50 MHz Cortex-M3 — what it buys you
That puts it in the mid-range of the Stellaris 8000 series — enough for a real-time control loop with a TCP/IP stack and a CAN gateway running concurrently. The 64 KB SRAM is a single bank, so no bank-switching overhead for data buffers.
Peripheral set — CAN, Ethernet, and the rest
Connectivity includes CANbus, Ethernet MAC, IrDA, Microwire, QEI, SPI, SSI, and UART/USART. That combination targets industrial automation nodes that need both fieldbus (CAN) and plant-network (Ethernet) access. The 8-channel 10-bit ADC covers analog sensing like thermocouple or current-monitor inputs.
Housed in a 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) with 38 usable I/O.
Sourcing this part now
Because the LM3S8971-EQC50-A2T is obsolete, standard distributor stock is depleted. We source it through independent channels — verified, traceable inventory from surplus and broker networks. If you need a pin-compatible drop-in for a board already in production, the Stellaris family includes other 100-LQFP Cortex-M3 parts with similar peripheral maps, but no official cross-reference is published; verify the exact pinout against your schematic before ordering an alternate.