Chicago - Silicon Storage Technology (SST) has unveiled a second generation of its flash-based ATA-disk chip line, plus an ATA-disk module for applications with off-the-shelf motherboards. The basic product family, launched at the recent the Embedded Systems Conference here, consists of 600-mm, 5- and 3.3-volt ATA-disk chips in 32-pin dual inline packages.

The ATA-disk chips use a standard ATA/IDE protocol (a 40- or 44-pin connector mounts on the standard IDE connector on the motherboard) and can serve as a replacements for conventional IDE hard-disk drives in many embedded applications, according to SST.

Capacities now reach 96 and 128 Mbytes, but versions ranging from 8 to 64 Mbytes are still available. All models have the same footprints and pinouts, facilitating upgrades.

New security features include a write-protect pin that guards against inadvertent overwrites and viruses, and a factory-programmed, 20-byte identification number that protects data from unauthorized duplication. The ID number can be used as an encryption key.

Samuel Nakhimovsky, product-marketing manager for subsystem products at SST (Sunnyvale, Calif.), said the durability and space requirements of consumer products often prohibit the use of conventional magnetic IDE hard drives. SST's parts offer an easy, drop-in replacement, he said, with no firmware or operating-system modifications necessary.

In lots of 100,000, 5-V product prices range from $19 (8 Mbytes) to $85 (128 Mbytes).

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EETInfo No. 607