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CommVerge inSITE
Issue #4 -- November 1, 2000
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News and insight for the technical visionaries of the convergence era

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CONTENTS
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1. DSP technologies bulldoze bottlenecks
2. Cutting loose: wireless broadband delivery
3. Interactive age: PDA applications expand
4. Current issue highlights - 2000.11
5. Guest Opinions: Embedding the Internet
6. Inside the Digital Den: Nerve center
7. Subscribe to the print edition of CommVerge

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1. DSP TECHNOLOGIES BULLDOZE BOTTLENECKS
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Engineers love cryptic terminology and detailed specs, but even non-techie members of the convergence project team can appreciate that performing 4800 million MAC (multiply accumulate) operations per second makes the MSC8102 the fastest DSP ever built.

Motorola's newly announced DSP actually combines four SC140 DSP cores to deliver this level of performance. The product targets convergence infrastructure applications such as voice-over-data gateways, DSL multiplexers, and 3G wireless base stations--all of which depend greatly on the MAC operation.

Motorola claims that the MSC8102 can simultaneously support eight ADSL channels or 60 voice/fax/modem channels. The benefits of such increases in channel density reach all of the way to the consumer, translating to wider DSL access and lower-cost services. Moreover, the fact that the MSC8102 is programmable means that equipment based on the DSP can be upgraded in the field to support new technologies as the trend to packet-based voice and video services accelerates.

The SC140 technology at the heart of the MSC8102 comes from the StarCore design center, a joint venture of Motorola and Lucent Technologies. For more information on StarCore see "Cool cores" at
http://www.e-insite.net/cvinsite/1101AA

Meanwhile, on the subscriber side of the converged network, DSP competitor Texas Instruments has enhanced its OMAP (Open Multimedia Application Platform) software platform. OMAP simplifies the software-development process for devices such as PDAs and cell phones that employ DSPs to handle functions like voice processing, GPS, or digital audio.

Now, OMAP partners like Sony, Ericsson, and Nokia will have access to the Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME) from Sun Microsystems. TI is porting J2ME to OMAP, and the Java technology is catching on in many convergence markets. Application developers and service providers targeting 2.5G and 3G cellular handsets, for example, can seamlessly develop J2ME products that will run on all OMAP-based phones.

Texas Instruments also released some ADSL market information, which was surely intended as bravado, but that also points to the robustness of the broadband buildout. TI, like others, is fighting to win DSL market share with DSP-based offerings, and the company also offers the necessary ADSL analog line-driver ICs. By the end of 2000, the company claims it will have shipped 8 million such line-driver ICs this year. That level of shipments indicates that 2001 should be a banner year for DSL deployment.

--Maury Wright

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2. CUTTING LOOSE: WIRELESS BROADBAND DELIVERY
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While digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable modem connections to the Internet are fast gaining acceptance, serving up the last mile to the hungry masses still faces several problems, including the cost and time involved in installation. Enter Iospan Wireless (formerly Gigabit Wireless), whose focus is transmitting broadband wireless data over the last mile.

Read the complete article:
http://www.e-insite.net/cvinsite/1101AB

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3. INTERACTIVE AGE: PDA APPLICATIONS EXPAND
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PDAs are doing all sorts of things these days, from arranging teleconferences to accessing corporate applications. And if one company has its way, you'll even use a PDA to interact with your TV.

Read the complete article:
http://www.e-insite.net/cvinsite/1101AC

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4. CURRENT ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS - 2000.11
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Our 2000.11 issue just hit the streets and the Web.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/current/current.html

Here's some highlights:

COVER STORY - KNOW WHERE
The coming explosion in GPS applications.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11cs.html

FEATURE - PINPOINTING
Location services put mobile users in the crosshairs.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11f1.html

FEATURE - CURRENT ATTEMPT
Will powerline networking take off, or short-circuit again.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11f2.html

FEATURE - VULNERABLE TRANSACTIONS
Wireless devices will be hard pressed to support secure ecommerce.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11f3.html

EDITORIAL - GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Bluetooth will be important, but the industry needs to be realistic.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11ed.html

GEAR
Convergence in the flesh
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11gear.html

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5. GUEST OPINIONS: EMBEDDING THE INTERNET
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Each month, our Guest Opinion section asks industry insiders to share their views on an important topic. For our November issue, we asked about the spread of Internet connectivity into everyday products and appliances. What roadblocks stand in the way of that vision?

GOING SOFT - Stephan Thaler, Scenix
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11guest1.html

TANSTAAFL - Bill Weinberg, MontaVista Software
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11guest2.html

LOOK OUT - Mark Sigal, Rapid Logic
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11guest3.html

BRIDGING THE GAPS - Shaul Gal-Oz, Aisys
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11guest4.html


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6. INSIDE THE DIGITAL DEN: NERVE CENTER
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In the future networked home, it makes sense to have multiple audio and video devices share a central storage resource. Digital-Den denizen Maury Wright decided to build a state-of-the-art PC and test it in the most demanding role a central server might face--acting as a PVR (personal video recorder).

Read about Maury's quest:
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/issues/2000/200011/11dd.html

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7. SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINT EDITION OF COMMVERGE
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If you don't already receive our print edition, please consider signing up for a free subscription.
http://www.commvergemag.com/commverge/subscribe/subscribe.html

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Edited by Matthew Miller, managing editor.
Send feedback to: mailto:commverge@cahners.com

Copyright Cahners Business Information, 2000.
All rights reserved.
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