IP entrant takes standard PCI to the X level

IP entrant takes standard PCI to the X level
By Michael Santarini, EE Times
December 13, 1999 (1:28 p.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG19991213S0019

Hoping to lead a second wave of intellectual-property (IP) companies to success, DCM Technologies, a recent spinout of Indian conglomerate the DCM Group, has announced its entry into the IP market as well as its first offering: a PCI-X core called Corex-V10. The company hopes to shake off a general perception that standards-based IP is a flat segment. But it may prove a long row to hoe, as the standards-based IP market has proven to be turbulent.

Roughly three years ago, several design-service-groups-turned-IP-vendors jumped into the market with 32-bit, 33-MHz cores. The sheer number of competitors, subsequent design-in horror stories and a low barrier to entry dropped the value of 32/33 PCI from roughly $400,000 to free. Out of that rubble only a few companies survived-most notably Phoenix Technologies, which recently spun off its IP group toward a possible IPO (see related story, page 65).

Hemant Bharat Ram, CEO of DCM Technologies, sa id that chapter in PCI-core history is over and that his company learned from others' mistakes. "I don't think a lot of the entrants into the market really understood that you needed a lot more than just a core to be successful," said Ram.

He added that DCM has taken measures to ensure it has the right ingredients for IP success. For example, the 100-person New Delhi-based company has dedicated 40 people to support the Corex-V10.

Ram said the Corex-V10 implements 64/32-bit, 133-MHz PCI-X functions and is targeted at high-bandwidth applications such as Gigabit Ethernet. He said interested parties can acquire the core directly from DCM, but it is also available through Altera and Lightspeed Semiconductor.

Ram said the core operates at 66 MHz on an Altera EP20K400E-1 programmable device. The Corex-V10 ranges in price from $30,000 to $300,000, depending on configuration and support needs. The company also requires a per-chip royalty.

See www.dcm tech.com, www.altera.com or www.lightspeed.com.