SMSC Debuts INIC eLITE System Solution for Entry Level Multimedia Networking Applications

It allows for a simple, cost effective and transparent way to utilize SMSC's existing OS81082 Intelligent Network Interface Controller, or INIC, technology. With just a few commands, the INIC can be set up to transfer these signals over an unshielded twisted pair of copper cables, just as if there was no network in between, making its application very simple for the design engineer. INIC eLITE is a reference implementation containing hardware and software, documentation and development support to design low-cost multimedia links.

With INIC eLITE, SMSC closes a gap that exists in multimedia networking. A variety of multimedia networking technologies available in the industry today provide flexibility and enhanced features but they are a challenge to implement. The more features they provide, the more complicated and costly the design-in process is. However, many systems do not require a lot of these features and flexibility. They simply need to transfer audio and/or video data along with bi-directional control information in a rather static way between devices. Designers of these systems do not need the complexity of a high-end network but would prefer to link these signals between the devices as if there was no network. INIC eLITE serves these simple, more static systems by providing a transparent solution. With just a few initialization commands to the INIC, the respective signal paths can be established and the data can flow between the devices without a lot of networking software overhead. All functions related to the management of the network are encapsulated in and handled by the INIC. SMSC's INIC OS81082 provides 50 Mbps of fast synchronous data transfer of audio and video using existing electrical connectors over unshielded twisted pair wiring.

The INIC eLITE is a natural, all-digital evolution of the existing multichannel analog audio interface with Controller Area Network (CAN) bus control function between a radio and an amplifier. INIC eLITE eliminates much of the cabling required for several analog channels as well as the CAN network controller. Its digital signal path also overcomes noise, distortion, and signal degradation that typically plague an analog signal channel. Processing is done digitally, both in the source and in the sink. By providing digital transport, INIC eLITE saves components for digital/analog conversion and back.

"As U.S. auto makers add more and more functionality into the head-end unit of in-vehicle infotainment networking systems, they are faced with issues that are causing further integration to become increasingly complicated, more expensive and inherently noisy," said Morry Marshall, VP Strategic Technologies, Semico Research Corp, a semiconductor marketing and research firm. "The SMSC eLITE connectivity solution provides a way for auto makers to design a simpler, more cost-effective infotainment system, which overcomes those problems and uses fewer components than current solutions such as an analog plus CAN network."

"Being close to our automotive customers and their need to design for the increasing amount of content in the car, we developed the INIC eLITE implementation to cater to OEMs and after-market developers requiring a simple and transparent infotainment network, especially for entry level systems," said Christian Thiel, Vice President and Managing Director of Automotive Infotainment Systems at SMSC. "By integrating the communications link management into the INIC device, we've reduced the software required to create an audio/video data and control information tunnel between components. The system complexity is reduced since a large portion of the cabling is eliminated, and it is easily expandable to multiple nodes where the cost savings become even more significant" - SMSC.