RTC Magazine

BittWare and CorEdge Networks Partner on MicroTCA, AMC Dev Tools

BittWare has announced a partnership with CorEdge Networks and the release of their RapidTCA Development System, a development environment for Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) and MicroTCA designs. To facilitate this partnership, BittWare has entered into a worldwide value added reseller (VAR) agreement for CorEdge Network’s PicoTCA development chassis and backplanes. The RapidTCA Developers System is comprised of CorEdge Network’s two-payload slot, 1U PicoTCA stand-alone test and development system, and BittWare’s DSP21k development software. Customers have the option to also purchase one or both of BittWare’s hybrid signal processing AdvancedMCs.

The RapidTCA Development System provides a development environment by emulating an actual AdvancedMC or MicroTCA system, providing front panel access to all AMCs in the system. The MicroTCA backplane supports two single-wide or one double-wide extended full-height AdvancedMC, and does not require a switching mechanism due to its cross-connected base channel, fabric and extended fabric connectivity. AdvancedMC specifications AMC.0, AMC.1, AMC.2, AMC.3 and AMC.4 are all supported.

A CorEdge Networks System/Power Controller (SPC), which occupies a third slot on the backplane and controls all backplane power, provides quick power up to all AdvancedMCs in a MicroTCA-like environment. The entire system is encased in a 1U-high bench top chassis with clear, removable top and bottom covers for easy probe access to the AdvancedMCs while the system is up and running. The chassis also includes dual front replaceable push/pull integrated air filter, fan, fan trays and an external 100-240 VAC to 48 VDC power supply.

DSP Chip Market Is Forecast to Grow a Moderate 8% in 2007

The market for general-purpose digital signal processor (DSP) chips is forecast to grow 8% in 2007 to the $9 billion level according to a new market study from Forward Concepts. That growth is in contrast to the lackluster overall integrated circuit growth of 3.5% predicted for 2007. The new study, “DSP Chip Strategies ’07” predicts a more typical DSP market growth of 15% in 2008 driven by communications and multimedia applications. But the new study also emphasizes the even bigger embedded DSP market that will grow to $17.6 billion in 2007, to almost twice the size of the general-purpose DSP chip market. The new in-depth study is believed to be the most comprehensive study available of markets driven by DSP technology, and includes the results of a new survey of DSP professionals in over 30 countries.

The embedded DSP market is led by companies like Qualcomm, Broadcom, Marvell and Infineon, with most of their DSP products offered as Systems on Chip (SoC). Because of the heavy SoC emphasis, the major RISC vendors have added DSP capability to their product offerings. The report profiles the DSP market stance of these and over 100 other chip and core vendors. Details of the study and a complete table of contents can be found at: www.fwdconcepts.com/DSP07.htm">http://www.fwdconcepts.com/DSP07.htm.

PICMG Adds Ethernet Fabric to Advanced Mezzanine Card

PICMG announced that it has released a subsidiary specification for the popular Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC). PICMG AMC.2 defines the implementation of 1 and 10 Gbit/s Ethernet links on AMC.0 Modules and Carriers. The intended implementation practice will normally include at least one link of Ethernet.

The Advanced Mezzanine Card specification defines modular daughter cards designed to provide extra functionality to AdvancedTCA cards. They can also be used to add functionality to any other “carrier” cards and are used as the “blades” in MicroTCA systems. The base specification (AMC.0) defines the module’s mechanical, interconnect, management, power and thermal requirements. The new AMC.2 specification is limited in scope to defining link usage, management and electronic-keying (E-Keying) parameters for Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) on AMCs and carrier boards. “Ethernet dominates the embedded multi-vendor serial interconnect market,” said Alan Deikman, CTO of ZNYX Networks and chair of the AdvancedMC.2 subcommittee. “It is only logical to extend that to the mezzanine, and we have seen advanced development for AMC.2 already” he added.

AMC.2 will be provided free to PICMG members and is available for purchase by non-members. More information, including product listings, can be found at www.picmg.org. Founded in 1994, PICMG is a consortium of more than 450 companies that collaboratively develop open specifications for high-performance telecommunications and industrial computing applications.