Embedded Processor Watch

Editor: Cary D. Snyder

Contributors to this issue: Peter Glaskowsky, Markus Levy and Mark Long

In This Issue:

• BDTI Announces "Buyer's Guide to DSP Processors"
• Networking Gets XStream
• Embedded-Tidbits

BDTI Announces "Buyer's Guide to DSP Processors"

Berkeley Design Technology, Inc. (BDTI) announces publication of the fifth edition of its "Buyer's Guide to DSP Processors." The 2001 edition of "Buyer's Guide" contains analysis of 17 processor families, including TI's new 'C55xx and 'C64xx, ADI's ADSP-219x and TigerSHARC, and Motorola's DSP56800E and StarCore-based MSC8101. Details are available from BDTI at info@bdti.com or BDTI's Web site at www.BDTI.com.

Networking Gets XStream

Startup Debuts Simultaneous Multithreading in Network Processor

By Peter N. Glaskowsky {11/13/00-01}

At last month's Microprocessor Forum, XStream Logic described its new Dynamic Multistreaming (DMS) CPU architecture, which the company is developing for high-level network processing. The basis of DMS is simultaneous multithreading, a technique that first appeared at the Forum last year in Compaq's presentation on the Alpha 21464.

In some ways, the XStream effort is more impressive. Compaq plans to support four simultaneous threads in hardware; XStream will support eight. The Alpha chip is aimed at the high end of the server and workstation market, which can support very high chip prices; XStream is targeting more cost-sensitive networking products. And while the 21464 is not likely to appear until late in 2002, we expect XStream to announce chips next year.

Although XStream (www.xstreamlogic.com) has not released estimates for clock speeds, die sizes, or other implementation details, the company is setting its sights high. XStream expects to deliver processors suitable for handling Internet data at speeds up to 10Gb/s--the speed of an OC-192 fiber-optic link.

XStream has yet to demonstrate the superiority of the DMS architecture for networking--or for any other application--but DMS is clearly unique in the crowded network-processor market. Its programming model, in particular, appears to be substantially more straightforward than those of competing products. This advantage should be enough to give XStream a chance at success, despite the intense competition it faces. (The full version of this article is available online to Microprocessor Report subscribers at http://www.mdronline.com/mpr/h/2000/1113/144601.html )

PicoTurbo Takes a Bite Out of ARM

By Markus Levy {11/13/00-04}

PicoTurbo is still in a legal battle with ARM, but the company continues to move forward with new cores and new licensees. Its latest core, the pT-120, is some 60% faster than its previous core. In addition, the pT-120 contains support for the AMBA bus, a branch prediction unit, and an instruction fetch buffer to help boost clock rate. (The full version of this article is available online to Microprocessor Report subscribers at http://www.mdronline.com/mpr/h/2000/1113/144604.html )

Embedded Tidbits

By Mark Long {11/06/00-05}

* Cirrus Logic Unveils Communications Processor *

Cirrus Logic has introduced the CS89712 system-on-a-chip (SOC) for Internet communications appliances. This SOC combines a low-power 74MHz ARM720TDMI core with a 10Mb/s Ethernet controller (MAC and PHY) and other peripherals, including an SDRAM/flash/SRAM/ROM controller, LCD controller, two UARTs, infrared interface, on-chip boot ROM, and real-time clock. The CS89712 features an on-chip memory-management unit (MMU), 8K of cache, and 48K of SRAM. The chip also offers an embedded in-circuit emulator and silicon debug support via a JTAG port. The CS89712 will be available for sampling in December at a price of $27 each in 10,000-unit quantities. For more information: www.cirrus.com.

* Qualcomm Intros High-Speed Data Chip Set *

Qualcomm has introduced the MSM5500 high-capacity wireless data chip set based on the 1x Evolution (1xEV) standard. The 1xEV standard defines a spectrally efficient 1.25MHz channel to provide a peak data throughput of 2.4Mb/s on the forward link. The chip set, which is backward compatible with IS-95 CDMA systems, also supports cdma2000 1x. In addition, the MSM5500 chip set incorporates dual-receive chain diversity for enhancing data throughput. The MSM5500 system software provides Bluetooth, gpsOne, and SnapTrack position location capabilities. Multimedia features are also incorporated through a Qtunes MP3 player and Compact Media Extension (CMX) MIDI-based software. Qualcomm's MSM5500 chip set and system software will begin sampling in 2Q01, with volume production set for 3Q01. For more information: www.qualcomm.com.

* Motorola Previews 3G Wireless DSP *

Motorola has unveiled a StarCore-based DSP, the MSC8102, that integrates four 300MHz SC140 extended cores, a multilevel memory hierarchy, high-speed serial communications interfaces, a flexible system-interface unit, and a multichannel DMA engine with 11.5Mb of on-chip SRAM (see MPR 5/10/99-03, "StarCore Reveals Its First DSP"). Delivering 4800 MMACS, the MSC8102 DSP supports as many as eight ADSL channels; more than 60 universal channels (voice/fax/modem); and more than 80 compressed voice channels with carrier-class echo cancellation, or 600 noncompressed (G.711) voice channels, while dissipating 1.6W at 300MHz. The DSP begins sampling in 3Q01 at an estimated price of $181 in 10,000-unit quantities. For more information: www.motorola-dsp.com.

* Red Hat Intros Embedded Debug/Bootstrap Environment *

Red Hat has introduced a standardized embedded debug and bootstrap environment called RedBoot (Red Hat Embedded Debug and Bootstrap) that provides firmware for running and debugging eCos, GNUPro applications, and embedded Linux systems on embedded target platforms such as ARM, Hitachi SHx, MIPS, MN10300, PowerPC, v850, and Intel x86. Based on the eCos hardware abstraction layer (HAL), RedBoot offers support for downloading debugging GNUPro and eCos applications; flash and network booting of the Linux kernel; and remote downloading, updating, and erasing of multiple flash boot images. RedBoot enhances the use of Red Hat GNUPro development tools by providing a target side hook, called a "stub," that allows the GNU debugger to communicate with applications running on the target board. For more information: www.redhat.com.