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***SiS Announces Single Chip Core Logic
(May 10)
SiS announced the SiS630 which integrates the north bridge chip, super south bridge chip (SiS960) and the 128-bit 3D graphics accelerator (SiS300) into one chip. It provides functions of V.90 HSP modem, 10/100M Fast Ethernet, 1M Home PNA, 3D Positional Audio, Advanced H/W DVD playback and 2D/3D graphics engine. By using SiS630, mainstream PCs will be able to deliver the state-of-the-art 3C performance with no need for various add-on cards. The SiS630 can save over US$150 for board makers and help accelerate products' time-to-market. SiS has ensured that the SiS630 is optimized for the latest Pentium III and Celeron CPUs.
In addition, SiS630 consists of the following features:
1. PC'99 and PCI 2.2 compliant
2. Support all Pentium II, Celeron CPUs synchronous and asynchronous front side bus frequencies
3. Support PC133 VCRAM/SDRAM , 3 DIMMs and up to 1.5GB main memory.
4. Ultra ATA66 IDE 5. 5 OpenHCI USB ports 6. Ultra-AGPTM Architecture
5. Support digital flat panel interface for TV-out, LCD-out and dual view
At the conference, SiS also announces its identical, single chip solution for K6-III, the SiS540 which has the exactly same features as SiS630. The SiS630 or SiS540 can be applied with SiS950, a LPC super I/O chip. Both SiS630 and SiS540 are assembled in the highest pin count plastic BGA package in the world and SiS950 in 128-pin PQFP.
The SiS630 and SiS540 will be sampled in June and July with mass production in August and September, respectively. The SiS630 is priced at US$35 for 10K order while SiS540 at US$29.
***3Space Assistant v3.0 for Windows NT and 95/98 from TGS (May 10)
Template Graphics Software announced a release of 3Space Assistant. This release, version 3.0, will have Internet compatibility with Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 95/98. The product has these features:
· A 3D-decimation module with the ability to create levels of detail with fewer polygons, prior to the rendering process, for the model being viewed.
· Five transparency modes rendered by OpenGL for realistic and accurate viewing of models with multiple layers, cut-aways and transparent materials, such as glass, plastic or liquid.
· Embedded stereo viewing for those who need a true 3D viewing solution without expensive hardware peripherals or 3D specific boards. 3Space Assistant 3.0 has over a dozen stereo modes and is fully compatible with both Stereographics (Crystal Eyes) and Vrex systems.
· As a stand-alone application, 3Space Assistant allows the user to visualize and manipulate VRML, DXF R14 and Open Inventor files. With the available 3Space Converter extension, users can also view standard CAD/CAM files from popular 3D CAD applications like PTC Pro/ENGINEER, SOFTIMAGE, EDS Unigraphics, Dassault Catia and SDRC Ideas, as well as files from applications that support VRML.
· Additionally, 3Space Assistant includes features to create vectorized output using CGM, HPGL or PostScript format to produce high quality, resolution independent hardcopy.Full Internet Integration 3Space Assistant version 3.0 allows the ability to open Internet Web addresses (URLs), view 3D files and navigate through 3D worlds on the Web. 3Space Assistant also allows users to capture VRML 1.0 and 2.0 worlds and save them to a local hard disk for later exploration without bandwidth delays.
3Space Assistant operates as a stand-alone 3D desktop application, as an embedded OLE server in Microsoft Office applications, and as an Active Document (DocObject) server within Microsoft Internet Explorer. It supports drag-and-drop for file management, and adds 3D to desktop applications via cut and paste. It includes a 3D toolbar and a set of editing tools, which can be used to change backgrounds, colors, materials, and lights. Materials and positions of individual objects within a scene can be independently modified as well. The desired view can then be saved as a bitmap file and imported into other applications as a static image. Version 3.0 also includes independent dialog boxes to meter performance and scene information, including triangle count. It uses OpenGL for rendering speed and quality and supports all OpenGL compatible 3D graphics boards and chips.
3Space Assistant v3.0 is sold direct by TGS for $149.00 USD for a single copy, with quantity and site licensing available.
***Apple Ships OpenGL for Macintosh
(May 10)
Apple Computer announced shipment of OpenGL for Macintosh. OpenGL for Macintosh brings 3D computer graphics to the Macintosh platform. OpenGL for Macintosh can be downloaded free of charge immediately at
OpenGL for Macintosh requires a PowerPC-based Macintosh computer with Mac OS 8.1 or later. An iMac or new Power Macintosh G3 is recommended for accelerated 3D rendering.
***Metabyte Licenses Parallel 3D Technology (May 10)
Metabyte announced that system builder Alienware PC will be will license its Parallel Graphics Configuration (PGC) technology. Alienware will be used to combine two 3dfx Interactive Voodoo3 2000 PCI cards in one system. There are plans in place to expand the offering to other graphics cards as well.
Preliminary benchmark figures for this configuration on a Pentium II 450 MHz system with 64 MB RAM, without over-clocking, is 55 frames per second (fps) when running Quake2 at 1600x1200. This frame rate jumps to over 63 fps on other configurations in the lab. The Wicked3D engineering staff expects these numbers to increase on the shipping solution.
The availability of the PGC enabled systems is targeted for early to mid June. The systems will be available from Alienware's web site:
Wicked3D is the technology division of Metabyte that specializes in the development of software for the gaming industry. Its parent company, Metabyte develops products including, interactive media, high- speed networking and web commerce products and services.
***Broadcasters have a BIG problem - Internet Appliance Providers have a BIG Opportunity (May 17)
Our assessment of the Information Appliance market gained visibility into some interesting market dynamics. Intrinsic in the growth of the IA market is its cannibalistic impact on other markets. Part of this is due to the fact that IA products and services will prey on other markets to accomplish their growth. The question then is - what are the markets most subject to such prey? In the study we also developed the axes of this fifth era of computing as Free MIPS and Pervasive Networking. One of the most precious commodities is bandwidth. Another question is - where to get bandwidth? It turns out that the answer to both questions are related.
In December of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a standard for the transmission of digital television, in their Fourth Report and Order, Docket No. 87-268. Its purpose was to serve the public interest, permit interoperability with computers, and encourage innovation and competition. This standard, called the ATSC DTV Standard included the ability to broadcast multiple streams, or multicast Standard Definition Television programming in addition to one, and under some circumstances, two HDTV programs, at visual quality better than the current analog signal. In the following months, the FCC also mandated a schedule for the transition from analog to digital.
However, no matter what the image quality or even the fact that it is digital, is immaterial if no one tunes in. For example, in 1998 there were 50,000 HDTV receivers shipped in the United States. In 1999 Strategy Analytics estimates that this number will increase to 130,000 receivers. Contrast this with the following: in the top 10 markets which serve 29,320,670 households with approximately 70,369,608 televisions (as of January 1998), the deadline to transmit digital television is this month, May 1999. In the 30 largest markets the deadline is November of this year while all commercial stations must convert by May 2002, and all commercial and noncommercial broadcasters by May of 2003. The installed based of HDTV receivers is expected to be less than 1 million units by the end of 2002. Compare this with today's 229 million analog receivers. Given the fact the broadcasters receive income based on the size of the audience the potential for income from HDTV transmissions is dismal. The broadcasters have a BIG problem.
The FCC's Fourth Report and Order also states that broadcasters can not only send video, but also voice and data simultaneously over their channels to provide a large range of services, switching easily and quickly from one type of service to another. For example, a broadcaster could transmit a news program consisting of 4 separate simultaneous SDTV program streams for local and national news, weather and sports, then transmit an HDTV commercial with embedded data about the product, then transmit a motion picture in an HDTV format simultaneously with unrelated data. At NAB we saw data bandwidth, using the so called "opportunistic" data transmission, i.e. vacant spaces in the MPEG2 data stream, where bursts of up to 8Mb/sec are available.
The broadcasters are also caught in a dilemma of their own making. It is now public policy that spectrum is a valuable asset owned by the government and its use is auctioned to the highest bidder. (Note that this policy came about as one means to address the budget deficit.) This began with the PCS auctions in December of 1994 and continues to this day with one of the more recent being the re-auction of the LMDS spectrum from those companies that defaulted on the original auction. This auction was opened April 27, 1999 and sold 121 Block A licenses and 40 Block B licenses in the LMDS spectrum, which includes, Block A: 27,500-28,350 MHz; 29,100-29,250 MHz and 31,075-31,225 MHz Bands and Block B: 31,000-31,075 MHz and 31,225-31,300 MHz Bands. However, there is an exception to this policy of auctioning spectrum - the HDTV spectrum. One cannot understand this issue without having a sense for the power of the broadcasters in Washington.
Certainly the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) is one of the most power groups on Capitol Hill. The broadcasters got their digital spectrum for free but this is characterized as spectrum which is "on loan" until the current analog spectrum is returned to the government. Thus, the government has a timetable for the conversion. However, given the flexibility that the broadcasters have from this new digital spectrum, as outlined above, they have the potential of reaping income from this. On 19 November 1998 the FCC addressed this issue with its Report and Order, Docket No. 97-247, where it stated that any income derived from the use of the digital spectrum for ancillary data transmission will result in a 5% tax on the revenue stream. Ancillary services were defined as computer software distribution, data transmissions, teletext, interactive materials, paging services, audio signals, and subscription video. The fee would be based on a percentage of gross revenues generated by feeable ancillary or supplementary services and goes directly into the US Treasury.
The FCC reasoned that the fee would afford broadcasters the flexibility to develop innovative DTV services. It was set at 5% for several reasons, one, it would fulfill the statutory obligations to impose a fee which would recover a portion of the value of the spectrum for the public, and two, it would prevent the unjust enrichment of broadcasters providing the services, and lastly, it would approximate the revenues that would have been received had the spectrum been licensed through an auction.
What then is the value of this spectrum from a quantity of data standpoint? As part of the Information Appliance market study we sought to determine the number of unique data messages that could be sent under three conditions: Daytime for 8 hours with an ancillary data channel and no impact on the MPEG data stream (=T-1 rate), (3/4) of the 19MB/s data stream (assumes one SDTV channel) and 12 Hours of 19Mb/sec at night with no HDTV broadcasting.
As part of our research on the market study we spoke to the FCC to ask if there was a rule making on the use of the HDTV spectrum at night when no DTV is being broadcast. The answer we got back - no one has yet asked.
# Messages Opportunity Duplex =T1/Daytime (3/4)*19MB/s 19MB/s
per Hour Characters Required Daytime Nighttime
e-mail 2,000 No 554,400 5,130,000 10,260,00Traffic Reports 5,000 No 138,600 1,282,500 1,710,000
Commercial
Info 3,000 No 231,000 2,137,500 2,850,000E-Commerce 250,000 Yes 2,772 25,650 34,200
As can be seen from these quantities, the broadcasters have considerable potential as datacasters. This particular spectrum is also of further value in that there is at least limited building penetration.
Where are the broadcasters? We did a brief sample at the recent NAB conference. The broadcasters are of a different mindset. It would seem that their goal is Internet communications, webpages, and multimedia. This is another component of their BIG problem. Media presence on the Internet is frequently not generating enough revenue to even cover the expenses involved.
Here is where the information appliance providers have an opportunity. By working with these products and services, the broadcasters can leverage the spectrum for income production. Note that this is not an Internet play but one in which tailored information is provided both to individuals and groups at reasonable prices in a timely manner. Consider one concept developed in the Information Appliance market study - the use of the HDTV spectrum for the delivery of MP3 or some other audio encoded format to portable receivers for personal playback. We estimate that at night 51,300 unique 3 minute MP-3 encoded songs could be downloaded from one station.Broadcasters have a BIG problem in the way they are approaching this market. The Internet, although allowing mass communication and reach, is not their killer app. In fact, as the available bandwidth increases to individuals the value of mass broadcasting faces continual decline. Yet, at the same time the transition to digital for broadcasters only brings its own BIG problem - not enough viewers and limited income. This falls back to the classic marketing problem - what is the core business of broadcasters? It may not be supplying mass content but their core business may be that of a spectrum manager.
This is all about the transition to the fifth era of computing.
***Fujitsu Introduces 0.18 Micron CMOS-ASIC CS81/CE81 Series for SOC Products (May 6)
By using 0.18 micron CMOS technology, Fujitsu Limited has developed a standard cell, the CS81 series, and a macro-embedded cell array, the CE81 series, which are likely to become key components in high-performance System On a Chip (SOC) products. Fujitsu will start accepting design orders from June 1999 for use in such SOC applications as digital audio, image processing, and portable devices.
Digital products increasingly move in the direction of smaller size, higher performance, larger capacity and lower power consumption. And, at the same time, requirement for timely development has also increased. Even for SOCs, demand for providing optimal solutions within the shortest possible development time has grown steadily.
Providing three times the integration and speed of 0.25 micron products, the CS81/CE81 series are technologies for meeting the needs of this era. With the additional advantage of one-third power consumption of previous products, they make it possible to realize the promise of high-performance SOC products of tomorrow.
Fujitsu has developed and adopted a multi-layered program called "IPWare," an integrated service aimed at shortening development times, enhancing development efficiency, and reducing design risks.
The program is comprised of three levels:
· the "Solution Layer," which provides a system for particular applications;
· the "IP Layer," which is made up of functional macros based on intellectual property (IP) developed in-house by Fujitsu or licensed from reputed third-party sources;
· the "Basic Layer," which provides the actual underlying technology for SOC products. The CS81/CE81 series are designed to be one of the technologies comprising the Basic Layer.
Macros contained in the "IP Layer" which includes CPU cores and interface macros, such as USB, IEEE 1394, IrDA, and PCI, as well as multimedia macros for DSP and MPEG.
Fujitsu will continue to offer solutions in the form of the high quality SOC products for customers' needs, utilizing advanced technologies and the IPWare program, and providing hardware and also design techniques as well as systems support and know-how.
Accepting design orders:June 1999
Shipping Engineering Sample: July 1999
Volume production: October 1999
Sales targets:100,000 pcs per month
Selling price: Prices will vary according to customer requirements.
***IBM Broadens WorkPad Line with a PC Companion for Corporate Enterprises (May 6)
IBM is extending its WorkPad line of PC Companions with the WorkPad z50, a mobile solution for providing corporate employees with access to e-mail, the Internet and other information while outside of the office.
The IBM WorkPad z50 is available now for an estimated reseller price of $999.
Powered by the Microsoft Windows CE Handheld PC Pro Edition operating system, the WorkPad z50 joins the IBM WorkPad line of PC Companions, including the WorkPad 30x and WorkPad c3, which use the 3Com Palm operating system. The WorkPad z50 includes a suite of preloaded applications which allow employees to check e-mail and calendars, manage contact information, edit documents and access the Internet.
The WorkPad z50 helps mobile professionals to retrieve, move and store information from both desktop PCs and servers connected to local area networks. Utilizing the IBM Mobile Connect client application and IBM Global Network dialer software, WorkPad z50 users can synchronize with Lotus Notes Domino or Microsoft Exchange enterprise servers from the road or in the office.
IBM Mobile Connect, an IBM pervasive computing application, helps to improve performance by synchronizing Palm OS and Windows CE-based devices directly with corporate networks, moving synchronization from an individual's desktop PC to a company's server.
The WorkPad z50 incorporates many of the ergonomic design and usability features from IBM's ThinkPad line. Though just about 2.6-pounds and one-inch thin, the WorkPad z50's keyboard is still 95% the size of current standard ThinkPad notebook keyboards and incorporates IBM's TrackPoint pointing device. A 8.2 VGA screen is provided for viewing Web pages, memos, spreadsheets and other documents. A Lithium-Ion battery provides up to eight hours of battery life, and up to 16 hours with an optional extended life battery.
The WorkPad z50 is powered by a NEC MIPS 131 MHz processor, has 16MB RAM standard, (upgradable to 48 MB) and 20MB ROM. It includes an integrated 33.6Kbps modem, serial port, SVGA external port, speaker, microphone and Infrared port for wireless transfer of data between desktop PCs and other mobile devices.
With Microsoft RDP client soft are or Citrix ICA Client software, the WorkPad z50 can be used as a mobile terminal to run corporate desktop applications that reside on enterprise servers.
In addition to IBM Mobile Connect and IBM Global Network dialer, the WorkPad z50 includes a host of embedded and installable software applications. These include Microsoft Pocket Office (includes, Microsoft Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket PowerPoint and Pocket Access); Microsoft Pocket Outlook; Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer Microsoft Voice Recorder; Microsoft Pocket Streets; bSquare bPrint (printing software); bSquare bFax (to enable users to send and receive faxes); and bSquare bUseful Backup utility (backs up and restores data and applications to flash memory).
Other available options for the WorkPad z50 include an extended-life battery ($199); UltraPort Replicator ($99); 32 MB memory upgrade ($89); cable for printing to standard parallel printers ($45) and PC Cards.
http://www.ibm.com/pc/us/workpad
http://www.ibm.com/pc/us/solutions/workpad
***Philips Certifies Sigma REALmagic DVD/MPEG-2 Decoder For Satellite Data Broadcast System (May 6)
Sigma Designs announced that Philips Digital Video Systems has certified its REALmagic NetStream 2 card to provide DVD/MPEG-2 decoding for the Philips CleverCastPC Data Broadcast System. The Sigma REALmagic card decodes and validates the CleverCast image signal to provide system users with a seamless solution that can be installed and used in Windows-based PCs to deliver HDTV imagery.
CleverCastPC uses digital satellite transmission systems for high-speed delivery of large digital audio, video and data files. The files, which are sent as MPEG-2/DVB transport streams, can be delivered to any personal computer with access to the broadcast. Sigma's NetStream 2 card decodes the files and enables PCs to display flicker-free video at full-screen resolution.
The NetStream 2 solution turns a PC into a full-featured DVD player that exploits all of the digital video and Dolby digital surround-sound capabilities of the MPEG-2 format. NetStream 2 can handle most of the complex MPEG-2 video and audio streams without burdening the computer's CPU. As a result, the PC runs at maximum performance while multitasking (e.g., having MPEG-2 video, live TV broadcast feeds, and interactive web browsing open in concurrent windows).
Featuring an end-to-end throughput of 20Mb/s, the Philips CleverCast PC Data Broadcasting System provides audio and video distribution firms, syndicators, businesses and broadcasting stations with a cost-effective solution for distributing AV files. The system also transmits image-enabled documents and multimedia-enhanced materials. Since the data needs to be transmitted to the satellite network only once, the data "push" method saves bandwidth and reduces transmission costs.
http://www.broadcast.philips.com
http://www.sigmadesigns.com
***AlphaStar Brings Video and Audio Streaming to the Internet Via Satellite (May 6)
AlphaStar International announced the formation of AlphaStar Webcasting.com, Inc., for the purpose of providing multicast streaming of video and audio to the Internet on a global basis. AlphaStar Webcasting.com represents the creation of a global streaming media network. With AlphaStar International's acquisition of a $50 million satellite television broadcasting network and subsequent conversion to a satellite webcasting network, AlphaStar can aggregate, process, integrate and stream video and audio to the Internet via satellites on a worldwide basis. The Company has already conducted several tests of the network and expects service to begin this June.
The acquired television network was one of the original Direct to Home ("DTH") networks, competing with DirecTV, EchoStar and PrimeStar. AlphaStar TV Network received and transmitted live almost 100 television channels and 30 radio stations for approximately two years to a subscriber base throughout the US, Canada and the Caribbean.
The current owners acquired the television network and launched a modification program to transform it into a webcasting network. The result is a network capable of webcasting thousands of simultaneous streams of video and audio live or on demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Content includes TV, radio, digital images, web cam, e-cinema and e-publishing and multi-media. Target audiences are both consumer and business-oriented; both of which can benefit from the Company's high speed access, broadband capabilities and teleport services.
A key barrier facing the growth of streaming media is the bottleneck of the terrestrial backbone of the Internet. AlphaStar Webcasting.com provides an engine to bypass this bottleneck by utilizing its satellite capabilities to aggregate, process, integrate and stream video and audio to the Internet to the millions of users within its global footprint. AlphaStar will also utilize multicasting technology, a point-to-multipoint approach for streaming video and audio that is more economical in terms of bandwidth and associated cost, as well as providing improved picture and sound quality.
AlphaStar's teleport, located in Oxford, Connecticut, is one of a handful of Ku-band facilities in the US, allowing distribution via a small satellite dish. This teleport cannot be replicated without spending tens of millions of dollars over a period of years. Built on a mountaintop in New England as part of President Reagan's "Star Wars" program, it was intended originally to protect the US by tracking the former Soviet Union's satellites. Now the teleport will serve as an Internet gateway between the US and the world.
***Vertex Networks Announces Availability of Layer 3 Reference Systems (May 6)
Vertex Networks has announced the XpressFlow5024-1600, a 16-port Fast Ethernet routing switch.
The XF5024-1600 switch utilizes 4 switch engines to achieve a forwarding rate of 1.2M packets per second (pps) in Layer 3 and over 2M pps in Layer 2 applications.
Company Product per 10/100 port
Vertex Networks XF5024-1600 75,000 pps
Cisco Catalyst 6000 16,000 pps
7513 Router 55,000 pps
Intel 550T 47,500 pps
(Information from Data Communications Magazine)
Based on Vertex Network's Layer 3 chipset, the XpressFlow2020, the XF5024-1600 switch demonstrates the scalability and routing performance of the chipset. The XF2020 allows developers to offer feature-rich LAN/WAN products, by utilizing its packet-by-packet Layer 3 IP switching and QoS/CoS capabilities to serve the growing market for multiservice solutions. The XpressFlow QoS/CoS provides four prioritized transmission queues for each switch output port, and thereby enables the integration of voice, video, and data packets within a single product.
The XF5024-1600 is utilized as a Vertex Network's reference design and provides up to 38.4K IP subnet addresses, 16K ARP entries, and up to 8K MAC addresses. It is built around a 2.1Gbps bus that supports up to 28 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet ports, a combination of 10 and 100Mbps ports, or up to 56 10Mbps Ethernet ports.
The 16 port reference design comes with Vertex Network's integrated management and protocol software suite, supporting
SNMP, RMON, Spanning Tree, and 802.1Q-GARP/GVRP; routing protocols RIP, RIP-2, DHCP-Relay, and ICMP Router Discovery Message; IGMP Snooping and IP Multicast Packet filtering; as well as 802.1Q CoS -- 4 level priority. A Web-browser interface is also provided to enable user configuration of the switch. As a reference design, the XF5024-1600 provides a complete 10/100Mb routing switch solution for OEMs.Available with all Vertex Networks' reference systems are schematics, board layout, and complete documentation.
The XF5024-1600 is currently available at a price of $4,800 each.Vertex Networks is a provider of integrated circuits for Layer 3 IP routing switches. As a fabless semiconductor company providing solutions for the LAN switching and WAN access markets, Vertex Networks develops chipsets and software for intelligent packet switching applications.
***Intermedia Business Internet Offers SuperT-Alternative to T3 (May 6)
Intermedia Communications introduced an alternative technology for mid-sized businesses looking to expand Internet bandwidth beyond T1. Called Intermedia SuperT, this solution offers bandwidth scalability, and faster installation time than a typical T3 connection.
Intermedia SuperT bundles together from two to six T1 circuits to give customers a total bandwidth between 3Mbps to 9Mbps. For customers needing this range of bandwidth, SuperT can eliminate the need to install a more expensive T3 line. SuperT customers buy only the capacity they need when they need it.
Intermedia SuperT overcomes load balancing issues by employing a Cisco packet routing technology called Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF) that provides dynamic load balancing. This maximizes the customer's T1 capacity by distributing packets evenly across all available T1 circuits and also overcomes the static load balancing limitations of more traditional router-based solutions. The Cisco technology also eliminates the need for equipment additions like inverse muxes.
Intermedia SuperT service is available in two packages to fit customers' individual business requirements. ? Standard Access is provided to all Intermedia SuperT customers and includes provisioning the telecom circuit, registering a domain name, NNTP newsfeed and monitoring the connection every five minutes all day every day of the year. Standard Access customers will also receive Intermedia Netscanner to create their own online utilization reports.
? Access Plus includes all Standard features as well as a pre-configured and supported customer premise Cisco router.
The only Intermedia SuperT system requirements are a Cisco router with internal CSU/DSU, TCP/IP software and an existing computer network or server.To ensure customers get the most out of SuperT, Intermedia provides access to customer service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
***Sun Targets Embedded Communications Market with 64-bit UltraSPARC IIe (May 7)
Sun Microsystems has provided a technology overview of the UltraSPARC IIe microprocessor, scheduled for release in 2000. The UltraSPARC IIe marks the expansion of the UltraSPARC processor family into the embedded communications market, and represents a 64-bit processor tailored for the emerging converged network.
The UltraSPARC IIe microprocessor provides a balance of performance, cost and power consumption to meet the needs of next-generation intelligent network equipment, including telecommunications system controllers, ISP equipment, local and wide area network data communications control, and other processor-intensive applications. The device is intended to operate at frequencies of 400 MHZ and 500 MHZ, and is fully binary compatible with the UltraSPARC family.
The microprocessor is supported by operating systems like Sun's SolariS and the Linux operating system, as well as communications-oriented real-time operating systems including Sun's ChorusOS and Wind River's VXWorks. In addition, performance-tuned communication software application building blocks such as codecs for voice over IP and MPEG-2 video decoders will be available through Sun's mediaLib application library.
The UltraSPARC IIe processor features integrated functions designed to lower overall system cost. Included on the single chip will be an integrated 256-KB level-2 cache; an integrated 32-bit, industry-standard 66-MHZ PCI bus; and an integrated SDRAM controller and memory interface. Based on performance analysis and projections, power consumption is estimated at 8 watts for a processor operating at 400 MHZ and 1.5 volts. Power management features will permit the chip to consume approximately 3 watts in sleep mode to meet Energy Star compliance requirements.
The UltraSPARC IIe processor will be fully compliant with the 64-bit SPARC v9 architecture specification. Based on performance analysis and estimates at 500 MHZ, the UltraSPARC IIe is designed to achieve an estimated SPECint95 performance rating of 20 and a SPECfp95 performance rating of 21. Its high-performance memory interface should be capable of transferring data at a rate of up to one gigabyte per second peak (500 MB/sec sustained), and supports up to two gigabytes of system memory. The processor will be housed in a low-cost, industry-standard 370 plastic pin grid array (370 PPGA).
The UltraSPARC IIe processor includes the VIS instruction set, a feature found in all UltraSPARC processors. VIS increases the flexibility of the microprocessor for embedded applications beyond computing functions by providing extensions that accelerate high-performance multimedia and networking applications. Using the VIS architecture is made easier by mediaLib. which provides software building blocks to support the VIS instruction set. Sun's mediaLib is a collection of performance-optimized software subroutines that implement a wide range of graphics. signal processing and video functions that take advantage of UltraSPARC's VIS capability. The mediaLib software is available without charge or licensing requirements at Sun's Web site.
In addition to the e-Series, the UltraSPARC family includes the s-Series of scalable symmetric multiprocessing chips designed for maximum performance. and the I-Series, which provides a balance of integration, performance an scalable multiprocessing capabilities.
http://www.sun.com
http://www.sun.comsparc/vis/mediaLib.html
***Fixed-line Licenses Capped as Global Telecoms Opened (May 6)
The Government has delayed opening Hong Kong's telecommunications sector to full competition until at least 2003 but offered a series of measures to further liberalize the international market.
Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting Kwong Ki-chi said the Government would not be issuing any more fixed-line licenses for three years but would fully liberalize the external facilities sector.
The announcement ends five months of uncertainty after an original Government deadline for detailing its policy expired on January 1.
As a result of the decision, Hong Kong's fixed-line market will remain controlled by four companies - Hongkong Telecom, New T&T, New World Telephone and Hutchison Telecom.
Multinational telecoms companies including US giant MCI WorldCom expressed interest in investing up to $2 billion over 10 years in the SAR's fixed-line market if the Government removed the regulatory hurdles preventing entry.
Local operator CTI had also said it would apply for a license to build a fixed-line network.
The Government was lobbied by the four existing license-holders which argued any moves towards full competition would undermine their profitability.
Overseas companies and their representatives urged the Government to open the market to full competition to enhance the SAR's international competitiveness and add weight to its ambitions to become a regional communications hub.
While the fixed-line market will remain closed to new entrants, a package of measures designed to further liberalize the market for international calls was announced.
An unlimited number of international gateway licenses will be issued but initially they will be limited to the fixed-line operators and companies that use satellite or have investments in cables connecting to Hong Kong.
This will allow foreign companies to operate their own international capacity in Hong Kong without having to lease lines from Hongkong Telecom, paving the way for companies such as British Telecommunications, AT&T, Global One and MCI WorldCom to expand in the SAR.
The Government will also encourage FTNS wireless transmission, such as wireless local loop, and will issue guidelines and start taking license applications for wireless FTNS networks later this year.
Hongkong Telecom said it welcomed the announcement but insisted it be able to compete on an equal basis with any new entrants to the market.
MCI WorldCom, which has long lobbied for an FTNS license and planned to lay structural infrastructure, supported the Government.
Long-distance operator City Telecom, which supported the Government's announcement, said it would apply for a license to build a wireless FTNS network to provide broadband Internet and basic telephone service.
SmarTone Communications, which has an eye on an external communications facilities (gateway) license, said it was considering either leasing or buying cable and also the possibility of using satellite.
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