Microchip introduces the industry's first MCU with an integrated 2D GPU and integrated DDR2 memory, achieving a breakthrough in graphics capabilities

Microchip Technology announced the introduction of the 32-bit PIC32MZ DA single-chip microcomputer (MCU) family, the industry's first MCU with an integrated 2D graphics processing unit (GPU) and up to 32 MB of integrated DDR2 memory. Microchip is a leading provider of proprietary solutions for single-chip, mixed-signal, analog and flash memory, offering a family of products that enable customers to leverage easy-to-use single-chip (MCU) resources and tools, including the MPLAB® Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and the MPLAB Harmony integrated software framework. Increase the color resolution and display size of its application (up to 12 inches).

For customers who want to continue using the familiar MCU design environment, the PIC32MZ DA series fills the graphics performance gap between the MCU and the microprocessor unit (MPU). Microchip's PIC32 integrates seamlessly with the MPLAB IDE and Harmony software framework, and through its programming model, these devices provide MPU-like graphics capabilities. These tools feature a visual graphic design environment, custom display driver creation, graphic libraries, and asset converters to customize and optimize graphics for your selected display size.

The features of these new devices include:

● A three-layer graphics controller capable of driving 24-bit color ultra-widescreen Graphics Array (SXGA) displays

●  High-performance 2D Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

● 32 MB integrated SDRAM or 128 MB externally addressable SDRAM for storage expansion

●  Extensive on-chip flash memory, SRAM, and connectivity options

Rod Drake, vice president of Microchip's MCU32 business unit, commented, "This new family of devices breaks through the well-known limitations of MCUS when it comes to graphics. Customers are increasingly demanding HMI capabilities in their designs. Now, they can upgrade their applications with an easy-to-use MCU without adding circuit board complexity or requiring new programming resources."

Integrating DDR2 memory in an MCU is the first of its kind in the industry. This not only increases the throughput of increasingly complex communication protocol stacks and algorithms by a factor of two, but also increases graphics buffering and/or storage space. The result is to help customers launch compelling, easy-to-use solutions in the competitive communications control market without the need for additional product models.

"With the industry's largest capacity integrated memory, these MCUS meet designers' demand for application storage space at twice the speed of any other memory on the market," Drake said. With the combination of PIC32MZ DA MCU and MPLAB Harmony, graphic design in the industry is much simpler than before."