MCF5249LAG120 - ColdFire V2 32-bit 120MHz MCU 144-LQFP | NXP
MPN: MCF5249LAG120 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
MCF5249LAG120 Overview
A microcontroller of this class combines a RISC-style processor core, on-chip memory, and a rich peripheral set into a single integrated circuit, sitting within the embedded processor hierarchy: ColdFire V2 core -> ColdFire family -> 32-bit embedded microprocessor -> system-on-chip device. The MCF5249 belongs to NXP's MCF524x series of highly integrated microprocessors.
Key features include a ROMless architecture that executes code from external memory or the 96 KB internal SRAM, an enhanced multiply-accumulate unit benefiting digital signal processing, and audio-oriented functionality including an I2S serial audio interface with DMA support. Connectivity peripherals cover I2C, IDE, memory card, SPI, and UART/USART interfaces, with DMA, power-on reset (POR), watchdog timer (WDT), and serial audio peripherals on chip.
Technically, the ColdFire V2 core is a variable-length RISC instruction set (16/32/48-bit instructions) descended from the 68000 architecture, offering high code density. The integrated EMAC assists DSP arithmetic, while the audio block differentiates the MCF5249 from general-purpose ColdFire parts, making it well suited to embedded audio products.
Typical applications include portable and networked audio devices such as MP3 players, internet radios, and professional audio interfaces, plus industrial control and embedded systems requiring a compact 32-bit processor with strong audio and communication capabilities.
Design consideration: because the part is ROMless, board design must allocate external flash or SRAM and provide proper bus timing; firmware must be staged from external non-volatile memory at boot.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing context, drop-in alternatives, lifecycle status (End of Life per NXP), and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MCF5249LAG120 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MCF5249LAG120 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory Type, Part Status, Performance, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MCF5249LCAG120
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5249LAG140
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5249LPV120
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5249LCAG140
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5249LAG120 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ColdFire V2 |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Max Clock Speed | 120 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | ROMless |
| SRAM | 96 KB |
| Performance | Approx. 1.3 mW/MHz; ColdFire V2 family delivers over 125 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS @ 140 MHz |
| Connectivity | I2C, IDE, Memory Card, SPI, UART/USART |
| Peripherals | DMA, I2S, POR, Serial Audio, WDT |
| Package | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Series | MCF524x |
| Part Status | End of Life (not for new designs) |
MCF5249LAG120 144-lqfp (20x20 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MCF5249LAG120 (144-lqfp (20x20 mm) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for MCF5249LAG120.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MCF5249LAG120 is suitable for 6 applications: Portable Audio Players, Networked Audio / Internet Radio, Industrial Control Systems, Embedded Data Acquisition, Consumer Electronics Control Boards, Legacy System Maintenance and Continuation.
Portable Audio Players
The MCF5249LAG120 fits portable audio players because its enhanced multiply-accumulate unit accelerates codec processing while the 1.3 mW/MHz power profile - the lowest of any ColdFire device - extends battery life. The dedicated I2S serial audio interface with DMA streams samples to an external DAC without CPU intervention, sustaining 120 MHz playback headroom for MP3 and similar decode workloads. With 96 KB internal SRAM plus external flash, the design buffers audio data efficiently. Place the I2S bus on short traces to a low-noise DAC and keep the 144-LQFP ground plane continuous to minimize audible artifacts.
Recommended
Networked Audio / Internet Radio
For internet radios and networked audio, the MCF5249LAG120 pairs its 120 MHz ColdFire V2 core with UART/USART or SPI-connected network modules, using the DMA controller to move streams with minimal CPU load. The I2S interface feeds an external audio DAC while the enhanced EMAC handles decompression arithmetic. The ROMless architecture allows large firmware images in external flash with execution staged into the 96 KB SRAM for speed-critical routines. Design consideration: budget external memory bandwidth carefully at 120 MHz so streaming, network stack, and audio output share the bus without underrun.
Recommended
Industrial Control Systems
In industrial control, the MCF5249LAG120 provides a 32-bit ColdFire V2 processor with UART/USART, I2C, and SPI for PLC-style I/O communication, while the watchdog timer enforces safe recovery in unattended equipment. The 96 KB SRAM hosts control state machines and communication buffers, and DMA offloads serial transfers to keep loop timing deterministic at 120 MHz. Its 144-LQFP gull-wing package suits standard industrial SMT assembly. Because the part is EOL, new industrial designs should qualify the pin-compatible MCF5249LCAG120 lead-free variant and secure lifetime-buy inventory through authorized aftermarket channels.
Recommended
Embedded Data Acquisition
The MCF5249LAG120 serves as the processing engine in embedded data acquisition systems, where its DMA controller moves conversion results from an external ADC through the bus into SRAM without CPU polling, preserving throughput at 120 MHz. The IDE and memory-card interfaces provide local storage channels for logged data, and SPI/I2C handle configuration of precision converters. With the ROMless boot architecture, acquisition firmware can be field-updated by rewriting external flash. Design consideration: use short, matched SPI/I2S clock traces and solid decoupling on the 144-LQFP supply pins to keep converter noise low.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Control Boards
For consumer product control boards - appliances, remotes, small displays - the MCF5249LAG120 offers a compact single-chip 32-bit controller: UART/USART for host communication, I2C for touch or sensor chips, SPI for display drivers, and GPIO-multiplexed control I/O on the 144-LQFP package. The 120 MHz core provides ample headroom for UI, protocol, and housekeeping tasks, while POR and WDT support robust consumer-grade reliability. Although EOL, it remains viable for service and continuation builds; new consumer designs should instead select a flash-based ColdFire or ARM successor to avoid external boot memory cost.
Recommended
Legacy System Maintenance and Continuation
The most common modern use of the MCF5249LAG120 is sustaining legacy products that were designed around ColdFire V2 and cannot justify a redesign. Here the EOL status drives strategy: qualify the pin-compatible MCF5249LCAG120 as the lead-free drop-in, execute a lifetime buy of LAG or LCAG stock, and register with authorized aftermarket manufacturers such as Rochester Electronics and Flip Electronics, who supply authorized reproductions of the original part. Verify termination finish compatibility with your assembly line and re-run functional test suites, since software pinning (clock configuration, bus timing) remains identical across family variants.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MCF5249LAG120 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MCF5249LCAG120 | MCF5249LAG140 | MCF5249LCAG140 | MCF5249LPV120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP - same family footprint |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Core / Clock | ColdFire V2, 120 MHz | ColdFire V2, 120 MHz | ColdFire V2, 140 MHz | ColdFire V2, 140 MHz | ColdFire V2, 120 MHz |
| SRAM | 96 KB | 96 KB | 96 KB | 96 KB | 96 KB |
| Program Memory | ROMless | ROMless | ROMless | ROMless | ROMless |
| Lifecycle Status | End of Life | End of Life / verify per PCN | End of Life | End of Life | End of Life |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest power in the ColdFire family (vs Other ColdFire V2 devices)
- Integrated audio subsystem (vs MCF52258VN80 (flash ColdFire MCU))
- Pin-compatible RoHS continuation path (vs MCF5249LCAG120)
Design Notes
Because the MCF5249 is ROMless, boot failure is the most common pitfall: code executes from external flash, so bus timing registers must be initialized correctly by the boot code for the specific flash devices used. Verify flash access timing at 120 MHz with worst-case trace lengths, and confirm the chip-select and termination-finish variant (LAG vs LCAG) on every incoming lot, since EOL parts are frequently sourced from mixed inventory.
The ColdFire V2 core draws roughly 1.3 mW/MHz (estimated on-chip power around 156 mW at 120 MHz), but external flash and I/O switching dominate real system power. Decouple all 144-LQFP supply pin pairs with 0.1 uF ceramics placed within 2 mm, plus bulk capacitance near the package. [DATA_NEEDED: exact supply voltage rails per datasheet] - confirm core and I/O rail voltages in the MCF5249 reference manual before power-tree design.
Layout the 20x20 mm 144-LQFP with a continuous ground plane under the device; route the external memory bus as a group with length-matched traces, keeping clock lines shortest. Keep the I2S audio clock and data traces away from bus strobes to avoid coupling clicks into the audio path. For the audio output stage, reference the DAC ground at a single point near the MCF5249 ground pins to prevent ground-loop noise.
Lifecycle risk management: with NXP declaring End of Life, any continuation build should (1) execute a lifetime buy sized to forecast plus attrition, (2) qualify the pin-compatible MCF5249LCAG120 lead-free variant per the NXP replacement Product Change Notice, and (3) register with authorized aftermarket sources such as Rochester Electronics and Flip Electronics as a backup supply. Avoid unauthorized gray-market stock - counterfeit risk on EOL ColdFire parts is well documented.
Compliance Information
NXP product page lists an Environmental Quality section for this part; the lead-free RoHS variant is the MCF5249LCAG120, implying the standard LAG termination may not be lead-free. Verify on NXP's environmental documentation before export-controlled or RoHS-mandated builds.
