SEEQ Announces Low-Cost Fast Ethernet Controller for Embedded Applications; QQ80C200 Provides Feature-Rich Set at Low Price Point.

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1998--SEEQ Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:SEEQ), the leading independent developer of Ethernet MAC controller and PHY transceiver IC technology, today announced release of a feature-rich Fast Ethernet Media Access Controller that will offer a low-cost solution for price-sensitive embedded applications.

The QQ80C200 Fast Ethernet 10/100 Mbps (Megabits-per-second) Data Link Controller IC is the latest addition to the company's rapidly growing Hurricane family of Fast Ethernet IC products. With medium volume prices starting below $10, the QQ80C200 is targeted at cost-sensitive, non-PCI-based embedded Ethernet data port controller applications, including print servers, multiport bridges/routers, uplinks, network PC's, cable modems, test and measurement systems, and other uses.

"Our new embedded controller is another example of how SEEQ is building on its technological leadership in the Ethernet market by providing a wide array of feature-rich networking solutions at very competitive prices," said Robert Frostholm, SEEQ's vice president of marketing and sales.

This IC is just the latest in a series of important product and strategic announcements by SEEQ in recent weeks as the Fremont-based company gears up to meet customer demand in the fast-growing Ethernet market.

Over the past two months, SEEQ has announced separate licensing agreements with Standard Microsystems and Silicon Integrated Systems, unveiled the industry's first Fast Ethernet Octal PHY transceivers with MII, RMII and SMII, rolled out a Fast Ethernet Quad PHY with MII and RMII capability, and released a new single-port 3.3volt PHY transceiver.

The QQ80C200 Controller IC includes a number of key competitive features, such as 22 management counters offering complete error, packet and event related coverage, user programmable Inter-Packet Gap to accommodate special system speed requirements, and selectable Little Endian/Big Endian Tx Byte Ordering, which allows full compatibility to either Motorola or Intel CPU based systems.

The IC also includes a MI Management Interface and an MII interface which are fully compatibility to industry standard 10/100Mbs physical layer transceivers, such as the SEEQ NQ80220, LQ80221, TQ80223 family of single port devices. The data bus can be configured for 16- or 32-bit-wide data paths, and the register bus will accommodate either 8- or 16-bit-wide operation.

The QQ80C200 fully meets or exceeds all the requirements of the latest IEEE 802.3, 10 Base-T, and 100 Base-T specifications, offers half and full duplex, and full-auto negotiation operation, as well as a number of other features.

"The ubiquitous nature of Fast Ethernet has made it the popular choice as the communications protocol for embedded systems applications," said Bill Weir, director of worldwide marketing for SEEQ.

"Embedded applications now require more sophisticated communication of management and statistics data. The QQ80C200 offers statistics and packet management features not found elsewhere for these cost sensitive applications. This expanded capability allows system designers to implement today's embedded Ethernet functionality at more competitive price."

The QQ80C200 also offers system designers additional features, such as automatic CRC Generation and Checking, automatic Collision Sense retransmit, Loopback capability for diagnostics, 64-bit multicast filter, appending value of FCS on a packet by packet basis, and pin controllable per port receive packet abort.

The SEEQ QQ80C200 10/100 Mbps single channel embedded controller is available in an industry standard 128 pin PQFP package, with pricing at $9.95 in 10KU OEM quantities. Samples and production quantities are available now. The datasheet is available for downloading in .pdf format from the SEEQ Technology Web site at www.seeq.com.

SEEQ offers complete applications engineering services, and maintains sales offices and support worldwide. For more information about the SEEQ QQ80C200, or for the name of the closest SEEQ sales office, phone [phone], fax [phone], or e-mail SEEQ via the Web site.

SEEQ Technology Inc. is a leading manufacturer of data communications semiconductor products. Headquartered in Fremont, the company is a LAN pioneer, having introduced the first integrated Ethernet controller in 1982.

SEEQ's product families include Gigabit Etry. The company's Ethernet solutions are used iit Ethernet committees, and the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance (GEA). For further information about SEEQ and its products, please visit the company's World Wide Web site at www.seeq.com, or phone [phone].