Single-chip PC provides access to the Internet
-- EDN, January 6, 2000
The STPCC0375BTC3 STPC Consumer-S single-chip PC from STMicroelectronics supports synchronous DRAM and all the functions to build x86-based information and Internet appliances. The company based the device on a 64-bit, 100-MHz processor block. The chip includes a 64-bit DRAM controller with 600-Mbyte/sec transfer rates; a 64-bit accelerated graphics and video controller; a bus-mastering EIDE controller; a high-speed PCI local-bus controller; and a 32-bit, fifth-generation, PC-compatible x86 processor that runs standard PC programs. The STPC Consumer-S can process incoming video streams with overlaid graphics, using either chroma or color keying or, in "bypass" mode, directly to the display unit with zero CPU loading. The PC chip integrates the company's STV0119a to provide PAL/NTSC encoding.
The device supports 8-, 16-, and 32-Mbyte DIMMs for a total to 128 Mbytes maximum. A tightly coupled Unified Memory Architecture allows the use of one memory array for the CPU main memory and graphics frame buffer, leading to smaller system-memory requirements and higher memory bandwidth. The 100-MHz, low-latency local bus supports as much as 8 Mbytes of external flash, with 32-bit flash burst transfers and two-level hardware flash boot-block protection.
Samples were available in November, and volume production was set to begin by year-end. STMicroelectronics has also begun work on a process migration to 0.25 µm with an expected speed boost to more than 133 MHz. Volume production of this version should start in the third quarter of 2000. The 0.35-µm version of the STPC Consumer-S starts at $34 (100,000), and the price for the 0.25-µm version should be less than $30.
STMicroelectronics, 1-781-861-2650, www.st.com.
-by Nicholas Cravotta
