New Tsi108A(TM) offers best system performance-per-watt and best system
performance-per-dollar
OTTAWA, June 16 /CNW Telbec/ - Tundra Semiconductor Corporation (TSX:
TUN), the leader in System Interconnect, today extended its leadership host
bridge family for PowerPC to include dual processor support and power
management features. With best system performance, best system cost, best
system power, and best signal integrity, the Tundra Tsi108A also features
integrated spread spectrum clock generation and DDR2 memory support.
Closely following the launch of the Tsi108(TM) in March, the Tsi108A is
the latest addition to Tundra's growing portfolio of host bridges for PowerPC
that deliver industry-leading system performance, power and cost for customers
in the communications, pervasive computing, military, and industrial
automation markets. Building on a decade of investment and expertise in
PowerPC, Tundra host bridges, which include among others the Tsi106(TM),
Tsi107(TM) and Tsi108, are the industry's leading companion chips for
Freescale Semiconductor and IBM's high performance PowerPC processors.
Increased Performance and Functionality while Offering the Industry's
Best System Power and Cost Host bridges interconnect PowerPC processors with
subsystems, and are a critical component in embedded designs. The ideal
companion chip for both Freescale MPC74xx and IBM PPC 750xx PowerPC
processors, the Tsi108A is an advanced host bridge with patent-pending
technology. Capable of supporting two processors and operating up to 200MHz,
designers gain exceptional increases in performance as well as a high level of
configurability with the Tsi108A.
The Tsi108A joins the Tsi108 as the only host bridges for PowerPC to
offer DDR2 memory support. With projected cost savings and power savings of up
to 50 percent compared with DDR memory, DDR2 also offers other significant
advantages such as ease of design and enhanced signal integrity and
reliability benefits. The Tsi108A follows in the footsteps of the Tsi108 with
a focus on offering best signal integrity benefits to customers. The Tsi108A
packaging, ball map, and I/O features were all designed with signal integrity
in mind to ease the challenge of high-speed designs faced by customers. Prior
to designing with the Tsi108 and Tsi108A, designers faced challenges in
achieving reliable high-speed operation in their PowerPC-based designs.
For demanding low power and cost sensitive applications such as mid to
high-end printers, the Tsi108A is the perfect choice. With low active power
and integrated features such as clock generation and DDR2 memory support, the
Tsi108A offers customers best system performance-per-watt as well as best
system performance-per-dollar. And with power management features necessary to
meet the stringent idle power requirements of printer and other pervasive
computing applications, the Tsi108A is a key component in addressing the low
power requirements of these designs.
Tsi108A Well Received By Industry
"Tundra's host bridge portfolio integrates seamlessly with our MPC74xx
high-performance PowerPC processors to reduce customer system power while
increasing performance," said Glenn Beck, Marketing Director for Freescale
Semiconductor's Computing Platforms Division. "The new Tsi108 and Tsi108A host
bridges enable even more design flexibility for our embedded networking
customers and open up possibilities for pervasive computing applications such
as printers and servers."
"Tundra's launch of both the Tsi108 and Tsi108A companion chips aligns
with IBM's high performance 750FL and 750GL PowerPC processors. When combined,
these technologies provide system designers with building blocks to design
optimized systems for a range of power and cost sensitive applications," said
Ted Johnson, Marketing Manager, IBM's PowerPC Products. "Tundra's latest
addition demonstrates their leadership and investment in advancing the Power
Architecture technology worldwide."
Tsi108A Availability
The Tundra Tsi108A host bridge will be available September 2005 for
sampling through Tundra's worldwide sales network. Documentation, including
ordering information, reference diagrams, software drivers, user manuals and
other support material is available at www.tundra.com .
Tsi108A Product Description
Host bridges (also referred to as system controllers) interconnect
PowerPC processors and major subsystems such as memory, graphics and
input/output (I/O) peripherals. The Tundra Tsi108A host bridge supports PCI-X,
DDR2 Memory, Gigabit Ethernet and other I/O. Designed in close collaboration
with Freescale and IBM, leaders in the PowerPC processor market, this host
bridge optimizes overall system performance, power and cost. With over ten
years of investment and experience supporting PowerPC-based designs, System
Interconnect for PowerPC is one of Tundra's key product lines. The portfolio
includes the QSpan(TM) II PowerQUICC(TM)-to-PCI Bridge, the PowerSpan(TM) II
Multi-port PCI Bus switch, the PowerPro(TM) Memory Controller for PowerPC, and
the Tsi106(TM), Tsi107(TM) and Tsi108(TM) host bridges for PowerPC.
Industry's Best System Power
- Superior power management of processors and memory devices
- 2.5W typical power consumption with all ports operating at maximum
speed (3.7W maximum)
- DDR2 Memory Controller (up to 50% memory power savings compared to
DDR)
- Integrated Clock Generator removes power requirement of external
components
Industry's Best System Cost
- DDR2 Memory Controller - cost savings projected over DDR by Q1'06
- Integrated Clock Generator with optional Spread Spectrum capability
- Removes cost, power, and design complexity associated with
external clock generation and buffering
- Reduced design complexity and high reliability design for lower
PCB costs
- Designed for 200MHz operation with only 8 PCB layers
Industry's Highest Performance
- Best System Performance per Watt
- Best System Performance per Dollar
- 200 MHz 60x/MPX processor bus
- Dual CPU support
- Advanced pipeline architecture
- Low CPU memory latency
- High performance PCI/X bus, up to 133-MHz operation
- PCI/X Host or Agent modes supported
- Low latency non-blocking internal switch fabric
Advanced Packaging
- RoHS compliant packaging
- 1023-pin, 33x33 mm, FCBGA
- Pin compatible with Tsi108
About Tundra
Tundra Semiconductor Corporation delivers standards-based System
Interconnect for use by the world's leading communications, networking,
storage system, and information technology vendors. Tundra System Interconnect
allows customers to link critical system components while compressing
development cycles and maximizing performance. Applications include wireless
infrastructure, storage networking, network access, military use, industrial
automation, and information technology. For more information, please visit
www.tundra.com .
TUNDRA is a registered trademark of Tundra Semiconductor Corporation
(Canada, U.S. and U.K.). TUNDRA, the Tundra logo, Qspan, PowerSpan, PowerPro,
Tsi106, Tsi107, Tsi108 and Tsi108A are trademarks of Tundra Semiconductor
Corporation. Other registered and unregistered trademarks are the property of
their respective owners. The PowerPC name, Power Architecture name, and the
PowerPC logotype are trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation, used under license therefrom.
(C) Copyright 2005 Tundra Semiconductor Corporation. All rights reserved.
Information subject to change without notice.
