DSP Extensions Turn MIPS CPUs Into Media Stars

Adding DSP hardware extensions to the MIPS instruction-set architecture (ISA) boosts CPU throughput by up to 300% when handling signal-processing algorithms for audio and video applications. The improved DSP throughput, coupled with the CPU's ability to seamlessly integrate application-specific extensions (ASEs), simplifies and lowers the cost of system-on-a-chip solutions.

Fully supported with GNU-based software development tools, the MIPS DSP ASE includes 8-, 16-, and 32-bit single-instruction/multiple-data (SIMD) operations. Some of the extensions include saturating and fractional math instructions, variable bit insert/extract, and popular DSP operations. Also available are various tools, libraries, and operating-system support offerings.

MIPS32 and MIPS64 ISA customers can license the DSP ASE. MIPS Technologies will integrate it into future 32- and 64-bit cores. Contact MIPS for licensing terms.