For the cost-sensitive PC market, TI's TMS320C5x generation of 16-bit fixed-point DSPs offers the greatest processing power at a competitive price. 'C5x DSPs are capable of handling up to 50 million instructions per second (MIPS), ideal for applications such as transmitting voice and data simultaneously. TMS320C5x DSPs are also the cost-effective DSPs for multimedia today, with prices starting as low as U.S. $15.95 per unit in 1,000-piece quantities. Moreover, 'C5x DSPs can reduce overall system costs by 25 percent or more over competing 24- and 32-bit solutions because of the efficiencies inherent in a smaller data bus.
DSPs are supported by the SPOX® real-time operating system, making them compatible with the Microsoft DSP RMI. TI DSPs are supported by the most comprehensive set of development tools and the largest library of industry-standard software algorithms in the industry. Other algorithms specific to PC multimedia standards are also in development with companies such as the DSP Group and Centigram.
TMS320 DSP cores like the 'C5x are easily combined with other functions such as memory and customer logic through TI's customizable DSP (cDSP) methodology. cDSPs provide high-volume manufacturers like those in the PC industry with a way to cost-reduce entire systems quickly.
For higher-end applications such as video teleconferencing, TI's TMS320C80 Multimedia Video Processor (MVP) provides the highest operations-per-second rating of any DSP commercially available today. With four advanced DSPs and a RISC microprocessor combined on the same silicon, the 'C80 is well-suited for video conferencing, desktop studios, and other power-hungry applications. In the future, as TI applies its proven capability to drive down manufacturing costs, the 'C80 will become increasingly viable for mainstream multimedia PCs.
TMS320AV DSPs provide the engines for audio and video compression in consumer electronic equipment such as settop decoders, video CD, games, and karaoke machines compliant with the Motion Picture Electronics Group (MPEG) compression standard. As these capabilities move into multimedia PCs in the future, TI's low-cost dedicated DSPs will provide solutions for system developers.
Many analysts predict that 1995 will become the year when DSPs invade the small computer world, as more multi-media communications functions become standard in PCs. The DSP RMI in Windows™ 95 will make it much easier for multimedia developers to interface user applications with the DSP processing power they need.
TI's DSP leadership and diverse portfolio of DSPs for multimedia applications will enable TI to help shape the future of PC multimedia. TI's wide-ranging products meet the price/performance requirements of today's real-time communication and audio applications. In addition, TI has the high-powered TMS320C80s for tomorrow's audio, video, and data streams, and dedicated MPEG decoders for emerging low-cost entertainment options.