Hitachi, Ltd.
STMicroelectronics N.V.
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) and STMicroelectronics today announced the SH-5 microprocessor
architecture, the first result of a comprehensive long-term alliance to advance the SuperH?
RISC engine family. The SH-5 64-bit architecture provides an unparalleled combination of
low price, low power consumption and high performance for applications such as home
networking, residential gateway, digital TV, set-top box, in car navigation and processing-
intensive multimedia/video applications, as well as high-end portable applications.
This SH-5 architecture will be presented on October 6 at the 1999 Microprocessor Forum
being held in San Jose in USA.
The SH-5 architecture was developed within shared engineering facilities in San Jose,
California; ST's facility in Bristol, United Kingdom; and Hitachi's facility in Tokyo, Japan.
Sample quantities of evaluation devices will be available in the second half of 2000 and will
be manufactured in Naka, Japan and Crolles, France. In volume, SH-5-based products will be
aggressively priced to compete in the cost-sensitive consumer electronics market.
The SH-5's 64-bit architecture offers significant performance advantages over the existing
SH-4 family, while preserving customers' investments in SH-4 software. New features of the
SH-5 include: extending the SuperH to 64-bit data width, developing the "SHmedia" set of
32-bit encoded instructions for high-performance multimedia: and, using SIMD (Single-
Instruction, Multiple-Data) techniques. The architecture also preserves the SH-4's 16-bit
encoded instructions with the "SHcompact" mode. Therefore, the SH-5 provides customers
with a clear, unfragmented migration path throughout the SuperH family. The SHmedia
instruction format includes four reserved bits, allowing for the incorporation of additional
features as the family evolves.
The upward compatibility was achieved without compromising performance; consuming only
600mW at 400MHz/1.5V, the SH-5 delivers 714 MIPS (Millions of Instructions per Second)
using Dhrystone 1.1 benchmarks and 604 MIPS using Dhrystone 2.1. For DSP-like
applications, the device provides 9.6 GOPS (Billions of Operations per Second) and 1.6
GMACS (Billions of Multiply-Accumulate operations per Second). An optional 64-bit
floating point unit can be arranged in 64x32-bit (single-precision), 32x64-bit (double-
precision) and 16x128-bit (four single-precision) configurations, delivering 2.8 GFLOPS
(Billions of Floating Point Operations per Second) for high-end multimedia.
The SH-5 architecture has also been optimised for system-on-chip implementations, its dual-
64-bit read/write channels, 3.2-GByte/sec internal SuperHyway bus being augmented with
two backward-compatible peripheral buses to ensure that intellectual property (IP) blocks
from both Hitachi and STMicroelectronics will integrate with the processor core. This will
provide each of Hitachi and STMicroelectronics with a possibility to utilise the other
company's IP blocks though SuperHyway bus and this will realise full compatibility between
the manufacturers. Both companies are currently discussing the possibility of further
developing the partnership so that a customer can approach either Hitachi or
STMicroelectronics to develop a SuperH-based SOC device and leverage the significant IP
portfolios of both companies for system-on-a-chip designs. Additionally, since the
SuperHyway bus is compliant with the emerging VSI (Virtual Socket Interface) standard,
customers can integrate most third party IP with minimal transistors for "wrapper" logic.
The SH-5 has been designed to meet the needs of the consumer market and balances
performance, power and price. The first CPU, specified at 400MHz, will meet these
requirements and future speed enhancements to over 600MHz give a clear performance
roadmap. The first devices based on the SH-5 architecture will be manufactured on a
0.15micron CMOS process. The two companies will start work on the development of the
next phase of the SuperH evolution.
* SuperH(TM) is a trademark of Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd., head-quartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics
companies, with fiscal 1998 (ended March 31, 1999) consolidated sales of 7,977 billion yen
($65.9 billion*). The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including
computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For
more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site at http://www.hitachi.co.jp.
* At an exchange rate of 121 yen to the dollar.
STMicroelectronics (formerly SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics) is a global independent
semiconductor company, whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on the
Bourse de Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. The Company designs, develops,
manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and
discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronic applications, including
telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and
industrial automation and control systems. Further information on ST can be found at
http://www.st.com/.
PRESS CONTACTS:
Yukiaki Ina Keiko Sako
Hitachi, Ltd. STMicroelectronics K.K
(03)3258-2055 (03)3280-4126
yina@cm.head.hitachi.co.jp sako-st@po.iijnet.or.jp
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