Analog Devices Blackfin, Getting Started

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Getting Started With Blackfin Processors 1-1
1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter briefly describes the Blackfin processor’s architecture and key
features and compares available models.
Topics include:
• “What are Blackfin Processors?” on page 1-1
• “Blackfin Processor Features” on page 1-22
• “Benchmarks Against Other Processors” on page 1-26
What are Blackfin Processors?
Blackfin processors from Analog Devices embody a new breed of
16/32-bit embedded processor with the industry’s highest performance
and power efficiency for applications where a convergence of capabilities
— multi-format audio, video, voice and image processing; multi-mode
baseband and packet processing; and real-time security and control pro-
cessing — are critical.
Blackfin processors deliver breakthrough signal processing performance
and power efficiency with a RISC programming model. Blackfin proces-
sors present high-performance, homogeneous software targets, which
allow flexible resource allocation between hard real-time processor tasks
and non real-time control tasks. System control tasks can often run in the
shadow of processor and video tasks.
Blackfin processors combine a 32-bit RISC instruction set, dual 16-bit
multiply/accumulate (MAC) digital signal processing functionality, and