MCF5482CVR166 - ColdFire V4e 32-bit 166MHz MPU | NXP
MPN: MCF5482CVR166 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $87.5 | $87.50 |
| 10 | $83.12 | $831.20 |
| 100 | $78.75 | $7,875.00 |
| 500 | $74.38 | $37,190.00 |
| 1,000 | $70 | $70,000.00 |
MCF5482CVR166 Overview
A microprocessor unit (MPU) is the central processing element of an embedded system, sitting at the top of the embedded-controller hierarchy that also includes microcontrollers (MCU) and DSPs. The MCF5482 belongs to the MCF548x family, built on the ColdFire V4e core - a limited-superscalar 32-bit RISC architecture descended from the Motorola 68K lineage - with hardware memory management (MMU) and floating-point (FPU) units for running high-level operating systems such as Linux.
Key features include the 166 MHz V4e core delivering up to roughly 254 MIPS (Dhrystone, scaled from the 308 MIPS at 200 MHz family figure), rich connectivity peripherals including 10/100 Ethernet, CAN 2.0B, PCI controller, USB, and multiple serial interfaces (UART, I2C, SPI, DMA timers), plus a hardware encryption accelerator for secure networked control applications.
Technically, the MCF548x Harvard-architecture core separates instruction and data paths, and the integrated peripheral set consolidates bridge, networking, and control functions that would otherwise require external chips, reducing board space and BOM cost. The part is supplied in Tray packaging with 2.5V core and 3.3V I/O operation.
Typical applications include industrial networked control nodes, gateways and routers, medical instrumentation, and test-and-measurement equipment - anywhere Linux-class processing plus Ethernet/CAN/PCI connectivity is required.
Design consideration: this part is NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs) per the NXP product page; new designs should evaluate newer NXP or competitor MCUs, while the MCF548x remains valid for maintaining existing production.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible MCF547x/MCF548x family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for MCF5482CVR166 — 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 MCF5482CVR166 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Core Architecture, Encryption Accelerator, FPU, MMU.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MCF5482CVR200
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MCF5481CVR166
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$36.11 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5480CVR166
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$46.81 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5472ZP200
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$31.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5471VR200
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$26.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5475VR200
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$25.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5474ZP266
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$61.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →MCF5482CVR166 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ColdFire V4e (32-bit RISC) |
| Core Frequency | 166 MHz |
| Data Bus Width | 32 bit |
| MMU | Yes |
| FPU | Yes |
| Program Memory | ROMless (external memory required) |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| Package | 388-PBGA (27x27 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Connectivity | Ethernet, CAN, PCI, USB, UART, I2C, SPI |
| Security Feature | Hardware encryption accelerator |
| Product Series | MCF548x |
| Packaging | Tray |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs) |
| Peak Performance | Up to 308 MIPS at 200 MHz (family figure, Dhrystone) |
MCF5482CVR166 388-pbga (27x27 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MCF5482CVR166 (388-pbga (27x27 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 MCF5482CVR166.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MCF5482CVR166 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Networked Control, Network Gateways and Routers, Medical Instrumentation, Test and Measurement Equipment, Building Automation Controllers, Legacy Board Sustaining Engineering.
Industrial Networked Control
The MCF5482CVR166 fits industrial control nodes that must bridge factory Ethernet backbones with CAN-based field devices. Its 166 MHz ColdFire V4e core with MMU runs embedded Linux or RTOS stacks, while the integrated 10/100 Ethernet MAC, CAN 2.0B controllers, and hardware encryption accelerator eliminate external bridge chips. Placed on a board with external NOR flash and SDRAM on its bus interface, the processor consolidates protocol conversion, encryption (TLS/VPN at line rate via the security accelerator), and deterministic CAN traffic in one 388-pin PBGA. The 2.5V core and 3.3V I/O rails simplify power-tree design alongside standard industrial 3.3V logic.
Recommended
Network Gateways and Routers
For gateways and router products, the MCF5482CVR166 provides a single-chip datapath: dual-capable Ethernet MAC, PCI host interface for additional network silicon or Wi-Fi modules, USB, and UART management ports. The MMU supports full Linux network stacks with process isolation, and the encryption accelerator offloads IPsec/SSL from the 166 MHz core, preserving headroom for routing and firewall logic. The PCI interface is the key differentiator - designers can attach off-the-shelf mini-PCI radio cards, which was common in embedded router platforms of this generation. The ROMless architecture permits large firmware images in freely sized external flash.
Recommended
Medical Instrumentation
Medical devices such as patient monitors and diagnostic benches require both a real-time control domain and a user-interface/domain-computing domain; the MCF5482CVR166's MMU-equipped V4e core supports a Linux UI stack while the FPU handles signal-processing math in hardware floating point at 166 MHz. The encryption accelerator helps secure patient data on networked devices, supporting confidentiality requirements in connected hospital equipment. Its long-availability history makes it common in legacy medical platforms undergoing sustaining engineering; the pin-compatible MCF548x/MCF547x family lets manufacturers respin firmware without PCB changes when specific speed grades become scarce.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Bench instruments, protocol analyzers, and data acquisition mainframes benefit from the MCF5482CVR166's combination of PCI, Ethernet, USB, and high-speed serial interfaces around one 166 MHz V4e processor. The FPU accelerates calibration and DSP math, while the MMU allows the instrument's control firmware to run Linux with a graphical front panel. The PCI interface accommodates custom acquisition or generator cards inside the instrument chassis, and Gigabit-class backhaul is achievable via the encryption-free 10/100 MACs plus external PHYs. Firmware updates ship as flash images through Ethernet, exploiting the ROMless external-memory architecture.
Recommended
Building Automation Controllers
Building management controllers must converse simultaneously on Ethernet/IP with supervisory systems and on CAN or serial buses with field sensors and actuators - exactly the interface mix of the MCF5482CVR166, which integrates 10/100 Ethernet, CAN 2.0B, multiple UARTs, I2C and SPI in one chip. The V4e MMU supports BACnet/IP or LonWorks-over-IP stacks under Linux, while deterministic CAN handles MS/TP-class field traffic. The hardware encryption accelerator secures remote-management sessions. At 166 MHz on 2.5V/3.3V rails, thermal design in sealed DIN-rail enclosures is straightforward, typically needing only PCB copper as the heatsink.
Recommended
Legacy Board Sustaining Engineering
A principal ongoing use of the MCF5482CVR166 is sustaining shipping products designed in the 2005-2010 ColdFire era. Because NXP has marked the family NRND, reliability engineers qualify family alternatives against end-of-life risk: the MCF5482CVR200 and MCF5481CVR166 are same-footprint drop-ins, and MCF547x parts are pin-compatible per NXP documentation. A dual-source strategy - qualifying one higher-speed and one reduced-peripheral variant on the identical 388-pin PBGA land pattern - protects production lines without PCB respins. Firmware written for the V4e core ports unchanged; only peripheral-init code and clock configuration tables need review when speed grades change.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MCF5482CVR166 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MCF5482CVR200 | MCF5472ZP200 | MCF5474ZP266 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 388-PBGA (27x27 mm) | 388-PBGA (27x27 mm) - same | 388-PBGA - pin-compatible | 388-PBGA - pin-compatible |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Core Frequency | 166 MHz | 200 MHz | 200 MHz | 266 MHz |
| Core Architecture | ColdFire V4e with MMU + FPU | ColdFire V4e with MMU + FPU | ColdFire V4e with MMU + FPU | ColdFire V4e with MMU + FPU |
| CAN Peripherals | Yes (CAN 2.0B) | Yes (CAN 2.0B) | No | No |
| USB Peripherals | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Encryption Accelerator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- CAN 2.0B controllers integrated (vs MCF5472ZP200)
- USB connectivity (vs MCF5475VR200)
- Lower core frequency option saves power (vs MCF5474ZP266)
Design Notes
The MCF5482CVR166 requires dual rails: 2.5V for the core and 3.3V for I/O. Design the power tree so the core rail is valid before or simultaneously with I/O per the datasheet power-up sequencing requirements, typically using a supervisor or a dual-output PMIC with sequenced enable. Decouple each of the many BGA power balls with a distributed network - bulk 100uF tantalum plus 0.1uF and 0.01uF ceramics placed across the 27x27 mm ball field. Verify actual core current from the datasheet power tables for your peripheral utilization before sizing regulators.
A 388-ball 27x27 mm PBGA with 1.0 mm pitch requires at minimum 6 PCB layers to escape power, ground, and high-speed buses (PCI at 33/66 MHz, 10/100 Ethernet RMII/MII, SDRAM). Route PCI and SDRAM buses as length-matched groups per the datasheet layout guidelines. Provide via-in-pad or dog-bone fanout, and define ball A1 orientation clearly on the fab drawing - ColdFire BGAs use a corner-1 marker convention that differs across vendors.
This part is NRND: do not start new designs on it, and secure a last-time-buy or buffer stock before committing to it even for sustaining builds. Because the device is ROMless, verify your boot flash programming path (BDM/JTAG debug pod for the ColdFire family) remains available, as ColdFire toolchain support is declining. When substituting MCF547x parts, remember CAN and USB balls are repurposed - check every unused peripheral ball's alternate function in the datasheet ball-out tables.
Compliance Information
NXP product page lists an Environmental Quality section for this part; detailed RoHS/REACH strings were not captured in the verified data. Confirm on nxp.com/part/MCF5482CVR166 before compliance documentation.
