Texas Instruments TMS320C6748BZCG4

Overview

TMS320C6748BZCG4 from Texas Instruments is a fixed- and floating-point digital signal processor (DSP) based on the C674x VLIW core, operating at 456 MHz with 32KB L1P/L1D cache, 256KB L2 unified RAM/cache, and integrated peripherals including EMAC, USB 2.0 OTG, SATA I/II, and PRUSS. It targets low-power embedded signal processing in biometric identification and machine vision systems.

For engineers reviewing the TMS320C6748BZCG4 datasheet, TMS320C6748BZCG4 pinout, TMS320C6748BZCG4 application, or TMS320C6748BZCG4 equivalent, key selection criteria include its 456-MHz C674x DSP core, dual-level cache architecture, DDR2/mDDR memory controller, secure boot support (AES-128/SHA-256), and peripheral integration for real-time audio/video/data acquisition.

Technical Context

The TMS320C6748BZCG4 implements a load-store VLIW architecture with eight functional units (.M1/.M2 multiply, .L1/.L2 ALU, .D1/.D2 load/store, .S1/.S2 branch/logic), 64 general-purpose 32-bit registers, and native IEEE SP/DP floating-point support. It delivers up to 2746 MFLOPS and 3648 MIPS while supporting byte-addressable data types (8-/16-/32-/64-bit) and hardware-accelerated complex math operations.

Its memory subsystem features flexible partitioning of L1P/L1D and L2 memory between cache and mapped RAM modes, plus 128KB dedicated shared RAM accessible by external hosts without impacting DSP performance. The device integrates EDMA3 with 64 independent DMA channels and three transfer controllers to offload data movement from the CPU.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 361-ball NFBGA (ZCG suffix), 13 mm × 13 mm body size, 0.65-mm ball pitch - compatible with standard BGA reflow profiles and suitable for compact industrial PCB layouts.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

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

Compared with TMS320C6748BZCG4, the TMS320C6747BZCE4 offers lower power at reduced performance, while the OMAP-L138BZCEA adds ARM9 host capability at higher BOM cost and design complexity - neither is pin-compatible, but all three share identical C674x instruction set and peripheral register mapping.

Availability

TMS320C6748BZCG4 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for biometric identification terminals, currency inspection equipment, low-end machine vision cameras, and industrial audio analytics nodes requiring stable component supply across extended product lifecycles.

Supply support for TMS320C6748BZCG4 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 company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, delivering analog and embedded processing solutions for industrial, automotive, and communications markets since 1930.

The TMS320C6748BZCG4 belongs to TI's C6000™ DSP platform, designed specifically for low-power, high-performance signal processing in resource-constrained embedded systems where real-time determinism and peripheral integration are critical.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the TMS320C6748BZCG4?

The TMS320C6748BZCG4 operates at a maximum frequency of 456 MHz when supplied with a 1.3-V core voltage. This rating is specified under recommended operating conditions and validated across commercial and industrial temperature ranges. The device also supports a 375-MHz configuration at 1.2 V for lower-power operation. Frequency scaling is managed through the on-chip PLL and power/sleep controller, and the actual achievable speed depends on board-level power delivery stability and thermal management.

Does the TMS320C6748BZCG4 support secure boot functionality?

Yes, the TMS320C6748BZCG4 implements TI Basic Secure Boot using AES-128 encryption and SHA-256 validation to protect boot images stored in external flash or EEPROM. The secure boot flow begins from a hardware root-of-trust, locks JTAG access by default, and decrypts/authenticates code during load. This ensures that only authorized, unmodified firmware executes on the TMS320C6748BZCG4 - critical for protecting intellectual property in biometric and financial applications.

What memory interfaces does the TMS320C6748BZCG4 provide?

The TMS320C6748BZCG4 integrates two external memory interfaces: an asynchronous EMIFA supporting NOR/NAND flash and 16-bit SDRAM, and a high-speed DDR2/mDDR controller supporting 16-bit buses with up to 256-MB address space. Internally, it provides 32KB L1P, 32KB L1D, 256KB L2 unified RAM/cache, and 128KB shared RAM - all accessible by EDMA3 and peripherals without CPU intervention. This memory architecture enables efficient streaming of video, audio, and sensor data in real-time applications.

Can the TMS320C6748BZCG4 connect directly to an FPGA or high-speed ADC?

Yes, the TMS320C6748BZCG4 supports direct FPGA and high-speed ADC interfacing via its Universal Parallel Port (uPP), which provides two independent 8–16-bit wide channels with START, ENABLE, and WAIT handshaking signals. The uPP supports single- or dual-data-rate transfers and is commonly used for connecting to TI ADS series ADCs or Xilinx/Intel FPGAs in machine vision and instrumentation systems - eliminating the need for external interface logic when using the TMS320C6748BZCG4.

What is the role of the PRU subsystem in the TMS320C6748BZCG4?

The Programmable Real-Time Unit Subsystem (PRUSS) in the TMS320C6748BZCG4 contains two independent 32-bit RISC PRU cores, each with 4KB instruction RAM and 512 bytes data RAM. It handles time-critical I/O tasks - such as PWM waveform generation, encoder pulse counting, or custom protocol bridging - freeing the main C674x DSP core for computationally intensive signal processing. PRUSS is fully programmable in assembly/C and can be disabled via software to reduce power consumption when unused.