MSC8156AG1000B - 6x 1GHz StarCore DSP SoC | NXP (Freescale)
MPN: MSC8156AG1000B ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $321.74 | $321.74 |
| 10 | $295 | $2,950.00 |
| 50 | $268 | $13,400.00 |
| 100 | $245 | $24,500.00 |
| 250 | $218.5 | $54,625.00 |
MSC8156AG1000B Overview
What is a multi-core DSP SoC? A digital signal processor (DSP) is a specialized microprocessor whose architecture is optimized for the numeric throughput demanded by real-time signal processing. A system-on-chip (DSP SoC) integrates CPU cores, on-chip memory, peripherals, and often a hardware accelerator (such as MAPLE-B for forward-error-correction and turbo decoding) into a single die. Multi-core DSPs scale aggregate MIPS while keeping per-core clock rates modest, which simplifies thermal design and power-supply sequencing. The MSC8156 sits in the hierarchy: DSP -> multi-core DSP -> DSP SoC -> baseband processor -> semiconductor IC.
Key features include 6x SC3850 VLIW cores with 1 GHz clock each, MAPLE-B hardware accelerator for turbo/Viterbi decoding, dual SRIO lanes for chip-to-chip interconnect, dual PCIe Gen1 controllers, two GbE MACs, DDR2/DDR3 controller with ECC, 96 kB on-chip ROM, and a 0C to 90C commercial operating temperature range. The FCPBGA-783 package supplies a dense signal count while keeping board area manageable for line-card designs.
The device uses the SC3850 core, an enhanced StarCore VLIW engine that supports SIMD and packed-data operations, paired with the MAPLE-B coprocessor that offloads forward-error-correction, encryption, and packet-processing tasks. The architecture shares on-chip resources through a coherent crossbar, allowing the OS to schedule parallel tasks across all six cores.
Typical applications include 3G/4G wireless baseband processing, LTE eNodeB PHY-layer acceleration, high-density voice/media gateways, industrial multi-channel DSP cards. The MSC8156AG1000B's combination of MAPLE-B, SRIO fabric, and GbE ports suits it to remote radio heads and small-cell base stations where deterministic DSP latency is required.
Design consideration: this part is now in last-time-buy/obsolete status per the lifecycle note; verify NXP product longevity and second-source via authorized distributors such as Rochester Electronics before committing to new designs. Plan for thermal design at FCPBGA-783 with a heatsink and multi-layer PCB to meet the 1 GHz operating point.
This page synthesizes authorized distributor pricing, same-family drop-in variants, and design notes tailored to the MSC8156 platform that are not gathered in a single place on the NXP product page.
Drop-in alternatives for MSC8156AG1000B — 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 MSC8156AG1000B (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Ethernet, Hardware Accelerator, Package, Process Technology, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MSC8156ESAG1000B
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$112 / Unit
View Datasheet →MSC8156HAG1000B
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$198.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →MSC8156SAG1000B
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8256ETAG1000B
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8157EAG1000B
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8154EAG1000B
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MSC8156AG1000B Specifications
| Product Type | Multi-core DSP SoC |
| DSP Core | 6x StarCore SC3850 |
| Clock Rate (per core) | 1 GHz |
| Aggregate Throughput | ~ 6 GHz single-core equivalent |
| Process Technology | 45 nm |
| Hardware Accelerator | MAPLE-B (turbo/Viterbi/encryption) |
| Memory Controller | DDR2 / DDR3 with ECC |
| On-chip ROM | 96 kB |
| Serial RapidIO (SRIO) | 2x lanes |
| PCI Express | 2x Gen1 controllers |
| Ethernet | 2x Gigabit Ethernet MACs (GbE) |
| Peripheral Interfaces | I2C, SPI, UART/USART, PCI, RGMII, SGMII |
| Queue Manager | QF7 |
| Package | 783-FCPBGA, 29x29 mm |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +90C (commercial grade) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
MSC8156AG1000B 783-fcpbga, 29x29 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MSC8156AG1000B (783-fcpbga, 29x29 mm 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 MSC8156AG1000B.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MSC8156AG1000B is suitable for 6 applications: 3G/4G Wireless Baseband Processing, LTE eNodeB PHY-Layer Acceleration, High-Density Voice/Media Gateways, Industrial Multi-Channel DSP Cards, Remote Radio Head (RRH) Signal Processing, Medical Imaging Signal Processing.
3G/4G Wireless Baseband Processing
The MSC8156AG1000B is purpose-built for 3G/4G baseband PHY-layer processing in macro and small-cell base stations. Its six SC3850 cores at 1 GHz each deliver the aggregate MIPS required for multi-carrier channel decoding, while the MAPLE-B hardware accelerator offloads turbo/Viterbi FEC and encryption, freeing DSP cores for higher-layer signal processing. The dual SRIO interfaces connect to companion FPGA fabric for antenna-digitizer data paths, and the dual GbE MACs carry backhaul traffic. A 0-90C commercial temperature range suits outdoor remote radio heads with proper heatsinking.
Recommended
LTE eNodeB PHY-Layer Acceleration
In LTE eNodeB designs, the MSC8156AG1000B handles downlink/uplink PHY chains including FFT/iFFT, channel estimation, and MIMO detection across multiple antenna streams. The MAPLE-B accelerator's turbo-decoding capability directly meets 3GPP LTE turbo-code throughput targets, while six SC3850 cores run the receiver/signal-processing stack in parallel. The dual PCIe Gen1 controllers link to a host baseband card or system controller, and the DDR2/DDR3 controller with ECC supports the high-bandwidth sample buffers required for 20 MHz LTE carriers.
Recommended
High-Density Voice/Media Gateways
The MSC8156AG1000B's six-core architecture makes it a strong fit for high-density voice/media gateway line cards that must process hundreds of channels of VoIP, transcoding, and echo cancellation concurrently. Each SC3850 core runs a slice of the channel pool, while MAPLE-B accelerates SRTP/AES encryption for secure trunking. The dual GbE ports handle line-side and network-side traffic, and SRIO connects to neighboring DSP cards in the chassis for pool expansion. ECC-protected DDR2/DDR3 ensures the long uptime required by carrier-grade equipment.
Recommended
Industrial Multi-Channel DSP Cards
For industrial multi-channel DSP applications such as sonar arrays, vibration analysis, and high-channel-count data acquisition, the MSC8156AG1000B delivers six independent DSP processing pipelines within a single SoC, dramatically simplifying board layout versus six discrete DSPs. The SRIO fabric streams sample data from front-end ADCs to on-chip memory, while PCIe hosts the card in a CPU-based industrial PC. The 0-90C commercial temperature range and FCPBGA-783 package suit chassis-cooled ATCA or CompactPCI cards in factory-floor enclosures.
Recommended
Remote Radio Head (RRH) Signal Processing
Remote radio heads place the RF-to-baseband conversion and initial PHY processing close to the antenna mast, and the MSC8156AG1000B is well-suited for this role. Its 1 GHz per-core clock and MAPLE-B accelerator handle the digital predistortion, crest-factor reduction, and channel filtering required by modern RRH designs. The SRIO backhaul links the RRH to the baseband unit over fiber, while the GbE port carries management/CPRI traffic. The 45 nm process node keeps power dissipation manageable in sealed outdoor enclosures.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Signal Processing
In medical imaging modalities such as ultrasound and MRI, the MSC8156AG1000B's six SC3850 cores process beamformed RF data, image reconstruction, and real-time Doppler analysis in parallel. The MAPLE-B accelerator can be repurposed for medical-image compression and encryption, while the DDR2/DDR3 controller with ECC handles the large frame buffers required for high-resolution imaging. The dual GbE ports enable DICOM-network integration, and PCIe links the DSP card to the modality's host CPU. Strict compliance with IEC 60601 requires additional isolation design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MSC8156AG1000B — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MSC8156ESAG1000B | MSC8156HAG1000B | MSC8156SAG1000B | MSC8256ETAG1000B | MSC8157EAG1000B | MSC8154EAG1000B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) - same | 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm) - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) | NXP Semiconductors - same | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) - same | NXP Semiconductors (Freescale) - same | NXP Semiconductors - same | NXP Semiconductors - same | NXP Semiconductors - same |
| DSP Core Count | 6x SC3850 | 6x SC3850 | 6x SC3850 | 6x SC3850 | 6x SC3850 (enhanced) | 4x SC3850 (-33%) | 4x SC3850 (-33%) |
| Clock Rate (per core) | 1 GHz | 1 GHz | 1 GHz | 1 GHz | 1 GHz | 1 GHz | 1 GHz |
| MAPLE-B Accelerator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (enhanced) | Yes | Yes |
| Memory Controller | DDR2/DDR3 with ECC | DDR2/DDR3 with ECC | DDR2/DDR3 with ECC | DDR2/DDR3 with ECC | DDR3 (faster) | DDR2/DDR3 with ECC | DDR2/DDR3 with ECC |
| Serial RapidIO | 2x lanes | 2x lanes | 2x lanes | 2x lanes | 2x lanes (enhanced) | 2x lanes | 2x lanes |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +90C | 0C to +90C | 0C to +90C | 0C to +90C | 0C to +90C | 0C to +90C | 0C to +90C |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Active | Obsolete | Last-time-buy | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Six SC3850 VLIW cores with MAPLE-B accelerator on a single die (vs MSC8157EAG1000B (4-core derivative))
- Enhanced power-efficiency revision available in same footprint (vs MSC8156ESAG1000B)
- DDR2/DDR3 controller with ECC for carrier-grade reliability (vs Discrete multi-DSP card designs)
- MAPLE-B hardware accelerator for turbo/Viterbi decoding (vs Software-only FEC on competing DSPs)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 1 GHz per-core clock with all six SC3850 cores active and MAPLE-B loaded, typical junction power for the MSC8156 family is in the 8-12 W range. The 783-FCPBGA package requires a multi-layer PCB with a thermal via array under the die and an attached heatsink (forced-air cooling for sealed enclosures). Verify theta_JA from the NXP datasheet for your specific PCB stack-up and heatsink selection; commercial 0-90C operation demands junction temperature stay below 105C with adequate margin.
The 783-FCPBGA (29x29 mm, 1 mm pitch) demands a high-density PCB stack-up with microvia-in-pad construction, ENIG or ENEPIG surface finish, and controlled-impedance routing for SRIO, PCIe, and DDR2/DDR3 signals. DDR3 data rates in the MSC8156 family push to 800-1066 MT/s; follow the NXP hardware specification for trace length matching within the DDR3 byte lanes (typically +/- 25 mil tolerance on the matched pairs). Use a 6-8 layer stack-up with dedicated ground/power planes to control SSO and crosstalk on the high-speed SERDES lanes.
The MSC8156AG1000B is in last-time-buy / obsolete lifecycle - DO NOT start a new design without a long-term supply agreement via Rochester Electronics or a planned migration to the MSC8156ES/MSC8256 variants. The MAPLE-B firmware requires NXP-specific toolchain support (SC3850 compiler, SmartDSP OS) and is not interchangeable with TI C6x or ADI SHARC code. Power sequencing on the MSC8156 has a strict rail-ordering rule (core before IO) - violation can permanently damage the part.
The SRIO and PCIe SERDES lanes on the MSC8156 require AC-coupling capacitors on the transmit side and matched 100-ohm differential routing. Reference the NXP hardware specification for the SRIO reference clock jitter budget (typically 100 fs RMS max) and PCB stack-up recommendations. The GbE MACs need an external PHY with appropriate MII/RGMII/SGMII interface; SGMII requires the same SERDES AC-coupling discipline as SRIO/PCIe.
Estimated: at full load with all six cores active and DDR3 traffic, the MSC8156 pulls 3-5 A from the core rail (typically 1.0V) and 1-2 A from the DDR I/O rail (1.5V for DDR3). Use a multi-phase VRM with output voltage margining for core voltage and a separate low-noise LDO for the PLL analog rails. Decoupling: place 0.1 uF X7R capacitors at every four BGA balls plus bulk 22 uF/47 uF tantalum or polymer caps near the package perimeter per the NXP reference design.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free compliance data not present in the verified web data; consult NXP product page or contact NXP support for definitive compliance status. Part is not AEC-Q100 qualified (commercial 0-90C grade only).
