RMI Launches the Fastest and the Most Power-Optimized Consumer Processor in the Industry for Multifunction Portable Media Players

Monday, January 7th, 2008

RMI Alchemy Processor Brings New Performance Levels to the Market Enabling Customers Increased Capabilities Based on Increased Processor Speed

LAS VEGAS — RMI Corporation™ (RMI®), a leading supplier of processor based solutions for networking, communications and consumer applications, today announced that it is shipping the highest performing and most power-optimized embedded processor in the industry for multifunction portable media players (mPMP™), mobileTV, and personal navigation devices. The new RMI Alchemy™ Au1250 Media Processor brings 700MHz performance at remarkably low power. When coupled with its on-chip Media Acceleration Engine™, which off-loads full D1 video processing in hardware, the Au1250 processor delivers more Available MIPS for other user applications than have been previously available in portable consumer devices.

The Alchemy Au1250™ Processor is in full-production in a variety of performance levels ranging from 400MHz to 700MHz. The new 700 MHz offering, an increase of 17% in CPU performance, allows customers and developers to play DVD quality video, while simultaneously enjoying ample processing performance for such applications as GPS navigation with heavy maps, MobileTV, photo viewing, VoIP, web browsing, DRM, graphical user interfaces, OS services, and other software tasks.

Unlike competitive alternatives, RMI Alchemy’s low power claims are based on full chip power in real world environments. The Au1250 processor at 700 MHz establishes a new benchmark in Video and CPU power/performance, boasting published typical power consumption of <700mW (700 MHz CPU with 233 MHz DDR2 memory bus) while playing WMV9 video at 2 Mbps, D1 resolution with WMA audio from IDE hard drive driven to LCD display, running Windows CE 5.0, and with all on-chip peripherals active except the USB2.0 ports. This level of power/performance is enabling technology for next generation multi-function portable media devices.

“We are extremely proud to announce the 700MHz version of the Alchemy Au1250 Processor here at CES 2008,” said Mike Wodopian, vice president and general manager, Alchemy Solutions at RMI. “The processing performance of the Au1250 at 600 and now 700 MHz, along with its ability to simplify multi-format video playback, has ushered in a new class of portable devices where touch screen picture-in-picture video/mobileTV with navigation is common place on 4.3″ to 7″ consumer platforms. At 700 MHz, we are seeing the emergence of truly converged devices including browsing, e-learning, and gaming with advanced connectivity. Our customer’s success and rate of adoption allows us to continue pushing the threshold of performance while extending the power advantage we have in the market. We consider this power-performance point to be enabling technology for new devices.”

The RMI Alchemy Au1250™ Processor is the industry standard in embedded processing for mPMP’s, MobileTV and Personal Navigation Devices. The Au1250 Processor’s System-on-a-Chip (SoC) architecture allows system designers the ability to implement full featured PMPs without the need for additional components. This elevated application processing performance, with remarkably low power, makes the Au1250 Processor ideally suited to the expanding needs of mPMP’s and other devices. The Au1250 processor’s optimized design is tailored to efficiently support multi-format video playback, GPS navigation, mobile TV, along with photo viewers, digital cameras and other applications in a single, low-cost, portable design.

RMI’s Alchemy Solutions include the Au1200 Processor Family and the Au1550 Processor Family to meet the needs of consumer and communications applications by offering a high-performance, low-power processor capable of delivering a rich multi-media experience to end users under a 1/2 watt (<500 mW). The Au1200 Processor Family consists of the Au1200, the Au1210 navigation processor and the Au1250 media processor targeted for full-featured Portable Media Players (PMP), Personal Navigation Devices (PND) and MobileTV. The Au1550 Processor offers network processing capabilities with a versatile high-performance, low-power, highly integrated network System-on-a-Chip (SoC) designed for wired and wireless applications The Alchemy product line gives system designers an easy-to-use, simple solution to create full-featured consumer and communications solutions with greatly reduced design cycle times.