Samsung Targets Industry Standard with MSP, a Second Generation Multi-Media Signal Processor; MSP brings real-time multiprocessing to the Windows 95 environment.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1996--Samsung Semiconductor today announced the introduction of MSP (1) (Management Service Provider or Managed Service Provider) An organization that manages a customer's computer systems and networks which are either located on the customer's premises or at a third-party datacenter. , a second generation Multi-Media Signal Processor targeted to PC OEMs and consumer electronics manufacturers. Based on an open software programming model and industry leading performance, Samsung plans to manufacture MSP chips and aggressively pursue the multimedia market. Plans also call for Samsung to openly license the MSP architecture, establish multiple source manufacturing and proliferate MSP as an industry standard. This single-chip device, based on Samsung's 0.5/0.35 um 3.3v CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) Pronounced "c-moss." The most widely used integrated circuit design. It is found in almost every electronic product from handheld devices to mainframes. technology, incorporates a real-time multimedia kernel from Microsoft Corp. and is integrated with all Windows(R) compatible media APIs including DirectX(TM). It has twice the number of multimedia instructions to provide added flexibility to applications designers. The Samsung MSP is positioned to increase the performance capabilities of all seven multimedia functions, including 2D and 3D graphics acceleration, audio, FAX/Modem, telephony, and video applications. The MSP architecture features a unique dual-processor design which provides significant performance gains by off-loading the intensive math functions inherent in multimedia processing from the computer's main CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. onto the MSP processor. The MSP chip is powered by a Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD (Single Instruction stream Multiple Data stream) A computer that performs one operation on multiple sets of data. It is typically used to add or multiply eight or more sets of numbers at the same time for multimedia encoding and rendering as well as scientific ) vector processor engine for digital signal processing See DSP. Digital Signal Processing - (DSP) Computer manipulation of analog signals (commonly sound or image) which have been converted to digital form (sampled). . It also has an on-board ARM7 32-bit RISC RISC in full Reduced Instruction Set Computing Computer architecture that uses a limited number of instructions. RISC became popular in microprocessors in the 1980s. microcontroller for system management and real time scheduling of processing tasks. The new MSP is a second generation device and has the industry's only scaleable architecture for cost performance. It is twice as fast as the competition for integer processing and more than eight times faster for floating point calculations. According to Dr. Cliff Reader, Associate Director of Strategic Marketing for Samsung, "As a result of our highly effective use of silicon in this design, we have been able to make the highest performance multimedia processor which offers not only the industry's best cost versus performance solution, but added functionality to boot." "This new second generation Multi-Media Signal Processor is key for Samsung and further positions us as a technology leader," said Dr. Sang-Il Park, Executive Director, Samsung DSP (1) (Digital Signal Processor) A special-purpose CPU used for digital signal processing applications (see definition #2 below). It provides ultra-fast instruction sequences, such as shift and add, and multiply and add, which are commonly used in math-intensive Technology Center. "This leading edge multimedia technology combined with Samsung's world-class manufacturing will place us ahead of the pack." Samsung's Multi-Media Signal Processor is an open architecture device with comprehensive software development tools featuring an open and friendly programming model based on a conventional 32-bit instruction set. It is flexible enough to be a standalone solution for a myriad of embedded and consumer applications or as a PC content compatible multimedia processor. The new device is supported by Samsung's advanced process technologies and manufacturing experience. According to Yong Yao, Director, Technology Roadmap for the Microprocessor Report: "MSP will have a profound effect on the multimedia market. The MSP business model, tremendous floating point performance for 3D graphics, and openness of the MSP software architecture are key to its success. Samsung really took a longer view to this problem and as a result, is well positioned in both the PC and embedded consumer markets." "Samsung's MSP architecture brings key technologies into the field of the `upside down PC,' in which multimedia functions take precedence over compute functions," said Martin Reynolds, Dataquest VP and Chief Analyst. "Such machines will ultimately become the center for entertainment and communications in the home, and represent the third wave of personal computers. The MSP architecture will also appear in digital consumer devices such as set-top boxes, DVD players and digital television sets, and Samsung's commitment to open software and hardware will ensure a broad range of support from many corners." Hardware Features The Samsung MSP consists of a very powerful DSP core and a customer specific memory and I/O (Input/Output) The transfer of data between the CPU and a peripheral device. Every transfer is an output from one device and an input to another. See PC input/output. I/O - Input/Output subsystem. The DSP core includes a 32-bit RISC architecture ARM7 CPU running at 50 MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. and used for general processing functions such as system management and real-time scheduling. It also features a vector processor running at 100 MHz for signal processing operations and a shared cache subsystem. Also included is a fast 64-bit wide bus (FBUS FBUS Flood Brook Union School (Londonderry, VT) FBUS Frame Bus FBUS Fronted Bus ) running at 100 MHz for interfacing with a myriad of internal FBUS peripherals, and a slower 32-bit wide bus (IOBUS) running at 50 MHZ to interface with a number of IOBUS peripherals. The device is programmed to provide real-time MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). 1, MPEG2 decoding, real-time AC3 decoding, a real-time H.324 CODEC function. It can also do sound processing such as wavetable A group of sampled sound waves used in MIDI. See wavetable synthesis and MIDI. (hardware, music) wavetable - A type of sound generator often built in a sound card. A wavetable contains digitised samples of real instrument sounds or effect (FX) sounds. functions. The device also contains V.34 modem and V.17 FAX algorithms along with video processing and filtering as well as PC telephony functions (DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data) An all-digital technology for concurrent voice and data (SVD) transmission over a single analog telephone line. The DSVD V. , Speakerphone, TAM, caller I.D., etc.). MSP can simultaneously run several of these functions in real-time. In addition, the SIMD vector processor engine provides powerful floating point for very high quality 3D graphics front-end processing. The hardware also features a bitstream processor. To round out the feature set, the design also contains 10k of unused gates for optional customer customization. Software Programming Features The MSP is a fully programmable media processor with a conventional 32-bit instruction format. The dual processor, shared memory architecture In computer architecture, Shared Memory Architecture (SMA) refers to a design where the graphics chip does not have its own dedicated memory, and instead shares the main system RAM with the CPU and other components. is based upon the ARM RISC core and vector processor. The programming model features dual-threaded programming for real-time multimedia processing. It supports both scalar and vector data types and provides software control over the instruction cache. According to Prabir Mohanty, Senior Applications Manager for Samsung, "MSP's deadline driven concurrent and preemptive pre·emp·tive or pre-emp·tive adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of preemption. 2. Having or granted by the right of preemption. 3. a. scheduling model is ideal to meet the hard real-time constraints necessary for media applications. This feature is unique to MSP thanks to its dual-processor architecture." The MSP programming model provides a rich instruction set consisting of high performance SIMD instructions, as well as scalar instructions. The device features special MPEG class instructions, data exchange instructions and special instructions for filtering applications. The device also includes instructions to hide I/O from the programmer. These include 1D and 2D block I/O instructions and special Load/Store instructions for pre-fetch/writeback and circular buffers. The programming model also includes macro library instructions such as DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) An algorithm that is widely used for data compression. Similar to Fast Fourier Transform, DCT converts data (pixels, waveforms, etc.) into sets of frequencies. The first frequencies in the set are the most meaningful; the latter, the least. , CONV CONV Conversation CONV Conversion CONV Convention CONV Converter CONV Convertible conv Conveyor CONV Convocation CONV Convalescent , and MULM. The software tools include an MSP Compiler and Debugger, an MSP Assembler and ELF Linker, MINT vector Simulator, MSPSIM Integrated Simulator and Debug To correct a problem in hardware or software. Debugging software means locating the errors in the source code (the program logic). Debugging hardware means finding errors in the circuit design (logical circuits) or in the physical interconnections of the circuits. monitor as well as a STAR Cycle-accurate Simulator. "We are excited about Samsung's Multi-Media Signal Processor and its support for the DirectX APIs", said Jay Torborg, Director of Multimedia software development at Microsoft Corporation. "MSP is designed to support a broad range of multimedia capabilities and will enable ISVs to quickly capitalize on the advantages offered by Microsoft(R) APIs such as DirectDraw(TM), Direct3D(TM), DirectSound(TM), and DirectPlay(TM)." Pricing and Availability The Samsung MSP device will be initially marketed to PC OEMs and is provided in a 256-lead package with 32-bit frame buffer memory. The device will dissipate 4.0 watts worse case. MSP will be competitively priced with other similar VLIW-based media processors. Contact Samsung marketing for volume pricing. Samples of the first MSP device will be delivered in Q1 of 1997. Business Model The Samsung MSP business model is based upon an open software programming model, multiple source manufacturing and an open design license. Samsung will also put its manufacturing muscle behind MSP in order to aggressively expand into this important market segment. Licensed consortium partners will include customers who design MSPs and support or enhance the MSP architecture: CPU manufacturers, DSP manufacturers, graphics and media chipset manufacturers and PC chipset manufacturers. The business model calls for three types of licenses: 1) Second source manufacturing license which consist of rights of design, manufacturing and marketing; 2) Architecture license which includes rights to design and market; 3) Instruction set license. Samsung Semiconductor Samsung Semiconductor is a wholly owned subsidiary Wholly Owned Subsidiary A subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. Notes: In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there are no minority owners. of Samsung Electronics, a $21 billion division of the $84 billion, Korean-based Samsung Group. Samsung's Semiconductor Division is the world's sixth largest semiconductor manufacturer and the leading producer of memory products. Samsung Semiconductor's North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. headquarters are located in San Jose, California San Jose (IPA: /ˌsænhoʊˈzeɪ/) is the third-largest city in California, and the tenth-largest in the United States. It is the county seat of Santa Clara County. . Samsung was the first company to sample a family of 16-megabit DRAMs in 1990, and the first to introduce the 64-megabit DRAM. Samsung delivered the first fully synchronous DRAM in 1993, and the first fully functional 256-megabit DRAM in 1994. Samsung and MSP are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. -0- Note to Editors: Microsoft, Windows, DirectX, DirectDraw, Direct3D, DirectSound and DirectPlay are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. CONTACT: Samsung Semiconductor Vera Haire, 408/954-7228 or Cain Communications Mark Alden, 408/291-2580 |
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