High CPU performance and a clear
migration path support emerging STB
services
The IBM STBx25xx Digital Set-Top
Box Integrated Controller provides
manufacturers and service providers
with high-performance, affordable, and
highly integrated semiconductors for
demanding set-top box (STB)
applications, including media home
platform (MHP), digital terrestrial
services, interactive TV, Web browsing,
and data broadcasting. Building on
IBM's technology for STBs, this
advanced controller incorporates the
powerful IBM STB architecture,
advanced sub-0.15 micron process
technology, and design flexibility.
Featuring a 350DMIPS PowerPC
pro-
cessor, the STBx25xx controller is able
to run demanding applications such
as MHP and still have compute cycles
available for additional functions. To
Highlights
STBx25xx Digital Set-Top Box
Integrated Controller
Leadership price/performance
for digital STB applications, including MHP
Provides high-performance,
cost-effective solutions for
diverse applications
Supports multimedia home
platform (MHP) applications, with
compute cycles to spare
Supports conditional access
from NDS
STBx25xx Digital Set-Top Box Integrated Controller block diagram
GPT
PWM
Smart
Card0
Smart
Card1
12C
Serial0
Serial2
GPIO
Serial
Controller
Port
Serial1
Sync
Serial
Port
UIC
OPB
Bridge
PPC405D4
CPU
JTAG
TRACE
I-Cache
16KB
D-Cache
16KB
Interrupts
OPB Bus
EBIU
Cross
Bar
Switch
SDRAM
Controller
SDRAM
Controller
Display
Processor
Graphics
MPEG A/V
Peripherals Interfaces
Memory Subsystem
SDRAM
SDRAM
SRAM
FLASH
IDE
Interface
ROM
Peripheral
Device
Audio
DAC
S/P DIF
IEC-60958
Video
Decoder
OSD
DENC
DAC
XPT
DMA
NIM
Audio
Decoder
Transport Demux
DVB
Descrambler
NDS ICAM
DMA
External
Internal
STBx25xx
match increasing industry demands for
more advanced offerings, customers
can leverage software compatibility
across IBM's family of STB controllers.
The STBx25xx design allows base audio
and video decoding activities to execute
with minimal host processing, thereby
making more DMIPS available to enable
high-end functions performed concur-
rently with audio/video programming
and entertainment.
STBx25xx controllers include four pow-
erful subsystems: processor, memory,
digital audio/video, and peripheral
interface. Fourth-generation single-chip
devices, STBx25xx controllers demon-
strate IBM's commitment to satisfying
emerging STB requirements through a
range of advanced features.
Design flexibility supports diverse
applications
STBx25xx controllers offer the flexibility
to help satisfy manufacturers' individual
application requirements. Customers
can select a controller with Macrovision
copy protection support, NDS
VideoGuard
conditional access, or
both. In addition, STBx25xx incorporates
a broad spectrum of peripheral inter-
faces and support for a range of
industry-standard memory, providing
extensive design flexibility.
The STBx25xx controller integrates
several features that can help STB man-
ufacturers minimize additional
component cost:
DENC outputs designed for multiple
configurations, including SECAM
DENC outputs capable of output to
a VCR and television simultaneously
IDE interface = direct connection
DVB CI = direct connect
Smart Card interface = direct con-
nection
Front Panel Control and Real Time
Clock
IBM STBx25xx Digital Set-Top Box Integrated Controller
Processor Subsystem PowerPC 405 @252MHz/350DMIPS 16KB I-Cache,
16KB D-Cache
Memory Subsystem DMA controller 2 SDRAM controllers
External bus interface unit Processor local buses
IDE Interface (ATA-3) Intelligent crossbar switch
Audio/Video Subsystem MPEG-2 MP @ ML video decoder
MPEG-2 transport demultiplexers/DVB descramblers
Digital encoders with NTSC/PAL/SECAM analog conversion
MPEG-2 Layer I and Layer II audio decoder
Dolby
Digital decoding (license required)*
Macrovision copy protection (license required)
VideoGuard from NDS Group plc (license required)
Peripheral Interface General-purpose timers Pulse width modulation
Subsystem IR receiver I/F sleep/wake functions
2 smart cards One I
2
C interface
Three UART serial ports Serial controller port
GPIO controllers Synchronous serial interface
Real-time clock/front panel
controller
Physical Specifications Sub-0.15-micron CMOS technology
3.3V/2.5V/1.8V operating voltage
1.4W (max.) power dissipation
0C - 70C ambient temperature range
304-pin EPBGA package
PowerPC 405 delivers high performance
The PowerPC 405 processor, the heart
of the processor subsystem, features
high-speed operation at 252MHz, 16KB
instruction cache, and 16KB data cache
to maximize application performance.
With this exceptional processing capa-
bility, STB manufacturers can design
products to support:
Media home platform
Digital terrestrial services
Internet gaming
Interactive TV
Web browsing
e-commerce applications
Advanced digital audio and video
features support next-generation
applications
The digital audio and video subsystem
delivers high-quality video and sound,
enabling advanced features for con-
sumer applications. The digital audio
and video subsystem operates with
minimal processor intervention, making
more DMIPS available for custom appli-
cation functions.
The STBx25xx digital audio and video
subsystem incorporates:
MPEG-2 video decoder; decodes
MPEG-2 Main Profile at Main Level
(MP @ ML) video
MPEG-2 transport demultiplexer/
DVB descrambler
Digital encoders, including NTSC,
PAL, and SECAM analog
conversion, and six concurrent
analog video outputs
MPEG-2 audio decoder; decodes
MPEG-2 Layer I & Layer II
MPEG-2 Layer III (MP3) audio
decoder
Macrovision copy protection
support (STBx25x1 controllers only;
a Macrovision license is required)
NDS Video Guard support
(STB125xx controllers only; an NDS
license is required)
Anti-flicker filter
A wide range of peripheral
and memory interfaces
The peripheral interface subsystem pro-
vides the variety of interfaces needed to
satisfy customer requirements:
General-purpose timers, pulse
width modulation (GPT, PWM)
Two smart card interfaces
(EMV2000)
One inter-integrated circuit (I2C)
interface
Three UART750 serial
communications ports
Serial control port
General-purpose input/output
(GPIO) controllers
Synchronous serial port
Real-time clock/front panel
controller
Infrared receiver
The memory subsystem incorporates
a DMA controller that provides 4
channels, supporting up to 128MB of
SDRAM; two SDRAM controllers; an
external bus interface unit (EBIU) sup-
porting up to 256MB of SRAM/ROM
or Flash memory; a crossbar switch;
and two processor local buses (PLBs)
that interface to the PowerPC processor
and other major subsystems. The PLBs
provide high bandwidth between the
function masters and the external mem-
ory interfaces for ROM, Flash, SDRAM,
and others. The subsystem's DMA
controller increases application perfor-
mance by allowing more concurrent
data transfer between memory and
peripherals.
G522-0626-00
Copyright IBM Corporation 2002
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America 5-02
The following are trademarks of International
Business Machines Corporation in the United
States, or other countries, or both:
IBM IBM Logo PowerPC RISCWatch
Dolby is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories.
Supply of this implementation of Dolby
Technology does not convey a license or
imply a right under any patent, or any other
Industrial or Intellectual Property Right of Dolby
Laboratories, to use this implementation in
any finished end-user or ready-to-use final
product. Companies planning to use this imple-
mentation in products must obtain a license
from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
before designing such products.
Linux us a registered trademark of Linus
Torvalds.
VideoGuard is a registered trademark of NDS
Group plc.
VxWorks is a registered trademark of Wind River
Systems, Inc.
Other company, product and service names may
be trademarks or service marks of others.
* Dolby Laboratories Certification pending. A
Dolby Audio license is required.
All information contained in this document is
subject to change without notice. The products
described in this document are NOT intended for
use in implantation or other life support applica-
tions where malfunction may result in injury or
death to persons. The information contained in
this document does not affect or change IBM
product specifications or warranties. Nothing in
this document shall operate as an express or
implied license or indemnity under the intel-
lectual property rights of IBM or third parties.
All information contained in this document was
obtained in specific environments, and is pre-
sented as an illustration. The results obtained in
other operating environments may vary.
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS
DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS"
BASIS. In no event will IBM be liable for dam-
ages arising directly or indirectly from any use
of the information contained in this document.
IBM Microelectronics Division
1580 Route 52, Bldg. 504
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-6351
The IBM home page can be found at ibm.com.
The IBM Microelectronics Division home page
can be found at ibm.com/chips.
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Highly productive development tools
help reduce time-to-market
Evaluation kits, including device drivers,
a circuit board, VxWorks
and Linux
development tools are available. The
IBM RISCWatchTM debugger for non-
invasive RTOS-aware debug is also
available to help manufacturers improve
their time-to-market. In addition, the
PowerPC 405 processor's widely
adopted architecture is supported by
the IBM PowerPC Embedded Tools
Program, giving designers access to
third-party tools to meet a range of
development needs.
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