ASIX Electronics Corp. today announced that it has rolled out two new Ethernet IC solutions. The AX88742 and AX88783 are the latest series being added to the ASIX's Embedded Ethernet product portfolio. The 2-port Ethernet devices can be configured as a fully managed, Layer-2 switch with the third port being connected to any host processor. Using AX88742 with 32-bit PCI microcontroller or AX88783 with generic 8/16/32-bit microcontroller, designers can provide 2-port Ethernet connectivity to the embedded systems to distribute voice, video, and data remotely over the network.

The AX88783 is a 2-port Ethernet switch featuring a third port, 32-bit Non-PCI/SRAM-like host interface. The AX88742 is a 2-port Ethernet switch with the third port being connected to a 32-bit/33MHz PCI host interface. The built-in switching fabric supports non-blocking wire-speed forwarding and offers an advanced switch feature set that includes tag/port-based VLAN, spanning tree, QoS priority management, rate control, port security, port mirroring, IGMP snooping, and MIB counters. ASIX's new ICs are targeted at performance-sensitive embedded applications that need to support two Ethernet ports, typically one for a LAN port and one for a WAN port. Also, the AX88742/AX88783 support HP Auto-MDIX, which allows both the straight-through and crossover cables to be directly connected to the device without end user's guesswork.

As the multimedia applications for distributing voice, video, and data remotely over the network grow, demands for adding Ethernet connectivity to an embedded system have also been increasing. Because of its ease of use, low-cost, high-throughput, and seamlessly interoperating with existing computer network, the Ethernet is a very attractive infrastructure technology to expand beyond the SOHO networking and Enterprise space. There is a growing awareness of the need for a network in the home that can easily distribute and share the high quality digital video and audio content among different home devices. Ethernet is also expanding into industrial applications on the factory floor. ASIX's latest chip offerings can meet our customer's needs for current and emerging 2-port Ethernet applications, such as VoIP phone/ATA adapters, IP cameras, next-generation IP-STB/IPTV, industrial controller/network sensors, port redundancy/port monitoring, and Single Board Computers (SBC).

To help customers evaluate and develop applications with the AX88742/AX88783, ASIX provides comprehensive technical support including hardware and software application notes, user guides, schematics, PCB layout guides, and drivers for Windows/Linux/WinCE operating systems.

Limited samples of the AX88742 and AX88783 are available now, and volume production is scheduled in the second quarter of 2008. The chips are offered in RoHS compliant version.

For more information on the AX88742 and AX88783, please contact ASIX Electronics Corp. via e-mail: sales@asix.com.tw, or visit our website: www.asix.com.tw.