TI ADSL router chipset provides enhanced home networking

Texas Instruments (TI) Inc. has introduced the AR7 chipset, which it claims is the first fully integrated ADSL access router-on-a-chip that offers modem manufacturers flexibility and performance capabilities for service providers delivering enhanced broadband services such as home networking and gaming.

Through the company's processing technology, the device combines a MIPS 32-bit RISC processor, a DSP-based digital transceiver, and an ADSL analog front-end onto a single piece of silicon. It delivers >50 percent more processing power, and consists of less than half the components of its predecessor, the AR5 ADSL chipset.

The company introduced two new technologies - TurboDSL packet accelerator and dynamic adaptive equalization (DAE), as well as support for standardized ADSL2+ - in the AR7 chipset.

Through the TurboDSL packet accelerator, the routers provide 300 percent faster packet acknowledgement than current chipset solutions. This enables smooth transmission of streaming video and increases response time for speed-sensitive applications such as interactive gaming. The DAE enables carriers to more completely cover a given service area where DSL had been undeliverable before. In particular, DAE can enable service to copper access lines that contain bridge taps.

The device runs on Linux and VxWorks OSs, and comes with a complete network software package.