ATSAM4CP16C-EK - SAM4CP Dual Cortex-M4 Eval Board | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4CP16C-EK β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
ATSAM4CP16C-EK Overview
An MCU evaluation board is a hardware development platform that exposes all key peripherals of a target microcontroller - UART, USB, Ethernet or PLC interfaces, debug connectors and expansion headers - so firmware engineers can prototype, debug and validate designs before committing to custom PCBs. Evaluation kits sit at the top of the development-tool hierarchy: chip -> SoC -> evaluation board -> custom end product, and they typically bundle debugger support and example software for the target device family.
The defining feature of this kit is its target device: the SAM4CP embeds an advanced cryptographic engine and an integrated G3-PLC modem supporting CENELEC, ARIB and FCC profiles as defined by the G3-PLC specification. This makes the board a purpose-built platform for smart-meter and smart-grid communication development, where prime/cPLC (power line communication) physical layers are mandated by utility deployments. The dual-core architecture allows one Cortex-M4 core to run the PLC protocol stack while the second handles metering metrology or application logic, with 152 KB SRAM per core available per Microchip product documentation for the SAM4C16 family.
Typical applications include G3-PLC smart energy meter prototyping, streetlight-control concentrators, in-home displays, and industrial gateways that must authenticate and encrypt communications. The cryptographic acceleration offloads AES-based security operations from the CPU cores.
Design consideration: the kit reflects the ATSAM4CP16C datasheet (document 00002301B); confirm board revision against the user guide before programming, and use the on-board debugger interface rather than external tools for initial bring-up.
This page synthesizes distributor availability data, drop-in board alternatives, and design guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone. Pricing and stock as of 2026-09-20.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4CP16C-EK β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAME54-XPRO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMR30-XPRO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMA5D2C-XULT
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4CP16C-EK Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | MCU 32-Bit Evaluation Board |
| Target Device | ATSAM4CP16C (SAM4CP series) |
| Core | Dual-core 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Speed | 120 MHz per core |
| Flash Memory | 1 MB embedded |
| SRAM | 128 KB plus on-chip cache |
| Crypto Engine | Advanced cryptographic engine |
| PLC Modem | G3-PLC modem |
| PLC Profiles | CENELEC, ARIB, FCC |
| Supported Standards | G3-PLC specification |
| Architecture | Stacked dies (per distributor data) |
| Series | SAM4CP |
| Board Category | Embedded MCU, DSP Evaluation Boards |
| Packaging | Box |
ATSAM4CP16C-EK Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for ATSAM4CP16C-EK. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4CP16C-EK is suitable for 6 applications: G3-PLC Smart Meter Prototyping, Smart Grid Concentrators and Data Collectors, Streetlight Control and PLC Gateways, Embedded Security and Crypto Firmware Development, Industrial IoT Node Prototyping, ARM Cortex-M4 Dual-Core Firmware Education.
G3-PLC Smart Meter Prototyping
The ATSAM4CP16C-EK is the reference platform for prototyping smart-meter firmware because its target MCU combines a G3-PLC modem covering CENELEC, ARIB and FCC profiles with a cryptographic engine for utility-grade authentication. The dual 120 MHz Cortex-M4 cores allow clean separation: one core runs the G3-PLC protocol stack while the other executes metering metrology code, with 1 MB Flash holding both stacks plus the bootloader. Engineers validate PLC physical-layer compliance and AES-based security on this board before porting to custom metering PCBs. The board's exposed peripherals let developers exercise the exact UART, GPIO and analog interfaces used in production meters, reducing rework during the custom hardware transition.
Recommended
Smart Grid Concentrators and Data Collectors
Neighborhood concentrators collect metering data from many meters over power-line communication, and the ATSAM4CP16C-EK lets developers prototype that head-end firmware. The G3-PLC modem supports all three regional profiles (CENELEC, ARIB, FCC), so a single validated code base can serve European, Japanese and North American deployments. The advanced cryptographic engine accelerates the certificate-based key exchange and AES encryption that G3-PLC mandates, keeping authentication overhead off the 120 MHz application cores. With 1 MB of embedded Flash and 128 KB of SRAM plus cache, the dual-core architecture buffers data-logger tables and handles backhaul concurrently. Firmware proven on this evaluation kit ports directly to ATSAM4CP16C-based concentrator hardware.
Recommended
Streetlight Control and PLC Gateways
Streetlight controllers frequently use power-line communication because existing cabling carries both power and data. The ATSAM4CP16C-EK provides the reference platform for developing such controllers: the G3-PLC modem handles robust communication across the lighting feeder network in CENELEC or FCC band plans, while the cryptographic engine secures on/off scheduling and dimming commands against tampering. One 120 MHz Cortex-M4 core manages the PLC stack and the second runs the lighting application logic, and 1 MB Flash stores schedules, logs and firmware-update images. Developers use this evaluation board to prove command latency and link reliability under realistic noise conditions before designing the lamp-driver interface PCB.
Recommended
Embedded Security and Crypto Firmware Development
Because the ATSAM4CP16C integrates an advanced cryptographic engine alongside dual Cortex-M4 cores, the evaluation board is a practical bench platform for developing and testing embedded security firmware such as secure bootloaders, key management and encrypted messaging. The cryptographic hardware offloads AES-class symmetric operations, letting engineers measure realistic throughput of authenticated-encryption pipelines rather than software-only estimates. The 1 MB Flash and 128 KB SRAM with cache accommodate a bootloader, application image and key storage in a single-chip configuration representative of deployed secure nodes. Teams validating G3-PLC's mandated security stack also use this board, since the PLC specification depends on the same cryptographic primitives exercised here.
Recommended
Industrial IoT Node Prototyping
Industrial IoT nodes that must communicate over existing power infrastructure benefit from the SAM4CP architecture demonstrated on this board. The G3-PLC modem transmits sensor and status data across factory power lines where wireless coverage is unreliable, supporting CENELEC, ARIB and FCC profiles for global deployments. The dual 120 MHz Cortex-M4 cores partition edge-processing tasks - one runs the communication stack, the other filters and aggregates sensor data - while the cryptographic engine protects payloads end to end. With 1 MB Flash, nodes store local buffering and OTA update images. Firmware prototyped on the ATSAM4CP16C-EK migrates directly into custom ATSAM4CP16C-based industrial nodes without silicon surprises.
Recommended
ARM Cortex-M4 Dual-Core Firmware Education
The ATSAM4CP16C-EK doubles as a teaching platform for dual-core embedded development. Students and engineers learn core-to-core communication, resource arbitration and real-time partitioning on two 120 MHz ARM Cortex-M4 processors sharing 1 MB Flash and 128 KB SRAM with on-chip cache. The PLC modem provides a motivating real-world workload - a complete G3-PLC protocol stack per the CENELEC/ARIB/FCC specification - that makes concurrency problems concrete rather than academic. The on-chip cryptographic engine additionally demonstrates hardware security acceleration, a topic increasingly required in industrial curricula. Because the board exposes the SAM4CP peripherals directly, laboratory exercises transition naturally from evaluation board to production-grade Cortex-M4 firmware design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4CP16C-EK β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAME54-XPRO | ATSAMR30-XPRO | ATSAMA5D2C-XULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package / Form Factor | Evaluation Board (Embedded MCU, DSP) | Evaluation Board (Embedded MCU, DSP) | Evaluation Board (Embedded MCU, DSP) | Evaluation Board (Embedded MCU, DSP) |
| Core | Dual-core ARM Cortex-M4 | Single-core ARM Cortex-M4F | ARM Cortex-M0+ plus SX1276 radio | ARM Cortex-A5 MPU |
| PLC / Wireless Connectivity | G3-PLC modem (CENELEC, ARIB, FCC) | No PLC modem | Sub-GHz RF (LoRa-class) | Ethernet / Wi-Fi via add-ons |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated G3-PLC modem with three regional profiles (vs ATSAME54-XPRO)
- Dual-core processing headroom (vs ATSAMR30-XPRO)
- Hardware cryptographic acceleration (vs ATSAMA5D2C-XULT)
Design Notes
The ATSAM4CP16C-EK is flagged obsolete in third-party comparison data (icdirectory.com), so do not design it into new production programs. Use remaining stock for legacy maintenance, firmware validation, or silicon bring-up only. Before purchasing, confirm availability at DigiKey (product 5056085), Mouser, or secondary distributors such as Jotrin Electronics and AIChipLink, and request XAIPART to verify stock before quoting. If PLC functionality is mandatory, securing existing ATSAM4CP16C-EK units is safer than substituting a different Microchip board, since no alternative replicates the G3-PLC modem.
When powering the evaluation board from an external bench supply, apply the voltage specified in the board-level user guide rather than assuming a 5 V input - kit-level supply tolerances are not captured in the device datasheet 00002301B, which covers only the MCU. The dual 120 MHz Cortex-M4 cores plus the active G3-PLC modem (especially during ARIB-band transmission) create dynamic current peaks; size the supply with margin and use short, low-resistance leads. Measure rail sag on the board during PLC transmission bursts before finalizing any custom PCB power design derived from this kit.
PLC development on this kit is sensitive to the AC mains coupling network between the board's PLC front-end and the line. Because the modem supports three band plans (CENELEC, ARIB, FCC), test with the coupling circuit appropriate to each regional profile - a coupling network tuned for CENELEC A-band will attenuate FCC-band signals. Keep test leads on the PLC interface as short as possible and verify the impedance network against the G3-PLC specification. Firmware-wise, run the PLC stack on one Cortex-M4 core and application logic on the other to prevent protocol timing jitter.
Compliance Information
No compliance data for the board was present in the provided sources; consult Microchip's product page for the ATSAM4CP16C-EK environmental documentation.