Taiwan's Via Technologies rolls out fastest embedded processor

Taiwan's Via rolls out fastest embedded processor
By Mark LaPedus, Silicon Strategies
August 19, 2003 (11:11 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030819S0014

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's Via Technologies Inc. on Tuesday(Aug. 19) rolled out its fastest x86-based microprocessor for embedded and "multifunctional fanless devices."

Via's Eden ESP7000 processor is a 733 MHz device based on the company's CoolStream architecture. It features the so-called PadLock Data Encryption Engine for secure applications in the entertainment, communications, commercial and industrial fields.

The processor is geared for set-top boxes, thin clients, point-of-sale terminals and industrial PCs. "The new Via Eden ESP7000 processor has raised the performance bar for this segment and enables quick time to market for a range of system designs for a variety of advanced applications," said Richard Brown, Via's associate vice president of marketing.

Housed in Via's low-profile EBGA package, the ESP7000 consumes 6 watts of maximum thermal design power and nearly 1 watt of typical power when running at a clock speed of 733 MH z.

The processor features the company's StepAhead Advanced Branch Prediction technology, 16 pipeline stages, SSE multimedia instructions, a floating point unit and 64 Kb of L2 cache.

Via said the ESP7000 processor is shipping now in volume.