MSC8101VT1250F - SC140 DSP, 250MHz, 332-FCBGA | NXP
MPN: MSC8101VT1250F ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 500 | $105 | $52,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $92 | $92,000.00 |
MSC8101VT1250F Overview
A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is a specialized microprocessor whose architecture is optimized for numeric-intensive, real-time computations such as FIR/IIR filtering, FFTs, viterbi decoding, and channel equalization. Unlike a general-purpose microcontroller, a DSP typically features a single-cycle multiplier-accumulator (MAC), wide register files, and zero-overhead looping. The SC140 is a StarCore family member that adds VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word) execution, allowing up to four parallel operations per cycle, placing SC140 parts above classical single-issue DSPs and below dedicated FPGA fabric in the compute-density hierarchy.
Key specifications observed in distributor listings for this part include a 250 MHz core clock, 16-bit native ALU width with 64-bit extension (per manufacturer product taxonomy), the 332-FCBGA 17x17 mm package, and a peak reflow tolerance of 30 seconds. The MSC8101 family targets telecom infrastructure and is widely recognized in the StarCore SC140 DSP product line. Operating voltage is typically 1.5 V core and 3.3 V I/O for this device family (per StarCore SC140 datasheet conventions).
Architecturally, the MSC8101VT1250F integrates the SC140 core with dedicated on-chip SRAM, a high-bandwidth bus, and a multi-channel DMA engine to offload data movement from the core. This permits concurrent data ingress/egress and compute without stalling the DSP pipeline, improving sustained throughput versus designs that rely on the core for memory accesses.
Typical applications include UMTS/3G Node B channel cards, media gateways, voice-over-IP transcoders, and baseband processing in wireless basestation line cards. The FCBGA package also makes it suitable for high-density compute blades where board space is at a premium and thermal copper pour is essential for heat removal.
When designing with this BGA device, plan PCB layout around the 17x17 mm land pattern with via-in-pad or microvia escape routing, and ensure 4-layer minimum stack-up with dedicated ground/power planes. The 30-second peak reflow tolerance requires a standard Pb-free SAC profile.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory, lifecycle indications, application guidance, and a package-aware comparison that is not found in any single distributor or manufacturer page.
Drop-in alternatives for MSC8101VT1250F — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MSC8101VT1000F
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8101VT1200F
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8122VT4800V
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8122TVT4800V
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8101VT1250F Specifications
| Core Architecture | StarCore SC140 VLIW DSP |
| Core Clock Frequency | 250 MHz |
| ALU Width (Native) | 16-bit |
| ALU Width (Extended) | 64-bit |
| Package | 332-FCBGA (17x17 mm) |
| Terminal Form | BALL |
| Number of Terminals | 332 |
| Package Code | FBGA |
| Package Shape | SQUARE |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Peak Reflow Temperature Tolerance | 30 s (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| Process Technology | CMOS (per StarCore SC140 family) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.5 V (typical for SC140 family) |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 3.3 V (typical for SC140 family) |
MSC8101VT1250F square Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MSC8101VT1250F (square package). Pin numbering, functions, and connection diagrams are defined in the manufacturer datasheet. Refer to it for the exact footprint and soldering guidelines.
No detailed pinout data available for MSC8101VT1250F.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MSC8101VT1250F is suitable for 6 applications: UMTS/3G Node B Channel Card, Media Gateway / VoIP Transcoder, Baseband Processing Line Card, Multi-Channel Modem Concentrator, Industrial Image Processing Compute, Audio/Multimedia DSP Coprocessor.
UMTS/3G Node B Channel Card
The MSC8101VT1250F is well suited to UMTS/3G Node B channel card baseband processing. Its StarCore SC140 VLIW core at 250 MHz sustains up to four parallel MAC operations per cycle, supporting multi-channel rake finger processing and turbo decoding. Compared with single-issue DSPs of the same clock, the SC140 VLIW reduces per-channel MIPS requirements and lets designers pack more users per blade. Per NXP SC140 family application notes, on-chip DMA offloads memory traffic, allowing concurrent ingress/egress and compute without core stalls. The 332-FCBGA 17x17 mm package enables the high component density required for multi-channel line cards; copper pour thermal management is mandatory at sustained load.
Recommended
Media Gateway / VoIP Transcoder
Voice-over-IP gateways and media transcoders rely on the MSC8101VT1250F for G.711/G.723/G.729 vocoder density. At 250 MHz the SC140 core can sustain hundreds of concurrent compressed-voice channels, lowering per-channel power versus generic RISC processors. The on-chip DMA engine handles Ethernet ingress/egress autonomously, freeing the core for voice codec computation. Power envelope is dominated by core clock; the 1.5 V core rail is supplied from a high-efficiency switching regulator with output ripple well within StarCore SC140 tolerance. Per NXP media-gateway reference designs, MSC8101 populates channel densities that legacy 56300 DSPs cannot match within the same PCB footprint.
Recommended
Baseband Processing Line Card
Baseband line cards in wireless basestation infrastructure benefit from the MSC8101VT1250F's combination of SC140 MAC throughput and DMA-driven memory bandwidth. The DSP can sustain simultaneous uplink scrambling, channel decoding, and CRC validation tasks with deterministic latency, which is critical for 3GPP fronthaul timing budgets. Because the device targets telecom-grade reliability, the 332-FCBGA package is qualified for industrial-temperature operation (verify exact grade against the datasheet). For card-level thermal design, the FCBGA's central die is best cooled by a copper coin or heatsink interface per NXP FCBGA layout guidelines.
Recommended
Multi-Channel Modem Concentrator
Multi-channel modem DSLAM line cards and channelized T1/E1 line interfaces leverage the MSC8101VT1250F for per-channel echo cancellation, equalization, and codec functions. The SC140 VLIW issue rate delivers the per-channel MIPS headroom needed for adaptive filters without dropping channels under burst load. The DMA controller enables concurrent sampling-rate conversion across many T1/E1 spans without CPU intervention. Verify AC-coupling and clock-tree jitter against the manufacturer's reference schematic when porting firmware from 56300-family designs, as timing primitives differ between SC140 and 56300 cores.
Recommended
Industrial Image Processing Compute
Although primarily a telecom part, the MSC8101VT1250F appears in industrial inspection and machine-vision compute blades where its SC140 MAC throughput suits real-time 2D filtering and FFT-based feature extraction. Per NXP application notes, SC140 libraries include optimized FFT kernels competitive with discrete FPGA implementations on small windows. The 332-FCBGA 17x17 mm footprint suits vision compute boards where each square centimeter is allocated to a high-MIPS DSP. Industrial users must qualify the part for their ambient temperature range given the device's telecom-targeted speed grade.
Recommended
Audio/Multimedia DSP Coprocessor
Pro-audio and broadcast audio equipment uses the MSC8101VT1250F as a coprocessor for AES/EBU decoding, sample-rate conversion, and FIR crossover networks. The SC140 single-cycle MAC suits long-tap FIR filters, while the DMA engine handles multi-channel audio streaming. The 332-FCBGA package integrates cleanly into 6U/3U audio processing cards where thermal copper pour is plentiful. Because the part is now obsolete, audio OEMs considering new designs should evaluate modern SC3850 or SHARC+ families for sustained supply, using MSC8101 only for sustaining legacy systems per NXP migration guidance.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MSC8101VT1250F — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MSC8101VT1000F | MSC8101VT1200F | MSC8122VT4800V | MSC8122TVT4800V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 332-FCBGA (17x17 mm) | 332-FCBGA (17x17 mm) - same | 332-FCBGA (17x17 mm) - same | 332-FCBGA (17x17 mm) - same | 332-FCBGA (17x17 mm) - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors (formerly Freescale) | NXP Semiconductors - same | NXP Semiconductors - same | NXP Semiconductors - same | NXP Semiconductors - same |
| Core Clock | 250 MHz | 1.0 GHz | 1.2 GHz | 480 MHz | 480 MHz |
| DSP Core | StarCore SC140 VLIW | StarCore SC140 VLIW - same | StarCore SC140 VLIW - same | StarCore SC140 VLIW - same | StarCore SC140 VLIW - same |
| ALU Width (Native) | 16-bit | 16-bit | 16-bit | 16-bit | 16-bit |
| Multi-Core | Single-core | Single-core | Single-core | 4x SC140 cores | 4x SC140 cores |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Typical Application | UMTS channel card, media gateway | High-density basestation | High-density basestation | Multi-channel base station | Multi-channel base station |
Key Differentiators
- Pin-compatible multi-core upgrade path within same 332-FCBGA footprint (vs MSC8122VT4800V)
- Lower speed but firmware-validated typical implementation (vs MSC8101VT1000F)
- VLIW single-core balance suits deterministic single-channel designs (vs MSC8122 multi-core)
Design Notes
The 332-ball FCBGA at 17x17 mm demands a 4-layer minimum PCB stack-up with dedicated ground and power planes. Use microvia escape (8-mil laser via) or via-in-pad to fan out the inner BGA rows. Match trace impedance to 50 ohm single-ended on high-speed interfaces. Estimated BGA pitch from typical 17 mm / 332-ball packages is roughly 0.8 mm; verify with the package outline in the datasheet.
At sustained 250 MHz SC140 load, the FCBGA die dissipates several watts. Estimated: with theta_JA of ~15 C/W on a standard 4-layer board, a 3 W load yields a 45 C junction rise above ambient - within industrial limits but verifying the actual theta_JA against the NXP package thermal model is critical before locking the thermal design. Add a copper coin or top-side heatsink for high-altitude deployments.
StarCore SC140 firmware is not portable to Freescale 56300 or NXP QorIQ without source-level porting. The MSC8101 family is obsolete, so firmware fixes and validation must be backed up internally before last-time-buy stock is exhausted. Verify exact supply-rail tolerances against the datasheet - the family typically requires 1.5 V core and 3.3 V I/O with strict sequencing.
Memory interfaces on the MSC8101VT1250F typically use HSTL/SSTL signaling. Length-match DDR-type byte lanes within ~25 mil and provide proper termination at the memory end. Series damping resistors may be needed on heavily-loaded address buses to reduce ringing. JTAG signals should be guarded against noise with ground stitching to ease boundary-scan diagnostics.
Compliance Information
Compliance status for MSC8101VT1250F was not present in the verified distributor listings (DigiKey, Octopart, Rochester). The 332-FCBGA package uses SAC-compatible lead-free reflow up to 30 seconds per the manufacturer listing. AEC-Q100 qualification is not applicable for a telecom DSP. Verify RoHS/REACH against the manufacturer datasheet before new design sign-off.
