300-MHz DSP Powers Move To Third Generation Of Wireless Apps

With a 300-MHz clock rate and 7 Mbits of memory, the TMS320C6203 is touted as the industry’s fastest digital signal processor (DSP). The device’s combination of speed, performance and integration are said to make it suitable for driving multi-channel, multi-function applications, such as third-generation wireless base stations and telecommunication and network infrastructure equipment.The chip executes 2400 million instructions per second, reducing overall system cost by packing more channels into less space with lower per-channel power consumption. It operates with a 1.5V internal voltage and 3.3V I/O voltage for overall power consumption of just 660 mW while executing 2400 MIPS at 300 MHz. The device’s 3 Mbits of on-chip program SRAM and 4 Mbits of data SRAM eliminate the need for any external memory. A complete base station reference design is available as is a suite of development tools.