FREMONT, Calif. -- Nov. 9, 1998 -- Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ:CRUS) today introduced industrial temperature, low power and cost-reduced versions of its CrystalLan™ CS8900 embedded Ethernet controller, enhancing the industry's smallest Ethernet controller to support a growing number of consumer and industrial applications.

The new mixed-signal products include the five-volt CS8900A-IQ that withstands the temperature extremes of industrial applications (- 40 to +85 degrees C); the three-volt CS8900A- CQ3 for low-power and handheld applications such as Ethernet phones and Internet devices; and the five-volt CS8900A-CQ, a lower cost version of the original CS8900, targeted at set-top boxes, cable modems and voice over IP (VOIP) applications.

Developed to support the growing use of Ethernet outside of the PC, the embedded Ethernet controllers require less than 1.5 square inches of valuable board space – well within the size limits for products such as set-top boxes, DSL modems and SOHO terminals. In contrast, competitive Ethernet products consume anywhere from nearly two to three times the board space (from 2.7 - 4.5 square inches).

Stability of Ethernet Technology Supports Consumer & Industrial Needs

While known for its use in PC networks, Ethernet offers a robust, well-understood and reasonably priced technology, making it suitable for networking beyond the desktop. According to Mike Press, marketing manager for Cirrus Logic's Ethernet products, "High volumes in the PC market have driven Ethernet costs down, and clever designers are taking advantage of its value and performance to enable high-speed data transfer in non-traditional applications and harsh environments."

Industry-Proven Ethernet Success

Compact and competitively priced, several million units of CS8900 shipped in fiscal 1998. With more than 50 design wins for products as set-top boxes, industrial telemetry and Internet appliances, the CS8900 is becoming the de facto industry-standard Ethernet controller in embedded applications. In addition, the CS8900 has also been designed into more than 20 non-traditional networking applications such as Internet phones, industrial controllers, ADSL systems, CNC machines, point-of sale equipment for gas stations, and undersea data gathering equipment.

Product Highlights

Each of the new CS8900 products optimize size, features, integration and driver support to provide the most comprehensive and cost-effective solution for embedded Ethernet applications. In order to reduce system costs, the CS8900 product family integrates on-chip filters and RAM, eliminating the need for costly external components, and resulting in the smallest complete Ethernet circuit on the market. On-chip filters also reduce the difficulty of passing EMI tests.

In addition to 10Base-T transmit and receive filters, the devices also include a direct ISA- Bus interface with 24mA drivers, and support full duplex operation. Further, the CS8900 products feature the unique PacketPage® architecture which automatically adapts to changing network traffic patterns and available system resources.

Industrial Temperatures Supported

The CS8900A-IQ industrial temperature product employs a rugged design that resists extreme temperatures to reduce system cooling requirements. Whereas commercial grade parts must only support 0 to 70 degrees C, industrial temperature specifications mandate performance from –40 to 85 degrees C. The CS8900A-IQ device lends itself to industrial control and telemetry applications, such as point-of-sale equipment for gas station pumps, where quick and reliable data transfer is needed.

Low Power Ethernet for Handheld Devices

The small form factor and low-power consumption of the CS8900A-CQ3 gives OEMs a complete and compact embedded Ethernet solution for handheld PCs, Internet access devices and other next-generation computing platforms. The three-volt product also provides compatibility with the latest generations of microprocessors, including x86, SH-3, MIPS and ARM-based chip solutions such as Cirrus Logic's PS7XXX system-on-a-chip family.

The small footprint of the CS8900A-CQ allows for lower system costs and offers the speed and performance needed for set-top boxes, cable modems and VOIP applications – a market that promises to grow rapidly over the next few years.

Leading Driver Support

Cirrus Logic supports its CS8900 family of products with driver source code for 16 operating systems, including Windows (CE, NT, 95), Linux, Unix and a variety of Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS). Driver source code is available free of charge to Cirrus Logic's customers. For more information on Cirrus Logic's industry-leading driver support, send email request to ethernet@crystal.cirrus.com or visit the company's web site at http://www.cirrus.com/products/overviews/cs8900a.html.

Pricing and Availability

The CS8900 family of products is immediately available for volume shipments. The CS8900A-IQ industrial 5V part is priced at $10.10/10,000 units. The CS8900A-CQ3 commercial 3V device costs $8.80/10,000 units, and the 5V CS8900-CQ is available for $7.30/10,000.

Industrial Communications

The CS8900 family of products is part of the portfolio of advanced industrial-grade mixed- signal communications products developed by Cirrus Logic's Crystal Products Division, including Telecommunications Line Interface Units and Framers and Ethernet Controllers and PHYs. These products leverage the company's mixed-signal design expertise to deliver high reliability and noise- tolerant communications solutions for the telecommunications and network equipment manufacturers.

Cirrus Logic Inc.

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of precision linear circuits and advanced mixed-signal system-level chip solutions, the latter of which demand high-performance mixed-signal processing, embedded DSP, algorithms and firmware. The company's products, sold under its own name and the Crystal product brand, enable high-volume applications in mass storage, communications, consumer electronics and industrial markets.

# # #

Note to editors: Cirrus Logic, Crystal, and PacketPage are registered trademarks of Cirrus Logic, Inc. CrystalLan is a trademark of Cirrus Logic, Inc. All other product names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders.