OMAP3530

OMAP3530
Name	OMAP3530
Designer	Texas Instruments
Introduced	2007
Architecture	ARM ARMv7-A
Cores	2 (1 ARM Cortex-A8, 1 TMS320C64x+)
Frequency	600 MHz (typical)
Process	65 nm
Gpu	PowerVR SGX530
L2 cache	256 KB
Memory	DDR interfaces
Interfaces	USB, Ethernet, HDMI, PCI Express, SDIO

OMAP3530 The OMAP3530 is a system-on-chip family member developed by Texas Instruments combining an ARM Cortex-A8 application processor with a TMS320C64x+ digital signal processor and a PowerVR SGX graphics core. It targeted high‑performance embedded and mobile multimedia markets and was adopted across consumer electronics, industrial platforms, and development boards. The platform integrated multimedia accelerators, rich I/O, and power management features to support video, 3D graphics, and audio workloads.

Overview

The platform originated at Texas Instruments as part of the OMAP product line alongside earlier devices like the OMAP2 series and later successors in the OMAP4 family. It appeared during the rise of smartphones such as the Nokia N900, embedded projects like the BeagleBoard, and reference platforms from organizations including TI and industry partners like Element 14. Market context included competition with processors from Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, and Freescale while addressing demands from manufacturers including Motorola, Dell, and Sony Ericsson.

Architecture and Key Components

Key processing components include an ARM Cortex-A8 core implementing ARMv7-A running at up to 600 MHz, a TMS320C64x+ digital signal processor for real‑time media processing, and a PowerVR SGX530 GPU for 3D acceleration. The chip integrates a multimedia subsystem with hardware codecs used by standards like MPEG-4, H.264, and JPEG. Memory interfaces include DDR, SDRAM controllers and bus fabrics compatible with peripherals such as USB On-The-Go, Ethernet, MMC/SD, and SPI. Power management leveraged on‑chip regulators and interfaces that interfaced with chips from vendors such as Maxim Integrated, Analog Devices, and STMicroelectronics on commercial boards. On‑chip peripherals and accelerators allowed integration with displays using HDMI and camera interfaces compatible with sensors from OmniVision, Sony, and Samsung.

Performance and Benchmarks

Benchmarks emphasized multimedia throughput, 3D graphics performance, and DSP efficiency. 3D tests compared the PowerVR SGX530 performance to contemporaries such as NVIDIA Tegra and GPUs used by Intel Atom netbook platforms. Video decode benchmarks targeted real‑time H.264 playback at resolutions up to 720p on devices like the BeagleBoard and hobbyist platforms; audio processing and echo cancellation used DSP pipelines comparable to solutions from Analog Devices and Cirrus Logic. Synthetic CPU benchmarks referenced integer and floating‑point workloads measured against ARM11 and Cortex-A9 cores used by vendors like Samsung and Qualcomm.

Development and Software Support

Software ecosystems included support from Linux distributions such as Ångström, Ubuntu, and embedded realtime systems like QNX and VxWorks. Development tools included compilers and toolchains from GNU Compiler Collection, integrated development environments like Code Composer Studio, and debugging support from gdb and hardware debuggers by Segger. Graphics and multimedia stacks leveraged OpenGL ES drivers, middleware such as GStreamer, and vendor SDKs from Texas Instruments. Community and corporate resources included boards and projects from BeagleBoard.org, OMAP Community, OpenEmbedded, and Yocto Project, with contributions from companies like Wind River and MontaVista.

Applications and Devices

The chip was used in development boards like the BeagleBoard and commercial devices such as tablets, industrial HMIs, digital signage players, and set‑top boxes. OEMs and integrators from Nokia, Motorola Mobility, Dell, Archos, and Creative Technology utilized the platform for multimedia smartphones, portable media players, and embedded appliances. Academic and maker projects from institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, and maker communities employed the platform for robotics, computer vision, and human‑computer interaction prototypes. Ecosystem integrations included camera modules from OmniVision, wireless modules from Broadcom and TI WiLink, and storage using SanDisk and Samsung SD cards.

Hardware Variants and Revisions

Variants and related silicon in the OMAP family included earlier OMAP2 parts and later OMAP4 successors; many boards offered different power/performance configurations, packaging options, and board‑level revisions by vendors such as CircuitCo and Element 14. OEM board revisions addressed thermal profiles, power sequencing, and peripheral routing to support carriers from Qualcomm and connectivity modules from SiRF Technology. Hardware revisions often involved updated silicon steppings, bug fixes coordinated with TI errata, and BOM changes involving suppliers like Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, NXP Semiconductors, and Intersil.

Category:Texas Instruments processors