Boston Circuits Adopts Configurable ARC 750D Cores For its New gCORE Family of Multicore Processors

Sixteen ARC Configurable Cores to be Used in Groundbreaking Multicore Processors From BCI for Embedded Multimedia Applications

BURLINGTON, Mass. & ELSTREE, England -- October 31, 2006 -- Boston Circuits Inc. and ARC International (LSE:ARK), the world leader in configurable CPU/DSP cores and application subsystems, announced that Boston Circuits has taken a license for the ARC^™ 750D configurable CPU for integration into Boston Circuits’ gCORE™ family of multicore processors. Recently announced at the Fall Microprocessor Forum, the gCORE16 integrates sixteen customized ARC 750D cores and key system peripherals such as PCI Express, USB, and video interfaces on a single chip, making it an ideal main processor for embedded multimedia applications such as IPTV media centers, network displays and projectors, and color printers and copiers. Built on a unique architecture called Grid on Chip^™, the gCORE processors successfully balance ease of programming with performance, flexibility, and power efficiency.

The ARC 750D configurable RISC core includes features such as a high performance 7 stage pipeline, dynamic branch prediction unit and a memory management unit for Embedded Linux and other high-end operating systems. Leveraging the 750D’s performance attributes of 1.5 DMIPS/MHz, the gCORE16 is expected to achieve over 14,000 DMIPS.

“We needed a configurable core so that we could customize it to meet the unique requirements of our Grid on Chip architecture,” said Aaron S. Kurland, CTO of Boston Circuits. ”The ARC750D core delivers on that front, with the addition of high performance and power efficiency in a small die size.”

Derek Meyer, senior vice president of sales and marketing at ARC, said, “Boston Circuits is leading the way in the development of a new breed of multi-core processors that will provide customers with performance, ease of use, and power efficiency in a low cost package. We are excited to be working with this innovative new company.”

The Configurable ARC^™ 750D Core

The configurable ARC 750D core delivers the most power- and area-efficient 32-bit CPU and DSP processors in its performance class in a unified RISC architecture. At up to 500 MHz and over 800 DMIPS performance in a 0.13 nanometer process, the ARC 700 Family consists of the 710D, 725D and 750D cores all of which meet the needs of the most demanding SoC applications, such as graphics, media codecs and packet processing. The 700 core family also makes an ideal platform for devices requiring high-end embedded OS’s such as Linux. Standard features include DSP instructions, RTOS and secure processing support. ARC's XY Advanced DSP subsystem, Memory Management Unit and FPX floating point extensions are available options for each core.

Using ARC's patented configurable CPU technology, SoC designers can easily optimize an ARC processor for their specific applications. Features and instructions can be added or removed to achieve a highly differentiated solution that consumes less power and less silicon area, and is unique to its creator.

About Boston Circuits Inc.

Founded in 2005 by a team of semiconductor, software, and multimedia experts, Boston Circuits, Inc. is a fabless manufacturer of multi-core processors for use in home and office multimedia devices. The Company’s unique “Grid on Chip” architecture and “Time Machine” technology deliver the performance, flexibility, and ease of use of a desktop processor, at the cost, power consumption, and size of an embedded system on chip; giving device manufacturers the opportunity to create groundbreaking multimedia products. The Company is based in Burlington, MA and has an office in Yokohama, Japan.

About ARC International plc

ARC International is the world leader in configurable subsystems and CPU/DSP processors that are used by semiconductor companies worldwide to create system-on-chip (SoC) designs that provide a strategic competitive advantage. ARC's patented configurable products are smaller, consume less power, are less expensive to manufacture, and provide a higher degree of differentiation over what can be created using "fixed architecture" core alternatives.

ARC International maintains a worldwide presence with corporate and research and development offices in California and Elstree, UK. For more information visit www.ARC.com. ARC International is listed on the London Stock Exchange as ARC International plc (LSE:ARK).