Motorola Introduces MPC801 PowerPC Microprocessor for the Embedded Market; MPC801 to Power Network-Centric Televisions from Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics America.

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 28, 1996--Motorola's (NYSE:MOT) Microprocessor and Memory Technologies Group today announced the MPC801, a general-purpose, embedded PowerPC(TM) microprocessor designed for the consumer and general-purpose embedded markets.

Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics America, Inc. (MCEA), (Norcross, Ga.), a worldwide leader in the electronics market, has chosen the MPC801 for use in its DiamondWeb(TM) TV, an all-in-one, consumer-friendly, network-centric television (see related press release issued by MCEA today).

The MPC801 combines a powerful PowerPC core with integrated peripherals to extend the Motorola family of embedded microprocessors into consumer communications-centric, general-purpose products. In MCEA's DiamondWeb TV, the MPC801 provides a major portion of the necessary computing power and performance to enable web-browsing capabilities on the TV. The MPC801's embedded PowerPC core is the processing engine while the 801's serial connections provide modem, video, audio and TV monitor interface capabilities.

"The 801 is the ideal processor for our DiamondWeb TV product," said Andy Tasaki, vice president and general manager, Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics Engineering Center, (Costa Mesa, Calif.). "We chose the PowerPC MPC801 because its combination of price, performance and integration is the perfect solution to power MCEA's innovative approach to accessing the Internet through TV."

"Powering an application like MCEA's DiamondWeb TV strengthens Motorola's position in consumer communications and illustrates the consumer market's move towards integrating more functionality, including communication abilities," said Michael Shoemake, program manager for the MPC800 family of products in Motorola's Networking and Communications Operation.

"Motorola sees a significant market opportunity in the emerging information appliance arena for high-performance, cost-effective processors. Our experience in developing integrated solutions allows us to develop a low-cost solution for general-purpose markets that incorporates the right set of technologies."

MCEA's DiamondWeb TV is enabled by Microware Systems Corporation's (Des Moines, Iowa) OS-9 based DAVID system software environment. (See related press release issued by Microware today.) "For Microware, this partnership comprises a `dream team' for delivering Internet television solutions," said Vinay Goel, vice president and general manager, New Media Systems Division, Microware System Corporation. "DiamondWeb TV features the interactive digital television standard of Microware's DAVID, the consumer-oriented microprocessor expertise of Motorola and the consumer electronics leadership of MCEA."

Motorola Powers MCEA DiamondWeb TV

MCEA's DiamondWeb TV is truly driven by Motorola technology. In addition to the MPC801, MCEA is using Motorola's Scorpion graphics processor and a 68HC68 VBI slicer. The Scorpion encodes the digital data stream from the MPC801 so the digital information can display on the TV screen.

Target Applications

The PowerPC core, low power and low price make the MPC801 ideal for general-purpose applications. The MPC801 is a versatile chip that can also be used in a variety of controller applications such as bar code scanners, cellular base stations, consumer information appliances (Internet applications), laser printers, plotters and set-top boxes.

Development Tool Support

"Market acceptance of the embedded PowerPC has been phenomenal; we believe ongoing success will stem from having the right tools available for developing a wide variety of applications quickly and easily," said David Larrimore, vice president of marketing for Wind River Systems (Alameda, Calif.). "Wind River, with our open and extensible Tornado(TM) development environment, leads the market in providing these tools. We are pleased to offer Tornado for Motorola's PowerPC family, including the MPC801 microprocessor."

"Microtec's tool suite enables embedded system developers to leverage the PowerPC and speed up the edit-compile-debug cycle to get their products to market faster," said Steve Schmidt, vice president of marketing for Microtec, a Mentor Graphics Company (Santa Clara, Calif.). "Initial support of Motorola's MPC801 processor will include the C/C++ Compilers and XRAY Debuggers (simulator and monitor) for the PC host running Windows NT and 95. Microtec also offers a VRTX real-time operating system, joining its compilers and debuggers for a complete PowerPC embedded software development solution."

In addition to Microtec, Microware and Wind River, numerous third-party developers support the MPC801, including 3M (Austin, Texas), Accelerated Technology (Mobile, Ala.), Atlas Computer Equipment (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Cogent Computer Systems, Inc. (Uxbridge, Mass.), Cygnus (Mountain View, Calif.), Diab Data, Inc. (Foster City, Calif.), Embedded Support Tools Corp. (Canton, Mass.), Embedded System Products, Inc. (Houston, Texas), Enea Data (Taby, Sweden), Green Hills Software (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Huntsville Microsystems (Huntsville, Ala.), Industrial Programming, Inc. (Jericho, N.Y.), Integrated Systems, Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.), JMI Software Systems, Inc. (Springhouse, Pa.), Lauterbach Datentechnik GmbH (Munich, Germany), MetaWare (Santa Cruz, Calif.), Motorola MCTG (Austin, Texas), Rational Software Corporation (Santa Clara, Calif.), Software Development Systems (Oakbrook, Ill.) and Tesco International, Inc. (San Mateo, Calif.).

Pricing and Availability

The 25 MHz MPC801 will sample in September and will ship in volume in the fourth quarter of 1996 with prices starting at $29.95 in 10K quantities (Motorola list price). A 40 MHz version will also sample in September, with production volumes available in the fourth quarter of 1996 for $37.50 in 10K quantities (Motorola list price).

Motorola's Networking and Communications Operation, previously named Data Communications, is part of Motorola's RISC MPU Division and manufactures integrated communication controllers and stand-alone communication devices for the needs of the Internetworking, telecommunications and data communication markets. Motorola's Networking and Communications offers the highest-integration family of embedded PowerPC devices available from Motorola today and is committed to delivering higher levels of integration, flexibility and performance in silicon solutions.

With 1995 worldwide sales of $8.5 billion, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector is committed to enabling its customers' success by providing systems solutions, processes and services to anticipate and respond to changing technologies and market dynamics. As the largest U.S.-based, broad-line semiconductor supplier, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector delivers global resources, product design and development expertise and the highest-quality technology solutions to its customers. Motorola semiconductors power automobiles, communications and computing systems and millions of other consumer products.

For additional information on Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics America's DiamondWeb TV, contact Diane Tanaka at 714/236-6448 or [e-mail] Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics America, 5665 Plaza Drive, Cypress, California, 90630. -0-

Note to Editors: PowerPC(TM) and PowerPC Architecture(TM) are registered trademarks of IBM Corp. and are used by Motorola under license from IBM Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Motorola

Mike Shoemake, 512/891-3823

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Cunningham Communication, Inc.

Cathy Keller, 408/764-0782

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