Analog Devices Announces World's First Single-Chip
Digital Modem
Breakthrough For Internet Access Modem Enables Any Protocol On Any
Port
Company Draws On Signal Processing Expertise To Create Smallest, Most
Cost- And Power-Efficient Silicon Solution For Remote Access Server
Market.
NORWOOD, Mass., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Analog Devices (NYSE:ADI) today
extended its communications solutions offerings with the announcement of the first
complete digital modem on a single chip. The ADSP-21mod870 enables Internet
Service Providers' (ISPs) and central office access providers to quadruple the number
of ports contained within an existing modem bank chassis. ADI's breakthrough
single-chip design will change the infrastructure of the Internet by significantly
reducing the acceptable size, power consumption and cost of modem solutions for
remote access server (RAS) OEMs. Moreover, the chip's unique capability to support
any protocol on any port will improve ISP customer service and reduce business
operating costs.
``The ADSP-21mod870 provides further evidence of ADI's singular ability to
understand signal processing and manufacture ICs that improve system-level
performance and function,'' said David French, Vice President and General Manager
of Analog Devices' Computer Products Division.
``Never before has a single chip provided the controller, data pump, memory and I/O
necessary to operate as a complete modem solution for the RAS market.''
ADSP-21mod870 QUADRUPLES PORT DENSITY
Current RAS modem solutions require multiple chips to perform all the modem
functions, while the new ADI offering uses only one chip. A major benefit of the
one-chip design is that 24 to 48 modem ports can fit in a space that now holds 12.
This translates into meaningful real estate or space savings. Smaller than any known
digital modem processor, the ADSP-21mod870 occupies just 0.4 square inches. In
addition, it consumes only 140 milliwatts per port, less than one tenth that of currently
available chip sets for RAS modems. Further, at $28, the ADSP-21mod870 offers the
lowest price per port - - one-third less than the next lowest priced solution.
The ADSP-21mod870 is based on digital signal processing (DSP) technology that
enables the chip to be programmed on the fly to handle any modem protocol. The
design leverages ADI's leadership in programmable DSP and memory integration,
eliminating the need for external controller and memory chips. Whether it is V.34, 56
kbps, fax or ISDN, the ADSP-21mod870 instantaneously selects the proper code and
protocol and connects the user dialing the Internet. This key benefit
eliminates the ISP's need to allocate modems to a specific protocol, which results in
greater flexibility. This allows for more efficient use of resources and translates into cost
savings through improved operating efficiencies.
The ADSP-21mod870 integrates more on-chip memory than ever before. Its 64K
words of high speed SRAM reduce cost, power consumption and space. In addition,
the on chip memory and programmability combine to facilitate field upgrades which can
handle downloading protocol updates via the network, further reducing ISP
operational costs.
SOLUTION PROVIDES COMPATIBILITY AND DIFFERENTIATION
OEMs designing with the ADSP-21mod870 have the time-to-market advantage
afforded by ADI's complete hardware and software solution. Communication protocol
code is available from ADI as well as from third parties. Moreover, because the
ADSP-21mod870 solution is OEM
programmable, differentiating features such as encryption and line statistics can be
added.
The ADSP-21mod870 is now sampling, and the $28.00 per unit price includes the IC
and software.
The modem software data modulations include K56flex(TM), V.34, V.32bis, and
V.32. The package also supports ISDN B-channel HDLC, V.8 and V.25 start-up
procedures, V.42 error correction, as well as V.42bis data and MNP Class 5
compression.
With sales of $1.2 billion for fiscal 1996, Analog Devices is a leading manufacturer of
precision high-performance integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal
processing applications.
Headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, the company employs approximately
7,200 people worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, California,
North Carolina, Ireland, the
Philippines and Taiwan. |
