Freescale's ColdFire(R) Audio Processor Drives a New Beat; MCF5251 Brings Portable Audio Entertainment to Automobiles and Consu
May 15 2006 - 10:00AM
Business Wire
Manufacturers seeking an audio microprocessor that supports
Microsoft's PlaysForSure(TM) 2.0 and PlaysFromDevice specifications
now have a compelling new choice with the ColdFire(R) MCF5251 from
Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) (NYSE:FSL.B). The MCF5251 audio
processor is an excellent choice for portable and in-car
infotainment audio applications such as satellite radio, CD or hard
disk drive (HDD) compressed audio players, USB Thumb drive players,
jukeboxes and MP3 docking stations. Additionally, the MCF5251
enables hours of audio playback time and enough power to drive
MPEG4 QCIF video playback. "Our latest generation of ColdFire audio
processors offers an impressive list of multimedia features
enabling OEMs to bring exciting new possibilities to their latest
automotive and consumer device projects," said Berardino Baratta,
general manager of the Multimedia Applications Division for
Freescale. "Combined with our comprehensive software and Microsoft
PlaysForSure and PlaysFromDevice support, this highly integrated
processor reduces chip count and allows designers to create even
smaller form factor audio devices." The ColdFire MCF5251 supports
Microsoft's PlaysForSure 2.0 and PlaysFromDevice specifications for
security and portability. These technologies allow consumers to
connect their MP3 player via USB to the car audio system, play back
music over the car audio system and have full access to the device
contents via the in-car controls. "Based on the performance we see
on the ColdFire MCF5251 processor, we are confident that the HDD
and CD reference software solutions we are building will be the
best in the market for both car audio and portable HDD players,"
said Mr. K. Srinivasan, CEO of AllGo Embedded Systems, Bangalore,
India. "Our free PlaysForSure V2.0 compliant software package will
help existing and new Freescale customers designing with the
MCF5251 to adopt the new Microsoft standard seamlessly, thus,
accelerating their time to market." ColdFire MCF5251 The MCF5251 is
powered by the ColdFire V2 32-bit microprocessor core with a small
DSP engine (eMAC) that is well suited for MP3 and similar
applications. With two automotive CAN interface modules in the same
device, the MCF5251 works as a digital audio solution for car and
portable audio applications. Other hardware features include
on-chip USB 2.0 On-the-Go (OTG) technology with an integrated
high-speed (up to the specification maximum of 480 Mbps)
transceiver and a tamper-proof real-time clock for improved digital
rights management (DRM). A high-speed UDMA ATA interface
facilitates fast data transfers for easy uploads and downloads.
Additionally, the MCF5251 is AECQ100-qualified, a mandate by the
automotive industry for compressed audio. The scalable MCF5251
software requires minimal hardware dedication, which can shorten
design cycles and makes it easier to react to changing market
requirements. Software compatibility with the SCF5249 and SCF5250
devices enables a simple migration path for next-generation
devices. Also, the MCF5251 comes with a comprehensive audio
reference software package that supports a wide range of audio
encode, decode and DRM standards. Microsoft Digital Rights
Management Freescale has adopted Microsoft's Windows Media Audio
Digital Rights Management 10 (WMA-DRM10) format for its MCF5251
components and development tools. DRM is an important way to
protect the ownership of subscription-based content, such as
downloaded music, even as it passes from one portable device to
another. Many content providers are now supporting WMA-DRM10, and
Freescale incorporates these technologies into its ColdFire product
family. Availability To get next-generation designs to market more
quickly, Freescale provides schematics, layout files and component
lists for a 1.8-inch, 20 GB HDD reference design that includes a
color liquid crystal display and support for JPEG, MPEG4 and USB
2.0 OTG. The MCF5251 is available now in production quantities.
Visit http://www.freescale.com/digitalaudio for more details. About
Freescale Semiconductor Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (NYSE:FSL)
(NYSE:FSL.B) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of
embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial,
networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded
company in July 2004 after more than 50 years as part of Motorola
Inc. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design,
research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more
than 30 countries. Freescale, a member of the S&P 500(R), is
one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2005 sales
of $5.8 billion (USD). www.freescale.com Freescale Technology Forum
The Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) is fast becoming the embedded
semiconductor industry's premier developer conference. A global
program, FTF events feature visionary keynote speakers, in-depth
technical training, and interactive demonstrations from Freescale
and leading hardware, software and tools providers. For detailed
information about FTF events around the world, please go to
www.freescale.com/ftf. Reader Inquiry Response: Freescale
Semiconductor P.O. Box 17927 Denver, CO 80217 Freescale(TM) and the
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owners. (C) Freescale Semiconductor Inc. 2006.
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