Freescale Semiconductor, Motorola’s soon-to-be spun-out semiconductor division, recently announced the MSC711x family of processors targeting telecom and VoIP applications. The MSC711x family is a lower-cost, binary-compatible derivative of Freescale’s high-end MSC81xx family, which targets performance-hungry communications infrastructure applications. Previous StarCore-based chips from Freescale were too expensive for many cost-sensitive applications. The lower cost of the MSC711x family allows Freescale to expand the scope of its VLIW DSPs into previously untapped markets in VoIP, industrial control, security, and wireless communications applications. The MSC711x family is based on the StarCore SC1400 core, one of the few DSP architectures offered both in off-the-shelf chips and as a licensable core.
Freescale has announced five members of the MSC711x family, each differing in peripherals and on-chip memory (ranging from 88 to 408 Kbytes in total). Notably, all five initial MSC711x family members include a DDR DRAM memory interface, a rarity among mainstream DSPs. All five family members are expected to operate at 200 MHz, and all are expected to begin sampling in summer 2004, with full production slated for late 2004. According to Freescale, the lowest-cost MSC711x family member, the MSC7110, is priced at $12.05 in 10,000-unit quantities.
Texas Instruments is also pushing its high-end DSPs into low-cost territory with the announcement of the TMS320C6410 and TMS320C6413. These new ’C64x family members target cost-sensitive applications such as voice- and video-over-IP, office equipment, and industrial equipment. Unlike the recently introduced ’C64x chips that reach 1 GHz using a 90-nanometer fabrication process, these chips use a lower-cost 0.13-micron process and have clock speeds under 500 MHz. The 400 MHz ’C6410 with 160 Kbytes of total on-chip memory, at $17.95 in 10,000-unit quantities, offers the lowest price and the most performance per dollar in the ’C64x family. With well over 20 family members currently available, the size and breadth of the ’C64x lineup now encompasses a broad range of performance and price points. The ’C6410 and ’C6413 are currently sampling, with full production expected in September 2004.
The new low-cost ’C64x chips are quite similar to the Freescale MSC711x family in several respects. First, both target similar applications. Second, both achieve comparable price/performance ratios based on their BDTI Benchmark™ scores. For example, with a BDTIsimMark2000™ score of 2240, the MSC7110 is expected to offer cost performance similar to the ’C6410, which achieves a BDTImark2000™ score of 3650. Finally, both families include similar modest complements of peripherals and on-chip memory, which are pared back compared to their higher-cost siblings.
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