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STMicro SoC Fires up Multimedia AppliancesBy Susan Hospod STMicroelectronics system-on-chip (SoC) device combines a 32-bit SuperH microprocessor with high-performance graphics for next-generation set-top box, Internet, and interactive TV applications. The ST40GX1 contains a powerful ST40 32-bit RISC microprocessor, a Gamma 2D graphics engine and compositor supporting six display planes, and a digital video encoder. In addition, an array of interfaces to optional external peripherals is integrated. The ST40GX1 can be used stand-alone in Web-enabled analog TV applications or with the STi5514 state-of-the-art set-top box decoder to provide a complete solution for high-end interactive digital TV applications. At the heart of the ST40GX1 is the ST40, a member of the SuperH family of RISC processor engines that ST has co-developed with Hitachi. The ST40 core provides a 166MHz, 300MIPS 32-bit CPU based on a two-way superscalar architecture, a 64-bit floating-point co-processor and on-chip instruction and data caches. The CPU features an efficient load-store architecture, delayed branch instruction capability and an on-chip multiplier, resulting in both high code density and fast program execution. The floating-point co-processor executes single (32-bit) and double (64-bit) precision operations and supports IEEE754-compliant data types and exceptions. In addition to floating-point multiply-and-accumulate, divide and square root, the FPU performs 3D graphics and four-dimensional vector operations. The integrated graphics and video subsystem contains the Gamma 2D graphics accelerator, the Gamma compositor, which performs real-time digital mixing of six display planes, and the video encoders. The Gamma architecture supports two digital video input streams and the six display planes allow features such as mixing of two video sources, picture-in-picture and hardware cursors to be efficiently implemented. For maximum system efficiency, the graphics subsystem supports SDRAM and DDR SDRAM. The audio block provides two PCM digital audio inputs and a PCM digital audio output, with internal sample rate conversion and digital mixing to ensure both flexibility and high audio quality. In addition to its on-chip peripherals, including two serial ports, a general-purpose I/O port, timers and real-time clock, the ST40GX1 is equipped with a full set of interfaces to optional external peripherals. These include interfaces for a smart card, teletext insertion, infra-red control, a modem codec for software modem, and PCI and USB peripherals, such as DOCSIS and ADSL modems. An external memory interface is provided that supports burst-mode flash memory and an optimized connection to the STi5514. The ST40GX1, with its built-in memory management unit, supports standard operating systems including WindowsCE, Linux, and ST's own OS-21, and it can efficiently run applications written in C, C++, and Java. It is supported by a wide range of ST and third-party tools and includes a full range of debug features and an emulation mode with a dedicated 1KB buffer for emulator firmware. Housed in a 35 x 35mm 456-pin BGA package, the ST40GX1 is built in 0.18-micron CMOS technology, resulting in a low power consumption of less than 2W. Samples are currently available, with volume production scheduled for Q4, 2001. Link: |
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