Renesas Intros 16-bit MCUs Online staff -- Electronic News, 4/23/2003 Renesas Technology America Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of the joint-venture semiconductor company established by Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp., today introduced its 16-bit, 25MHz H8 value series. The H8 series MCUs are lower cost versions of the existing H8 devices, Renesas said, adding that they are aimed cost-sensitive products that require larger flash memory and more CPU performance than traditional 8-bit MCUs, such as at GPS receivers, emission text equipment and security systems. The MCUs hit 25MHz operating frequency speeds with a minimum instruction execution time of 40ns for the H8S series devices and 80ns for the H8/300H series devices. These devices have 4Kbytes or 8Kbytes of RAM and 128Kbytes of ROM, with operating voltage ranging from 3V to 3.6V for the H8S and H8/300H devices and 4.5V to 5.5V for some of the H8/300H MCUs. The MCUs include 85-channel data transfer controller and 4-channel direct memory access controller to off-load the central processing unit. The devices are available in 100-, 128- and 144-pin QFP packages. To address the need for large on-chip memory, Renesas said it plans to offer pin compatible MCUs with 256Kbytes of on-chip flash and Mask ROM next year. "The introduction of the H8 values series is our commitment to offer more features at lower cost to our customers, so that their 16-bit based products can achieve the highest level of competitiveness," said Peter Carbone, director of marketing for system LSI at Renesas, in a statement. "We intended this product series to be the perfect entry for customers wanting to transition from their 8-bit MCU to 16-bit H8 MCU without a large price increase." The MCUs range from $3.99 to $7.55 in single volume and are available now.
