What the OMAPL138EZWTD4 is and what it does
The Texas Instruments OMAPL138EZWTD4 is a dual-core applications processor combining an ARM926EJ-S core with a C674x floating-point DSP on a single die, running at 456 MHz. It belongs to the OMAP-L1x series and is aimed at industrial control, audio processing, medical imaging, and networked embedded systems where a mix of control code and real-time signal processing is needed. The part integrates dual USB ports (one USB 1.1 + PHY, one USB 2.0 + PHY), a SATA 3Gbps interface, and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet MAC, along with a LCD controller and a comprehensive set of serial interfaces including I²C, SPI, UART, McASP, and McBSP.
456 MHz and the C674x DSP — what they mean for your design
The 456 MHz ARM926EJ-S core handles Linux or a lightweight RTOS for system control, networking stacks, and user interface tasks. The C674x DSP coprocessor offloads fixed- and floating-point math for audio codecs, motor-control algorithms, or real-time sensor fusion without stealing cycles from the ARM. The DSP has its own instruction and data caches and can be clocked independently, but the shared memory and peripheral bus require careful arbitration in the driver layer. If your application does not need the DSP, the ARM core alone still delivers competitive throughput for a 32-bit MPU at this speed grade.
Package and layout — 361-NFBGA
The device is supplied in a 361-ball fine-pitch BGA (NFBGA) measuring 16x16 mm. The ball pitch requires a multi-layer PCB with microvias or blind vias for fanout.
Lifecycle and sourcing
The OMAPL138EZWTD4 is listed with an Active lifecycle status, meaning Texas Instruments continues to manufacture and support the part for new designs. The part is ROHS3 compliant.