Sony Semiconductor offers one of industry's first synchronous burst cache memory modules

Business Wire, Dec 11, 1995

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 1995--Sony Semiconductor Company of America Monday announced the SCM586P series, a family of secondary cache modules designed for use with Intel Pentium(tm) microprocessors and Intel "Triton," Opti "Viper" and VLSI Technology 82C590 chip sets.

The new memory modules, built using Sony's 32Kx32 Burst SRAMs (CXK77V3211Q), support cache sizes up to 512Kbytes, and cacheable main memory up to 128Mbytes.

"The SCM586P family is designed to address the exploding demand for high-speed synchronous SRAM created by Pentium-based and other high-performance PCs," stated Jean Pierre Lassaude, vice president semiconductor marketing. "Manufacturers now have the option of using the CXK77V3211Q, a one megabit 32Kx32 synchronous Burst SRAM, on the motherboard or the new SCM586P SIMM family for added flexibility further down the manufacturing line."

Products in the SCM586P series contain either one or two banks of pipelined synchronous 64-bit wide SRAM and a tag SRAM of either 8Kx8 or 16Kx8 configuration. Control signals connect directly to the supported chipsets. The devices support bus speeds of 50, 60 and 66MHz.

Two products, the SCM586P256 (256Kbytes) and the SCM586P512 (512Kbytes), are offered in this initial release. They are packaged in 160-pin card-edge connectors and are designed for easy insertion and reliable connection.

Pentium-based computers require a high-speed SRAM L2 (second-level) cache to eliminate CPU wait states caused by slow DRAM-based main memory. As processor performance and bus speeds increase, high-speed cache is becoming an increasingly critical element in realizing a processor's full performance.

Pricing and Availability

The SCM586P256 and SCM586P512 are available now and are priced at $80 and $160 each, in 1000 piece quantities, respectively.

Sony announced the CXK77V3211Q, a one megabit 32Kx32 synchronous Burst SRAM in February 1995. It is packaged in 100-pin QFPs to achieve high density, high speed and low power consumption. Pricing, in 1,000-piece quantities, ranges from $28 each for 14ns versions to $31 each for 11ns speed grade versions.

Sony engineers designed the synchronous cache SIMM and burst cache SRAM at Sony's state-of-the-art design center located in San Jose. More than 30 Sony engineers at this facility work directly with leading computer manufacturers to design next generation SRAM products.

In fact, fully 60 percent of all Sony semiconductor sales in the U.S. are expected to come from products designed in San Jose for U.S. customers, including leading-edge SRAM products used by top workstation manufacturers.

Sony is the leading supplier of cache SRAM for high-speed engineering workstations and is moving to solidify its lead in synchronous SRAM by becoming a major supplier of PC cache. Sony's experience at high frequencies allows faster product definition and time to market for PC cache.

Sony Semiconductor Company of America is part of Sony Electronics Inc. The company is a leading OEM supplier of semiconductors, including Static RAM, CCD, D/A and A/D converters, TV and audio ICs, digital filters, serial/optical communication ICs, cellular/PCS ICs and multimedia devices. The company's discrete components include laser diodes, variable capacitance diodes and GaAs FET devices.

Note to Editors: For product and sales information, contact Sony Semiconductor Company of America, 3300 Zanker Road, San Jose, Calif. 95134. Telephone, 800/288-SONY or 408/955-6572; Fax, 408/955-5116. Prices and specifications are subject to change without notice. The purchase of products is subject to availability and Sony's standard terms and conditions of sale. Sony is a registered trademark. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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