Architecture and design of a talisman-compatible multimedia processor

This paper describes the architecture, functionality, and design of a Talis man-compatible multimedia processor (TM-PC) from Philips Semiconductors. "T alisman" [1]-[3] is the code name of a new graphics and multimedia hardware architecture (from Microsoft Corp.) that aims at achieving the performance of high-end three-dimensional graphics workstations at consumer price poin ts, TM-PC is a programmable processor with a highperformance, very long ins truction word central processing unit (CPU) core. The CPU core, aided by an array of peripheral devices (multimedia coprocessors and input-output unit s), facilitates concurrent processing of audio, video, graphics, and commun ication data. Designed specifically for the Microsoft Talisman project, TM- PC is a derivative of Philips' TM-1 [4]-[7] media processor and is tailored to be used in a variety of PC-based functions as a plug-in board on the pe ripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus. In the design of TM-PC, the functionality of most of the blocks from TM-1 h as been kept unchanged; the primary changes in the existing blocks have bee n in the main memory and the PCI interfaces, and a new block, called VPB, h as been added to support virtual frame buffer functionality as well as vide o graphics adapter and Soundblaster emulation capability, The major emphasi s of this paper is on the design details of the new VPB module and an expla nation of how it fits with the rest of the TM-1 design.