NetSilicon will sample in November a low-cost one-chip network device SoC (system-on-chip) that will hit production in March, 2005, priced between $11 and $16 in 10K quantities. The NS9360 is based on a 200MHz ARM9 core, with an LCD controller and networking. It is supported under Linux by third-party partners, and targets cost-sensitive, space-limited applications such as industrial, building, and medical… automation, instrumentation, networked displays, networked terminals, and industrial POS (point-of-sale/service) printers.

The NS9360 is the third and lowest-cost member of NetSilicon's ARM9-based family of “NET+ARM” SoCs, which it introduced in October of 2003. Its siblings include the PCI-equipped NS9750 and the NS9775, which offers JBIG decompression and a video interface targeted specifically at the network color laser printing market.

The NS9360 is based on an ARM926EJ-S core clocked at 103, 155, or 170MHz, with 4KB of data cache and 8KB of instruction cache. It integrates 10/100Base-T Ethernet, a memory controller, USB (both host and device), an LCD controller, I2C, IEEE 1284, as well as four serial ports and up to 73 GPIO lines. The chip is packaged in a lead-free 27x27mm 272-pin PBGA.

The NS9360 is packaged in a 272-pin BGA, lead-free, RoHS compliant package
(Click to enlarge)

As with other NET+ARM chips, the NS9360 is supported by development tools from NetSilicon and will be available as part of a development kit that includes the NET+Works software suite, a development board, JTAG debugger, GNU or Green Hills Multi tools, a board support package, the Threadx real-time operating system, a TCP/IP stack, and “a rich set of device networking applications software,” according to NetSilicon. Linux (and Windows CE and JVM products) are supported by third-party support partners.

“The NS9360 provides a cost-effective option for customers adding out of band management or networking capabilities to their products,” said Marketing VP Tim Counihan.

The NS9360 is expected to sample in November and ship in March of 2005, priced at $10.95 to $15.45 in 10,000 quantities.

 
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