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[FAQ] PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X: AM64x/AM243x SR 2.0 Device Type Transition

Part Number: PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X

If you you are having trouble booting an AM64x or AM243x based board with Processor or MCU+ SDK v8.4, please see the below information.

Overview

With the production release of Silicon Release 2.0 (SR 2.0) of the AM64x/AM243x product families, the default device type is changing from General Purpose (GP) to High Security – Field Securable (HS-FS). HS-FS devices allow customers to enable security (for example, secure boot) if/when needed in their development flows. This change better prepares AM64x/AM243x based designs to easily enable security in a world of connected devices, growing threats, and developing standards. SR 1.0 devices, which were pre-production, are most likely GP devices. Therefore, existing SR 1.0 designs in development will need to change to SR 2.0 material to go to full volume production. This guide provides a short overview of this process and pointers to additional information. For more information about the differences between SR 1.0 and SR 2.0, please see the AM64x/AM243x Processor Silicon Revision 1.0, 2.0.

SR 1.0 GP devices and SR 2.0 HS-FS devices require different builds of the system firmware software component provided in AM64x/AM243x software packages (Software Development Kits). Software built for SR 1.0 GP devices will NOT boot on SR 2.0 HS-FS devices. The support for SR 2.0 HS-FS devices is added in the 8.4 version of the AM64x Software Development Kits (SDKs) and the AM243x MCU+ SDK. With this version, released at the end of September 2022, the system firmware can be built for both types of devices. Given their pre-production nature, support for SR 1.0 GP devices will be removed over time, and SR 2.0 HS-FS devices will be the only devices supported in the future.

Starting with v8.4, the SDKs provide board binaries for TI Evaluation Modules (EVMs) and Starter Kits (SKs), as well as the ability to build the proper device type support for custom builds on either TI boards or custom boards. The default images provided with this SDK will not boot on SR 1.0 devices without slight modifications. Those interested in evaluating SR 2.0 and HS-FS will need to migrate from previous versions of the SDKs to this new version or later. With support for both device types, evaluation can continue on SR 1.0 GP devices and preparations can be made to switch to production SR 2.0 HS-FS devices with minimal changes. These changes are covered in detail in the Processor SDK for Linux migration guide, the AM64x MCU+ SDK migration guide, or AM243x MCU+ SDK migration guide.

How to Determine Silicon Revision 

Since it is necessary to know the silicon revision of the device(s) for which software is being built, here is some information to help determine the revision number of the targeted board or device. At a high level, the orderable part number (OPN) for the devices change from ‘A’ to ‘B’, and this is reflected on the part markings on the top of the device. The SR 1.0 devices also included an ‘X’ at the start of the part numbers. For example, an XAM6442A marked part is SR 1.0, and an AM6442B marked part is SR 2.0. More information is included below.

TI Evaluation Modules 

Like the devices, the OPNs for the evaluation modules (EVMs and Starter Kits (SKs)) are changing to reflect the change to SR 2.0. The OPN for the AM64x Evaluation Module is changing from AM64GPEVM to AM64EVM (note the ‘GP’ is removed) for SR 1.0 to SR 2.0. The Starter Kit (SK) OPN is changing from SK-AM64 to SK-AM64B. The OPN is printed on the top side of the board with a white label and black text next to an ‘OPN’ silkscreen. If the OPN on the board is not available, the part symbolization information below can be used to identify the device type.

Device Nomenclature and Part Symbolization 

As indicated above, the OPNs are changing from SR 1.0 to SR 2.0 and this change will be reflected on the part symbolization on top of the device as well. For a custom board, this marking will be the most reliable way to identify the silicon revision of the device on the board. More information about the device symbolization can be found in the AM64x SitaraTm Processors datasheet and the AM243x SitaraTm Microcontrollers datasheet.

For reference, here is an example part symbolization for a SR 1.0 device:

+-------------------+  \T/ = TI LOGO                                  
|                   |  SITARA = MARKET IDENTIFIER                         
| \T/      SITARA   |                                                        
|                   |                                                        
| XAM6442A          |  XAM6442A = PART NUMBER (Left Justified)                      
| SFGGAALV          |  SFGGAALV = ADD ON MARKING (Left)                    
| YMPLLLS           |                                                        
| YYY     @  G1     |   YM = YEAR MONTH DATE CODE                     
|                   |    P = SECONDARY SITE CODE FOR SCK              
| O                 |  LLL = ASSEMBLY LOT CODE                        
\-------------------+    S = PRIMARY SITE CODE FOR SCK                
  O - Pin 1            YYY = DEVICE IDENTIFIER                        
     (MARKED)            @ = 1 CHARACTER SUBSTRATE IDENTIFIER         
                                   S - SEMCO                              
                                   D - DAEDUCK                                                                        

                        G1 = ECAT; Must be symbolized with            
a solid underscore  

A few things to note:

  • Left justification for the part number
  • Part number start with an ‘X’
  • Part number ends with an ‘A’

Here is an example part symbolization for a SR 2.0 device:

+-------------------+  \T/ = TI LOGO                                   
|                   |  SITARA = MARKET IDENTIFIER
| \T/      SITARA   |                                                        
|     AM6442B       |  AM6442B  = PART NUMBER (Centered)           
|     SEFHAALV      |  SEFHAALV = ADD ON MARKING (Centered)           
|     YMPLLLS       |                                                        
|  YYY       G1     |   YM = YEAR MONTH DATE CODE                      
|                   |    P = SECONDARY SITE CODE FOR SCK               
|                   |  LLL = ASSEMBLY LOT CODE                         
| O                 |    S = PRIMARY SITE CODE FOR SCK                 
\-------------------+  YYY = DEVICE IDENTIFIER                         
  O - Pin 1             G1 = ECAT; Must be symbolized with             
     (MARKED)                      a solid underscore           

A few things to note:

  • Center justification for the part number
  • Part number starts with an ‘AM’
  • Part number ends with an ‘B’

Device Type Determination by Software

It is also possible to determine the device type with software and output from the console UART port. These steps are documented in the AM64x Processor SDK Security documentation.

Additional Resources:

Processor SDK for Linux migration guide

AM64x MCU+ SDK migration guide

AM243x MCU+ SDK migration guide

AM64x SR 2.0 Starter Kit (SK)

AM64x SR 2.0 Evaluation Module (EVM)

AM64x/AM243x Processor Silicon Revision 1.0, 2.0