Embedded Processor Watch

Editor: Tom Halfhill

In This Issue:

• AMD Teaches Old Core New Tricks
• New TriMedia Chips Come With New Roadmap
• Industry Resources: Embedded News at Microprocessor Forum
• Embedded IC Announcements

AMD Teaches Old Core New Tricks

AMD has announced the Elan SC520, the first in a new series of its x86-based processors for embedded applications. Although the SC520 is based on the same 5x86 (actually a 486) core as previous 4xx-series Elan chips, it adds an FPU, twice as much primary cache (16K), and a new debug unit. AMD plans to offer the SC520 in two speed grades -- 100 and 133 MHz -- and will sample the chips in 4Q99, with production following in 1Q00.--T.R.H. (The full version of this article appeared in the September 13 issue of Microprocessor Report.)

New TriMedia Chips Come With New Roadmap

Philips has announced two new members of its TriMedia family of media processors. The NX-2600 and NX-2700 are the first in the new Nexperia line, though they lack what will be the most important element of future Nexperia chips -- an integrated MIPS processor core to offload conventional processing tasks from the multimedia-optimized VLIW engine. The two new chips were known as the TM-2SD and TM-2HD on Philips's previous TriMedia roadmaps. Both are aimed at the consumer HDTV market and can decode all of the ATSC standard formats.--Peter N. Glaskowsky (The full version of this article appeared in the September 13 issue of Microprocessor Report.)

Industry Resources: Embedded News at Microprocessor Forum

Reserve time on your calendar for the 12th annual Microprocessor Forum, October 4-8, 1999, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. The two-day conference will include the first disclosures of more than 15 microprocessors, including new embedded chips and cores from IBM, Hitachi, STMicroelectronics, Mips Technologies, and National Semiconductor.

IBM will announce a new embedded PowerPC processor; Hitachi and ST will describe their jointly designed 64-bit SH-5 architecture; Mips will reveal its first MIPS64 cores; and National will disclose more details about its Geode SC1400 "information appliance on a chip." Other companies will describe new DSPs, 3D-graphics accelerators, and media processors.

For those interested in PC processors, Intel will reveal the microarchitecture of Merced, its first IA-64 processor, and RISC vendors will disclose the new processors and techniques they will use to distinguish their offerings. In addition, the seminar program includes six seminars on PC processors, IA-64, 3D graphics, embedded processors, and DSPs. For more information and to register, go to http://www.MDRonline.com/q/mpf/ or call 800.700.4004 or 707.824.4004.

Embedded IC Announcements

Embedded IC Announcements V380SDC-75LP (V3 Semiconductor): a memory controller for embedded systems that supports up to 2 Gbytes of SDRAM or enhanced SDRAM at bus speeds of up to 75 MHz. Works with DIMMs, SODIMMs, and other memory packages; offered in a 100-pin PQFP. Price: $7.10/10,000; samples: 10/99; production: 4Q99. Call V3 Semiconductor at 800.488.8410 or go to http://www.v3semiconductor.com/.