When it pertains to displays, there is a space between a standard microcontroller as well as a Linux system-on-a-chip (SoC). The SoC that lives in a smartphone will always have sufficient RAM for a framebuffer as well as normally has a few pins devoted to an LCD interface. Today, Microchip has revealed a microcontroller that blurs the lines between what can be made with an SoC as well as what can be made with a microcontroller. The PIC32MZ ‘DA’ household of microcontrollers is created for graphics applications as well as includes a boatload of RAM as well as a devoted GPU.
The crucial function for this chip is a boatload of RAM for a framebuffer as well as a 2D GPU. The PIC32MZ DA household includes bundles with 32 MB of integrated DRAM created to be utilized as framebuffers. support for 24-bit color on SXGA (1280 x 1024) panels is included. There’s likewise a 2D GPU in there with support for sprites, blitting, alpha blending, line drawing, as well as filling rectangles. No, it can’t play Crysis — just to get that meme out of the method — however it is an exceptional platform for GUIs.
The PIC32MZ DA chips are offered in three packages, including a 169-pin BGA, a 288-pin BGA, as well as a 176-pin LQFP. Program size for these chips is either 1024 KB or 2048 KB as well as data memory is either 256 KB or 640 KB. The PICs come with an choice for an DDR2 controller with an optional “on die” 32 MB of DDR2 SDRAM. This ‘on die’ SDRAM specifically isn’t; instead, we’re checking out something like a package-on-package component. Either way, a few of these parts include 32 MB of DDR2 encapsulated in a blob of epoxy.
Two starter kits for the PIC32MZ DA will be offered shortly, one featuring the stacked DRAM, as well as the other featuring outside DRAM. Additionally, a WQVGA touchscreen daughterboard will likewise be available. This daughterboard is not necessary, though, as well as Microchip has put a great deal of effort into producing new tools to get LCD panels up as well as running quickly. A new version of the MPLAB IDE features a screen Manager, that enables a designer to produce motorists for any type of screen in minutes.
The volume pricing for the PIC32MZ DA starts at $7.73 in 10k system quantities.
GPUs are the in thing ideal now, as well as between the current from Nvidia and small affordable ARM boards that can push pixels to a 4k display, you might be forgiven to believe the only method to add a large, high-resolution screen to a product is to include a Linux-based SoC. The PIC32MZ DA is a bridge between these SoCs as well as standard microcontrollers, enabling for easier boards with much easier routing that are still able to pump pixels out to a display.
This is a little personal observation, however considering that the release of the Raspberry Pi as well as the deluge of affordable ARM boards with HDMI, Hackaday hasn’t seen lots of microcontrollers utilized for video applications. There are always people messing around with VGA, however keep in mind that the Uzebox was at one time a extremely prominent product. part of this is because of the boosting availability of Linux-based boards, however part of it is likewise because of the small amount of RAM microcontrollers are still shipping with. This is a extremely great chip, as well as we can’t wait to see what it will ultimately wind up in.