This new Toshiba system-on-chip processor aims a proprietary 400 MHz RISC CPU core and embedded PCI bus at a range of consumer applications such as IP set-top boxes, home gateways, and multimedia appliances. The TX4939XBG-400 is a highly integrated, MIPS-architecture, 64-bit processor built with the company's 90-nanometer process. That process, according to the firm, enables the device to combine an operating frequency of 400 MHz with low power dissipation. It's supported by Linux, Windows CE, and VxWorks embedded operating systems.

As befitting its target applications in home entertainment gear, the TX4939XBG-400 has an integrated security engine to offload IPSec, SSL, and FEC algorithms from the CPU core. It also contains a single/double-precision FPU (floating point unit), 32-bit DDR400 SDRAM controller, NAND flash memory controller, dual-channel 10/100Base-T Ethernet MAC controller, and a 33/66 MHz PCI controller which handles six PCI devices and eliminates the need for a PCI-to-PCI bridge.

Block diagram of Toshiba's new TX4939XBG SoC
(Click image for larger view)
Also residing on this highly integrated chip are a 4-way set-associative cache; 8/16-bit local bus for NAND/NOR flash memory and I/O devices; two 100 MB/sec Ultra ATA channels that enable data to be transfered simultaneously from a DVD drive and hard disk drive; audio/modem CODEC; I/O lines that can be configured as three serial ports or one serial and one 8-bit parallel video port; timers/counters; and a real-time clock with battery back- up.

The TX4939XBG-400 will start sampling in August in a 456-pin BGA package, with volume shipments available in Q4 2005. It's priced at $25 each in 10,000-piece quantities. A reference board, the RBTX4939, will also be available for customer evaluation.

Block diagram of the the RBTX4939 reference board

---

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.