The three new devices are the latest members of National's highly successful Geode family. Each combines a 32-bit 'x86' processor CPU core with a full system's worth of peripheral interfaces. The new devices will be supported by Embedded Linux through an arrangement with Lineo.
National expects the new appliance-on-chip ICs to strengthen the already favored position of its Geode product line, for which the company claims more than 120 design wins in high volume information appliance applications. Based on an analysis of trends among current Geode customers, National targeted the devices at the technical needs of three high growth areas for information appliances:
SC1200 "set-top-box on-a-chip" -- a single-chip solution targeting set-top appliance applications that use TV sets for display. Expected uses include interactive TV programming, web-based TV-guides, instant messaging and chat, web-surfing, email, etc. Information about National's "Set-Top Box Reference Platform" based on the SC1200 is available here.
SC2200 "thin-client on-a-chip -- a single-chip solution targeting thin client systems. Expected uses include low cost desktop computers, Internet terminals, point-of-sale systems, and terminals in airports, hotels, banks, etc.
SC3200 "web-pad on-a-chip" -- a single-chip solution for mobile personal access devices. Expected uses include PDAs, PIMs, wireless webpads, etc.
Summary of features
As indicated by the following summary of features, each of the three new appliance-on-chip devices contains a large percentage of the functions required to implement typical systems in one of the three targeted markets . . .
CPU -- 266 MHz 32-bit 'x86' processor with MMX support
Memory interface -- 64-bit SDRAM memory interface
Expansion buses -- PCI and ISA-subset buses (used for added functions and ROM/DiskOnChip interface)
PC core logic -- PC-compatible DMA, interrupts, counters, and real-time clock
Disk interface -- Dual-IDE hard drive interface
I/O ports -- 3 USB, 2 serial, IrDA, ACCESS.bus, IEEE-1284 parallel (SC2200 only), general purpose digital I/O
Display interface -- video graphics interface with 2D acceleration; specific interfaces vary according to version:
SC1200: NTSC/PAL display output; CCIR-656 video input; internal video mixer and DACs
SC2200: CRT and TFT LCD display output
SC3200: TFT LCD display output
Sound -- AC97/AMC97 compliant audio interface
Power management -- ACPI compliant power management
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