Mixed-signal MCU bristles with peripherals

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team May 11, 2001

The new Z183 mixed-signal 8bit microcontroller, now available from Gothic Components, includes system-on-chip features for a broad range of embedded applications.

The new Z183 mixed signal 8bit microcontroller, now available from Gothic Components, includes system-on-chip features for a broad range of embedded applications.

Whereas most 8bit processors address up to 64Kbyte of external RAM, the Z183 can address up to 1Mbyte.

This new member of the Zilog Z80 family is based on the popular Z80S180 microprocessor, with improved CPU performance and extended instructions.

Code-compatibility is maintained with existing Z80 implementations.

Internet connectivity is enabled through compatibility with the Zilog embedded webserver software suite, featuring an Internet compliant stack including TCP/IP and HTTP.

This creates a powerful solution for connectivity-enabled applications, such as industrial control, factory automation, remote monitoring, electronic transactions, web management, modem control and high-performance interactive electronic games.

Further applications include utility meters, musical instruments, cash registers and remote switches.

The Z183 is available as the Z80S183 in a 100-pin VQFP package, and is supported by an evaluation kit and Z-Pak debug interface module, also available through Gothic Components.

At the heart of the Z183, the Z80S180 macrocell provides two DMAs, two high-speed UARTs, two 16bit timers and clock serial I/O (CSIO), plus low power and EMI noise reduction modes.

CSIO enables high-speed data connection to another microprocessor or microcomputer.

The core operates up to 33MHz and supports 5 or 3.3V operating voltage.

Z183 embedded peripherals include two fast ASCIs for asynchronous data transfer up to 512Kbit/s, an eight-channel 10bit ADC, 10bit DAC and 32bit of general-purpose I/O.

The eight-channel memory-mapped programmable output generator (POG) also provided can be used to create complex waveforms, trigger A/D and D/A conversions and generate interrupts with minimal processor overhead.

The 2Kbit of configurable onboard SRAM can be optimally partitioned for program, variable and POG RAM.

In circuit testing, factory Flash programming and field Flash updates are facilitated by the Z183's on board 1Kbit boot ROM.

The DMA channels can be chain-linked when set to take requests from the same peripheral device, allowing nonstop DMA operation with reduced CPU intervention.

Further embedded peripherals include power fail sensing, watchdog timer, Zilog debug interface (ZDI), low power PLL oscillator and Y3K-compliant real-time clock.