OTTAWA, May 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Tundra Semiconductor Corporation (TSX:TUN), the leader in System Interconnect, today announced sampling of the Tundra Tsi568A serial RapidIO switch. Launched in February 2005, the Tsi568A is the industry's leading serial RapidIO switch, delivering the performance, power and configurability that embedded designers need to build reliable, high-speed communications systems in wireless infrastructure, networking and emerging architectural standards, such as Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (AdvancedTCA). Designers can now order samples of the Tsi568A enabling them to enhance embedded designs using the RapidIO interconnect standard. Supported by the Tundra reputation for industry leading support tools, designers can evaluate the Tsi568A features, facilitate their product development as well as shorten their time-to-market. The Tsi568A interconnects serial RapidIO enabled processors and peripheral devices and supports an aggregate bandwidth of 80 gigabits per second. Based on the Serial RapidIO Specification, the Tsi568A incorporates SerDes functionality, error recovery, priority-based fabric routing, high payload efficiency, and table-based fabric routing. Designers can take advantage of the switch's multiple port widths and speed configuration options to efficiently manage power requirements. The Tsi568A is offered in a 27mm x 27mm package with a lead-free variant. "Freescale's high-performance MPC8548 PowerQUICC III processor with serial RapidIO is working with the Tundra Tsi568A serial RapidIO switch in our lab today. Together, these products offer a best-in-class solution for maximizing the raw integration and processing power of customer designs," says Richard Schnur, PowerQUICC III Product Manager at Freescale Semiconductor. "Current emulation and prototyping with the Tsi568A switch and the MPC8548 will enable customers to more easily design systems that take advantage of the performance and capabilities of RapidIO technology." "Working closely with Tundra has led to the successful integration of Tundra's Tsi568A in our Ensemble2 platform," says Mr. Skalabrin, Vice President and General Manager, OEM Solutions at Mercury Computer Systems. "By providing an open standards-based platform with Tundra's next-generation RapidIO switch silicon, customers get to market faster with lower interoperability risk." "Altera and Tundra have worked closely to ensure seamless interoperability between the Tundra Tsi568A switch and the Altera Stratix GX device family. This is of great importance to our joint customers who will be using the Tundra switch as the center point of their RapidIO-based systems," says Justin Cowling, Director of IP & Technology Marketing at Altera Corporation. "In addition, the RapidIO ecosystem is strengthened by the availability of off-the-shelf Altera FPGA IP and Tundra RapidIO switches that are hardware proven." "The successful interoperability of our Tsi568A switch with key RapidIO ecosystem partners has given our customers the level of confidence that they need to design RapidIO-enabled systems, boards, and products," says Rick O'Connor, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Product Management at Tundra. "Backed by our industry leading support, both the interoperability and sampling of the Tsi568A demonstrate our continued commitment to enabling our customers' success through advanced System Interconnect." In addition to the Tsi568A, Tundra's RapidIO System Interconnect portfolio also includes the Tsi500(TM), a RapidIO multi-port switch, and the recently launched Tsi564A(TM), a serial RapidIO switch. Built on the patent- pending technology of the Tsi568A, the Tsi564A with its smaller footprint offers low power, multiple port-widths and speed configurations, making it ideally suited for power, cost and board space sensitive applications. The Tsi564A supports an aggregate bandwidth of 40 gigabits per second. Tsi568A ORDERING INFORMATION Samples of the Tundra Tsi568A are available through Tundra's worldwide sales network. Documentation, including user manuals, reference schematics and software drivers, is available at www.tundra.com . Volume pricing for the Tsi568A is under $99 USD. 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 applications, 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/or other countries). TUNDRA, the Tundra logo, Tsi500,Tsi568A and Tsi564A are trademarks of Tundra Semiconductor Corporation. Other registered and unregistered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. (C) Copyright 2005 Tundra Semiconductor Corporation. All rights reserved. Information subject to change without notice.