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Slide courtesy of HKEPC
Intel will release its new "Tolapai" system-on-chip by the end of 2007 for embedded markets

Intel expects to penetrate the industrial and embedded computing markets with its Tolapai integrated system-on-chip. Tolapai will be a system-on-chip design that integrates the CPU, north bridge and south bridge functionality into a processor. According to documentation leaked earlier this Intel expects to ready Tolapai by the end of 2007 to take on VIA’s C7 CoreFusion and AMD’s Geode platforms.

Tolapai will feature a cut-down Pentium M-derived processor core with 256KB of L2-cache. Intel will offer Tolapai in three clock-speeds – 600 MHz, 1066 MHz and 1200 MHz. Power consumption will vary from 13-22-watts depending on clock speed. Tolapai supports a maximum of 2GB of DDR2-400/533/667/800 memory in dual-channel configurations.

 Intel will manufacturer Tolapai on a 65-nanometer fabrication process. It will feature 1,088-ball FCBGA packaging that measures in at 1.092-mm.

Unlike the Pentium M and Core architecture processors, Tolapai’s CPU-core will have hardware accelerated security encryption and decryption functions like VIA’s C7 and C3 Nehemiah-core processors. Supported hardware security encryption methods include: AES, 3DES, RC4, MD5, SHA-1, SHA-224, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, HMAC, ESA and DSA.

Tolapai will not have integrated graphics according to slides featured on HKEPC. Nevertheless, four PCIe lanes will be available for PCIe graphics cards. Four additional PCIe lanes will also be available on Tolapai for up to four PCIe x1 slots.

With a proper PHY, Tolapai-based boards can have up to three Gigabit Ethernet controllers. Integrated Gigabit controllers feature hardware accelerated network packet processing.   

On the south bridge I/O side-of-things, Tolapai supports all legacy Super I/O connections. This includes floppy, parallel, serial and PS/2 ports. The integrated UART controller provides support for up to two RS232 9-pin serial ports while other legacy functionality is provided via LPC bus. The Intel Tolapai reference motherboard provides a third UART controller and support for a Trusted Platform Module in addition to the usual floppy and parallel ports.

Intel will also implemented support for up to two CAN-bus ports for automotive applications. Other notable supported features include two SMBus/I2C, two USB 1.1/2.0, two SATA 3.0Gbps, sync serial port and local expansion bus. Mezzanine connectors are also available for the expansion bus interfaces.

Intel is already providing reference boards to customers. The current Tolapai system-on-chip reference board features support for two DDR2 DIMM’s, one physical PCIe x8 slot with four lanes, four PCIe x1 ports, three RJ45 Ethernet connectors, TPM support and a standard ATX power connector. Three Mezzanine connectors are available for TDM and exp buses. Support for super I/O is optional on the Tolapai reference board.

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Will it use Mini-ITX format?
By bottle23 on 2/5/2007 4:46:50 AM , Rating: 2
That's my ultimate curiosity...Will there be a enthusiast's version like what VIA does with their EPIA line?




RE: Will it use Mini-ITX format?
By TomZ on 2/5/2007 6:51:45 AM , Rating: 1
The answer to that depends on whether a motherboard manufacturer decides to build a product around this chip. Based on the specs, I would guess probably not; who would purchase a PC that slow?


RE: Will it use Mini-ITX format?
By Tyler 86 on 2/5/2007 7:18:21 AM , Rating: 2
Well, Via's still in business... Amazing, isn't it?


RE: Will it use Mini-ITX format?
By TomZ on 2/5/2007 8:48:30 AM , Rating: 1
I was just thinking that you could easily have a Core 2 Duo @ 3Ghz in the same form-factor motherboard. So why would anyone use this new processor for that?

I would expect this processor to be used more in very size- and cost-sensitive applications in products that have a relatively fixed function.


RE: Will it use Mini-ITX format?
By dice1111 on 2/5/2007 11:24:16 AM , Rating: 2
This might not be the best option for the consumer, but Since it integrated both the northbridge and southbridge functionality, it will allow for much smaller form factor motherboards to interegrate into task specific products, such as Kiosks/bank pc's/anything that need to be small but limited processing and such.


By feelingshorter on 2/5/2007 10:55:15 AM , Rating: 2
If I can make it silent, and use low power (really low), then I'd buy it in a heart beat. There is a market out there for HTPC such as shuttles. I have friends who use a HTPC connected directly to a projector, works great. Won't heat up your whole room, especially in summer.


I don't understand...
By FrankM on 2/5/2007 8:49:49 AM , Rating: 3
Why integrate CPU, North- and Southbridge, when they are going to use DDR2 DIMMs and not SODIMMs, oversize connectors like Parallel, Serial, ATX12V, etc. Defeats the point in miniaturizing. Now you have a small chip, but normal size components, so you still need a bigger enclosure, especially since you also have to add a video card.
With an integrated video card and smaller connectors (drop serial and parallel for USB, it's 2007, for God's sake! Also could use SODIMMs or a new smaller-size memory standard should be developed; something like the PicoPSU would be a good idea, too) it could be much smaller.




RE: I don't understand...
By TomZ on 2/5/2007 9:12:41 AM , Rating: 2
You're confusing the chip with the reference design. The reference design has commodity connectors, DRAM, etc. to facilitate evaluation and development. E.g., if I'm working with the board, I might want to be able to easily change the amount of RAM.

An actual design based on this chip would probably not use the same connectors, and it would probably have soldered-in RAM instead of modules. This chip is intended for very small form factor, low-cost applications.


RE: I don't understand...
By dice1111 on 2/5/2007 11:30:28 AM , Rating: 4
You forget commercial and especially industrial processing that requires the legacy connections to communicate with older (VERY expensive) machinery. These market do not progess as fast as the consumer market because of large capital costs to upgrade their infrustructure. That is why these connection types are still around, and they won't disapear for a very, very long time.

Aside from that, fomr a consumer stand point, just because the there is support for these connections does not mean the Mobo needs to actually integrate them.


No video?
By Xenoterranos on 2/5/2007 11:34:47 AM , Rating: 2
Well, I cant fault them for not putting video in the actual chip, but I hope any boards they come out with will at least have integrated intel video. If you have to plug a card into it, it blows the entire purpose.




RE: No video?
By therealnickdanger on 2/5/2007 2:22:43 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah, there's not much point in building a CarPC with a 8800GTX... although it would be pretty cool... LOL!


RE: No video?
By JeffDM on 2/5/2007 5:07:18 PM , Rating: 2
I suppose that would get you 2000+ FPS on the in-dash GPS 3D bird's eye view.


What is this?
By vze4z7nx on 2/5/2007 3:49:42 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Tolapai will feature a cut-down Pentium M-derived processor core with 256KB of L2-cache. Intel will offer Tolapai in three clock-speeds – 600 MHz, 1066 MHz and 1200 MHz.


Okay, well we all know that clock speed isn't everything but come on... going down from 1.86Ghz to 0.60Ghz? And 256K L2 Cache? This is unbelievable as in so whack.

Well, maybe these processors could be used in today's servers... yeah that's about it.




RE: What is this?
By JeffDM on 2/5/2007 4:52:46 PM , Rating: 2
There is more to the CPU market than desktop, notebook and server chips.

If you can't accept that, then that's not Intel's problem, because there really is a market for chips of this type.


RE: What is this?
By scrapsma54 on 2/8/2007 5:20:13 PM , Rating: 2
The level 2 cache is not about size, its about repetitive data. As long as the northbridge is this close to the cpu, then the backside bus's effectiveness actually takes less time to write to the L2 cache. In english, it means the cpu requires less cache to maintain the same performance as its older counterparts.


Next Carputer
By djc208 on 2/5/2007 8:37:30 AM , Rating: 2
This might be just what I've been wanting for a carputer. I've been thinking of one of these over a AVIC or similar, more flexible and powerful. My problem is that means loosing the steering wheel controls and dash integration with the car.
But if this system can be patched into the CAN bus, with the right software it could simplify hookup with the vehicle and let me keep all the cool integration features of the stock system, in addition to adding some nifty extra ones (vehicle diagnostics, performance tracking, security integration, etc.)




RE: Next Carputer
By Davelo on 2/6/2007 1:10:46 PM , Rating: 2
Carputer? It will probably kill you. People don't need any more distractions when behind the wheel.


PCI-e Graphics?
By scrapsma54 on 2/6/2007 1:58:06 PM , Rating: 2
I hope intel is not as dumb as I am taking it to be right now. There are very few graphics solutions running on 1x, let alone, very few run on 1x and purely "none" on the 4x or 8x.




RE: PCI-e Graphics?
By DallasTexas on 2/9/2007 4:08:24 PM , Rating: 2
Actually, the dumbo here is you and the rest of the 8th graders in here.

Tolopai is neither a PC chip not intended to be one. It is a network processor for packet processing functions.


15-22W??
By IntelUser2000 on 2/5/2007 6:04:16 AM , Rating: 2
Integrated Dual channel DDR2-800 against Geode/Via C7?? Performance-wise it'll be a slaughter, but power consumption figures suggest otherwise. From the recent announcement of PA Semi's PWRfficient chip availability(http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37...
it sounds like Intel's reaction to it.




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