Press Release

Texas Instruments and RidgeRun Deliver Linux System-Level DSPs Today for Embedded and Connected Applications

Developers of real-time applications reduce time-to-market with a robust out-of-the-box Linux development environment for system-level DSPs

HOUSTON, TX - December 10, 2001 - Extending a joint commitment to enable the rapid development of real-time applications, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE:TXN) and RidgeRun, Inc., today announced the immediate availability of an end-to-end embedded Linux ^® development suite for TI's new highly integrated, system-level digital signal processors (DSPs). The combination of the RidgeRun DSPLinux^TM operating system and Board Support Package (BSP) with TI's power-efficient, programmable DSPs will reduce cost, power consumption and board space by 40 percent for designers of real-time embedded applications. (www.dspvillage.ti.com/c547xa)

The inclusive out-of-the-box solution allows developers of applications ranging from wireless data, smart pen pads, voice recognition, text-to-speech, access point controllers, network security, industrial control and emergency radio to take advantage of the flexibility and connectivity of DSPLinux. The solution also provides an easy way to access real-time algorithms running on the code-compatible TI DSPs from the Linux kernel."Embedded Linux is rapidly becoming the operating system of choice for the majority of new embedded electronic systems, replacing proprietary 'home-grown' operating systems as away to ensure true open-source flexibility," said Dennis Barrett, Texas Instruments' DSP product marketing manager. "Likewise, more and more developers are migrating to the truly robust DSPLinux BSP."

RidgeRun's extensive embedded Linux development tools include command-line build tools that support TI's TMS320C54x^TM DSPs as well as the ARM7, a Linux JTAG-based GDB debugger, and a Linux kernel with DSP/BIOS bridge support for C54x^TM DSP targets. Designers can also employ over 1,000 existing operating system middleware software packages, communications stacks, and other applications available today for the ARM7. This level of development support and intellectual property, along with the immediate availability of the C5470 and C5471 DSPs, provides critical resources necessary to create new products for a broad array of applications that can exploit the advantages that system-level integration provides.

"OEMS developing network-connected applications have demanded a one-source hardware and software solution to reduce system size, power consumption and cost while meeting the ever-increasing demands of anytime-anywhere consumers and decreasing time-to-market windows," said RidgeRun CEO Rudy Prince. "Combining the completeness of RidgeRun's DSPLinux BSP with TI's programmable system-level DSPs which are in production today, reduces debug time, accelerates time-to-market."

The two DSPs combine the world's most popular programmable DSP with the ARM7 Thumb RISC processor along with support for one of the most requested embedded operating systems on the market today. This combination delivers native DSP-enabled performance to low cost RISC-based systems eliminating the need for designers to move to a more expensive RISC architecture. The heterogeneous dual-core architecture of TI's system-level DSPs allow optimized task partitioning for increased system performance using the right processor for the right task.

Availability
The C5470 and C5471 DSPs are available today in production quantities. The C5471 EVM and DSPLinux bundle, as well as the C5470 EVM and separately purchased DSPLinux BSP are available now for ordering, with shipments beginning in January 2002.

C5471 Development Bundle
C5471 Evaluation Module (EVM) from Spectrum Digital
Bundled with DSPLinux BSP
Available now.
Price - $8999
Order now: www.spectrumdigital.com

Board Support Packages (BSP) for C5470 EVM
DSPLinux available from RidgeRun
Linux OS, drivers, utilities, GNU ARM + C54x Linux tools
Available now.
Price - $7499
Order now: www.ridgerun.com, sales@ridgerun.com or 208-331.2226

C5470 DSP
Price - $15.50 (10,000-unit quantities)
Available now.
Order now: http://www.dspvillage.ti.com/c5470b

C5471 DSP
Price - $17.57 (10,000-unit quantities)
Available now.
Order now: http://www.dspvillage.ti.com/c5471b

About TI
Texas Instruments Incorporated is the world leader in digital signal processing and analog technologies, the semiconductor engines of the Internet age. The company's businesses also include sensors and controls, and educational and productivity solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ti.com.

About RidgeRun, Inc.
RidgeRun is exclusively focused on bringing the reliability and flexibility of Linux to embedded Internet appliances based on DSPs (digital signal processors). RidgeRun's DSPLinux™ is an operating system that leverages the power of Texas Instruments' dual-core DSP architectures to deliver the performance-leading platform for wireless, broadband and multimedia appliances using DSPs. These include mobile phones, digital cameras, audio and video players, automotive systems, set-top boxes, home networking gateways, and PDAs. The RidgeRun team has extensive experience in developing world-class embedded systems, fault-tolerant software and high performance Linux solutions. RidgeRun can be reached at www.ridgerun.com or by e-mail to info@ridgerun.com.