DS2 Licenses Tensilica’s Xtensa Processor for 200 Mbps Powerline Chipset

Design of Systems on Silicon S.A. (DS2) has licensed Tensilica’s Xtensa configurable processor to use as a controller in a 200 Mbps powerline chipset. This chipset enables broadband and networking in homes over power lines, coaxial cable and telephone wire.

“We needed a supplier we could depend on, and we were very impressed with Tensilica’s support for their products,” stated Mayte Bacete, operations director, DS2. “The Xtensa configurable processor gives us the right mix of performance and low power that we need for these chip designs.”

See the full press release at http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_11_28.htm

eASIC and Tensilica Partnership Delivers Free Diamond Processors on Free Mask Charge ASIC

Tensilica and eASIC announced a partnership to remove the cost barriers for developing custom embedded System-on-a-Chip (SoCs). Through this partnership eASIC now provides free access to Tensilica’s Diamond Standard microprocessor and digital signal processing (DSP) cores for its free mask charge, no-minimum order ASICs. This unique combination enables embedded system designers to develop Diamond processor-based SoCs for applications in any production volume. Designers will now be able to develop customized, highly differentiated ASIC solutions at a lower cost than FPGA-based embedded systems.

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_11_26.htm

CoWare and Tensilica Integrate Diamond Standard 106Micro with CoWare ESL 2.0 Technology

Tensilica processor integration enables development of better products faster through the use of CoWare Platform Architect for platform architecture design, platform verificationand software development.

By integrating Tensilica’s Diamond Standard 106Micro, the smallest licensable 32-bit processor core, with CoWare Platform Architect, designers get the first and most productive ESL 2.0 solution for platform architecture design, platform verification, and software development using Tensilica’s processor cores.

For more information: http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_11_20.htm

DTS Audio Technologies for Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD to be Added to Tensilica’s HiFi 2 Audio Engine

Tensilica will provide leading-edge DTS technologies for both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD and other high end consumer audio applications with Tensilica’s HiFi 2 Audio Engine, the most popular commercial audio DSP core for system-on-chip (SOC) designs.

“By working with Tensilica, we can help our customers incorporate our advanced sound technologies very quickly and easily,” stated Brian Towne, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Division at DTS. “The market for high definition audio systems is beginning to materialize and the availability of DTS technologies on the HiFi 2 audio engine will help enable the accelerating growth.”

For more information: http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_11_13.htm

Diamond Standard 106Micro Processor is Smallest Licensable 32-bit Core

Tensilica unveiled the industry's smallest licensable 32-bit processor core based on an industry-standard architecture. The new Diamond Standard 106Micro core takes up only 0.26 mm2 in a 130-nm G process and only 0.13 mm2 in a 90-nm G process, which makes it smaller than the ARM7 or Cortex-M3 cores, yet at 1.22 Dhrystone MIPS/MHz, it delivers higher performance than the ARM9E cores.

The low-power Diamond Standard 106Micro is designed for simple controller applications in SOC (system-on-chip) designs, and an ideal choice for designers migrating from 8-bit and 16-bit microcontrollers to 32-bit processors. All Diamond Standard processors are supported by an optimized set of Diamond Standard software tools and a wide range of industry infrastructure partners, who provide support with operating systems, design services, hardware prototyping and emulation, libraries and memories, EDA tools, and peripherals. For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_11_05_106.htm

Entire Diamond Standard Processor Core Family Enhanced

Tensilica enhanced its successful Diamond Standard processor product line, the lowest-power, most area-efficient and highest-performance licensable cores on the market. The new second-generation Diamond Standard processors include several new features including additional multiplier and divider functional units, several hardware optimizations that lower memory power by up to 30 percent, and an optional bridge to AXI-based AMBA systems. For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_11_05_diamonds.htm

Valens Semiconductor Picks Diamond Standard 108Mini for chip that Ensures High-Quality Home Audio-Video Networking

Valens Semiconductor, an Israeli start-up, has selected the Diamond Standard 108Mini as the controller for a SOC (system-on-chip) design that will enable high-quality transmission of audio and video in a home networking environment. “We are designing a chip that will enable high quality transmission of audio and video in a home networking environment,” stated Dror Jerushalmi, CEO of Valens. “We picked the Diamond Standard 108Mini as our central controller based on the high quality Diamond Standard software tool environment, the low-power advantages of the Diamond 108Mini processor compared to conventional alternatives, and because the Diamond 108Mini core had the performance-headroom we needed.”

For more information, see http://www.tensilica.com/news_events/pr_2007_10_31.htm