Texas Instruments Reveals First Integrated 1394b OHCI Link/PHY at Microsoft WinHEC 2006

Texas Instruments Reveals First Integrated 1394b OHCI Link/PHY at Microsoft WinHEC 2006

May 29, 2006

-- 1394b Performance Increase Benefits Windows Vista Users

    WinHEC, SEATTLE, WA, May 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The
leader in 1394 (FireWire(R)) technology, Texas Instruments
Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced two new 1394b
devices at WinHEC in Seattle (May 23-25, 2006). Providing
faster speeds with fewer design challenges, the new TI
integrated Link/PHY device and the single-chip physical
(PHY) layer device improve 1394b performance in notebook
and personal computers.  Live demonstrations of these new
devices will be featured in TI booth 113.

    Further expanding the largest 1394b portfolio in the
industry, the introduction of the TSB83AA22ZAJ open-host
controller interface (OHCI) 1394b Link/PHY will give
designers the ability to build devices using a 1394b Link
and PHY layer on the same chip.  The smallest 1394b device
on the market in a 7x7 mm u*BGA package, the TSB83AA22ZAJ,
is ideal for implementing high-performance 1394b in any
size notebook computer.  In addition to complying with the
established 1394b standards requirements, the Link/PHY
product provides system advantages such as enhanced
compatibility with legacy digital video equipment (i.e. DV
camcorder), special power-down features and low-power
modes, and extra-large FIFOs for improved performance. The
TSB83AA22ZAJ also has two bilingual 1394b cable ports for
system configuration flexibility.

    "Video editing is becoming easier and easier, and
having super-fast 1394b storage matched with a 1394b
enabled computer gives the user a much more enjoyable
experience," said Zeph Freeman, worldwide 1394
business development manager for TI.  "We are excited
to see other major market players expand their 1394b
offerings.  Microsoft's announcement of future 1394b
support in Windows Vista and Apple's recent announcement of
the 17" MacBook Pro with 1394b will give consumers new
high-performance options."

    TI is also introducing the TSB81BA3D single-chip PHY
which contains three bilingual 1394b cable ports and is
fully-compatible with 1394a-2000.  With data transfers of
up to 800 Mbps - nearly twice the transfer rate of USB2.0 -
TI's 1394b devices meet a growing demand for faster speeds
due to larger capacity hard-disk drive (HDD) storage and
high-definition video transfers.  

    Fully-interoperable with FireWire, i.LINK(TM) and
SB1394 implementations of IEEE standard 1394, the TSB81BA3D
is also used in computers, add-in cards, consumer and
industrial applications.  "Microsoft plans to include
support for the IEEE standard 1394b in Windows Vista
shortly after the release of the new operating
system," said Mark Slezak, program manager, Windows
Device Experience Group at Microsoft.  "Building on
the existing support in Windows XP for 1394a, the 800 Mbps
transfer rates in the IEEE 1394b standard (and the
specified rates of 1.6-Gbs, and 3.2-Gbs) will further
expand the bandwidth available in Windows for scenarios
such as high-definition audio and video transfers and
external storage solutions."

    In addition to developing 1394b for the personal
computing space, TI is designing 1394b products to support
consumer electronics applications such as what is defined
by HANA (High Definition Audio Video Network Alliance). 
HANA uses 1394 to enable single-cable connections,
ease-of-use and secure networks.  The transition to
high-definition television (HDTV) and HD services, HANA's
goal is to address the growing consumer demand to easily
distribute content protected and non-content protected
material within the home.  More information about TI's 1394
product line can be found at interface.ti.com

    About Texas Instruments:

    Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP
and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world
signal processing requirements.  In addition to
Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational &
Productivity Solutions business.  TI is headquartered in
Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales
operations in more than 25 countries.

    Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol TXN.  More information is located
on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .

    Trademarks

    All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
FireWire and the FireWire symbol are trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.


    For more information, please contact:

     Maureen "Mo" Sepulveda	
     Texas Instruments	
     Tel:   [phone]		
     Email: [e-mail]

     Heather Mills	 		
     GolinHarris		
     Tel:   [phone]		
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Texas Instruments Incorporated