAP3515DCBBA provides dual-video output paths: a parallel 24-bit RGB interface supporting HD resolution for LCD panels, and two integrated 10-bit DACs for composite NTSC/PAL and S-Video output. It also supports Remote Frame Buffer Interface (RFBI) for specialized displays and includes hardware features like temporal dithering, color space conversion, and 90°/180°/270° rotation - all handled in real time without CPU intervention.