NXP Semiconductors PCAL6534EV-ARD

Overview

PCAL6534EV-ARD from NXP Semiconductors is an Arduino-compatible daughterboard evaluation kit designed to accelerate development with the PCAL6534 34-bit I²C-bus I/O expander IC. It features on-board LEDs, switches, a four-digit LED display driven via MAX V CPLD, and full hardware/software integration with IMXRT1050 EVK, LPCXpresso55S69, and i.MX 8M Mini LPDDR4 EVK platforms.

For engineers reviewing the PCAL6534EV-ARD datasheet, PCAL6534EV-ARD pinout, PCAL6534EV-ARD application, or PCAL6534EV-ARD equivalent, this board delivers rapid prototyping capability for I/O expansion, interrupt-driven input monitoring, and configurable GPIO control in embedded systems using Fast-mode Plus (1 MHz) I²C communication.

Technical Context

The PCAL6534EV-ARD implements a dedicated hardware interface between host evaluation boards and the PCAL6534 I/O expander, leveraging the Arduino Uno R3 physical connector for power (5 V), I²C (SDA/SCL), and three control signals (RESET, ADDR, INT). It includes dual LDOs (3.3 V and 1.8 V) to supply the PCAL6534 and CPLD, and routes all 34 I/O pins to external headers (J6–J9) while allocating subsets to on-board peripherals.

A MAX V CPLD (5M80ZE64C5N) acts as a programmable display controller for the four-digit LED module, supporting Direct Write, Count, and Idle modes via six control lines tied to Arduino digital pins. The GUI software enables real-time register configuration, I/O state read/write, and CPLD mode selection across Windows 10 host systems.

Key Specifications

Availability

PCAL6534EV-ARD is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for embedded prototyping, I/O expansion validation, and industrial control interface development requiring stable component supply, traceable sourcing, and long-term evaluation kit continuity.

Supply support for PCAL6534EV-ARD 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 microcontrollers, interface ICs, and embedded processing.

The PCAL6534EV-ARD belongs to NXP's PCAL6xxx family of programmable I/O expanders and was developed specifically to enable rapid evaluation and integration of the PCAL6534 in Arduino- and NXP-EVK-based embedded designs.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the PCAL6534EV-ARD evaluation board?

The PCAL6534EV-ARD is a daughterboard that provides immediate hardware and software access to the PCAL6534 34-bit I²C I/O expander IC. It enables engineers to evaluate register configuration, interrupt behavior, GPIO direction/pull-up control, and CPLD-driven LED display functionality without custom PCB design - all through standardized Arduino connectors and a Windows GUI.

Which host development boards are natively compatible with PCAL6534EV-ARD?

The PCAL6534EV-ARD is fully compatible with three NXP evaluation platforms: the IMXRT1050-EVK, LPCXpresso55S69-EVK, and i.MX 8M Mini LPDDR4 EVK. For the latter, the IMX8MMINI-IARD interposer board is required to bridge the EVK's 2×20 expansion header to the Arduino port on PCAL6534EV-ARD.

Does PCAL6534EV-ARD require external power, or is it powered via the Arduino interface?

The PCAL6534EV-ARD draws all operating power from the host board's Arduino port - specifically 5 V via pin 5 of J1 and ground return via pins 6, 7 of J1 and pin 7 of J3. No external power supply is needed, and onboard LDOs generate the 3.3 V and 1.8 V rails required by the PCAL6534 and MAX V CPLD.

How does the MAX V CPLD on PCAL6534EV-ARD interact with the PCAL6534 IC?

The MAX V CPLD (5M80ZE64C5N) serves as a display decoder/driver for the four-digit LED module, using PCAL6534 ports P0 and P1 as its data bus. It operates in three modes - Direct Write, Count, and Idle - controlled via six Arduino digital lines (MAX_CLR, MAX_OE, MAX_CTRL_0–2), enabling GUI-driven digit updates, counter operation, or display blanking without host CPU overhead.

Can PCAL6534EV-ARD be used with non-NXP or generic Arduino boards?

Yes - the PCAL6534EV-ARD is physically and electrically compatible with any Arduino Uno R3–compliant board. However, full GUI functionality (including CPLD control and register-level access) requires the NXP-provided firmware and Windows GUI application, which are validated only with the supported NXP EVKs (IMXRT1050, LPCXpresso55S69, i.MX 8M Mini).