Press Release

*****For immediate use October 2nd, 2000

NEC Announces World First IEEE1394 Link LSI with Onboard 32-bit RISC CPU for Consumer Electronics

IEEE1394 Link LSI [µPD72890]

TOKYO October 2nd, 2000 - NEC Corporation (NEC) (NASDAQ: NIPNY) (FTSE: 6701q.l) (TYSE: 6701) will begin sampling from November 2000 of a single-chip IEEE1394 link LSI (uPD72890) aimed at application in consumer electronics, featuring an integrated central processing unit (CPU) to reduce product development lead times and provide greater flexibility in end product designs.

The world-first presence of a internal CPU, based on NEC's V850/MA1 32-bit RISC processor core, aboard an IEEE1394 link LSI enables IEEE1394 transaction and AV processing, as well as bus management and 5C (DTCP)^*1 copy protection processing all in the single chip uPD72890. As a result, the uPD72890 offers significantly reduced product development lead times for systems manufacturers and reduces the onus on end users for compliance with copy protection requirements. Together with a high degree of encryption incorporated in the device, the uPD72890 also provides considerable information security.

A dual-channel IEC61883 processing block in hardware in the device enables transmission of MPEG-TS and digital video streams independently of each other across IEEE1394 connections at data transfer rates of up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps).

With digital satellite broadcasting trials underway from September 2000 and increasing digitalization of audio and visual media, a flux of digital media consumer electronics is expected to come to market. The IEEE1394 interface is anticipated to play an important role in connecting these products to each other and future home networks, thanks to its easy-to-use interface and high data transfer rates of between 100 to 400Mbps. In fact, it is already beginning to be seen in digital video cameras, personal computers and other systems now on the market.

NEC's IEEE1394 LSI products have been primarily aimed at application in the personal computer. The uPD72890, however, is specifically aimed digital consumer electronics, and therefore offers integrated 5C copy protection as well as an internal CPU for real-time transaction processing of bus management and transmission tasks and for AV protocol processing in a single chip package. It also provides a high degree of interoperability with NEC's MPEG LSIs as a chipset solution for audio-visual equipment and represents a significant extension of NEC's wide range of device solutions to meet the growing needs of this fast expanding market.

• About NEC Corporation

• Main specifications of the µPD72890

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Note:

*1:	Technical standard to implement copy protection over IEEE1394 as set down by the Copy Protection Technical Working Group (CPTWG) and with licensing controlled by the Digital Transmission Licensing Authority (DTLA).

Media Contacts:

NEC Corporation
Aston Bridgman
Corporate Communications Division
TEL:   +81-(0)3-3798-6511
E-mail:Aston_Bridgman@HO-PRD.ccgw.nec.co.jp