High Performance Register-based Flash Microcontroller from Zilog

San Jose, CA (November 04, 2002) – ZiLOG, Inc. (OTCBB: ZILG) today introduced the first members of its new 8-bit Z8 Encore!™ Flash microcontroller family based on the new enhanced eZ8™ core.

Featuring ZiLOG’s high-performance register-to-register based architecture, the new Z8 Encore! microcontrollers combine a fast 20MHz core, up to 64KB of Flash memory, up to 4KB of linear register SRAM, and an extensive array of on-chip peripherals. The Z8 Encore! family of microcontrollers enables embedded system designers to quickly develop new, highly differentiated designs, while reducing total system cost and enhancing performance.


The Z8 Encore! family is a comprehensive solution, featuring tightly integrated hardware, software, and an inexpensive development kit that includes a free ANSI C-Compiler, ZDS II integrated development environment software, full-featured evaluation board, and a complete suite of Z8 Encore! documentation. By taking advantage of ZiLOG’s complete design environment, system designers can reduce development time and maximize system performance.

“Our announcement today marks a new era for the Z8™ family of microcontrollers,” said Jim Thorburn, CEO of ZiLOG. “The Z8 Encore! microcontroller’s dramatically improved register-based architecture, totally redesigned peripherals, and complete design environment provides more integration, performance, and a faster time to market at a lower total cost of ownership, setting a new standard for the microcontroller industry.”

The new eZ8 core maintains backward compatibility with the company’s Z8™ MCU. The Z8 Encore! family of microcontrollers includes various flash memory sizes from 4KB up to 64KB. Use of the same core and peripheral interfaces across the entire family ensures seamless migration across different devices without expensive code modification or re-investments in tools. Operating at more than twice the speed and executing instructions three times faster than ZiLOG’s classic Z8® MCU, the Z8 Encore! is a general-purpose solution, targeting applications including consumer appliances, building control, industrial control, and instrumentation.

“ZiLOG is right on the money,” said Bill McClean of IC Insights. “With the industry showing relatively slow growth, ZiLOG is doing exactly what they should be doing – focusing on doing more for less with an enhanced peripheral set that can lower overall system cost. They are responding to what their customers need and want! ZiLOG knows its space so they are working to be the best at what they do to become successful.”

Feature Set
The new Z8 Encore! microcontrollers includes seven configurations with up to 64KB (up to 512K bits) of high-speed Flash. Features include:

- 20 MHz eZ8 CPU core
- Up to 4KB of linear register SRAM
- 12-channel DMA controller
- 10-bit A/D
- SPI
- I2C
- Two 9-bit UART ports
- Integrated Infrared Data Association (IrDA)-compliant encoder/decoders
- Four 16-bit counter timers, each with capture and PWM
- Single-pin, On-Chip Debugger.

“The Z8 Encore! microcontroller is everything I’m looking for,” said Bob Moosani, Sr. electrical design engineer for Horton Automatic which designs and manufactures state-of-the-art automated entrance systems. “It offers low cost, more functionality, more peripherals, more I/Os, more everything! And for me, that means more design innovation.”

Complete System Solution with Development Kit
To meet shrinking development cycles for existing and new 8-bit designs, ZiLOG provides a comprehensive development kit for the Z8 Encore!™ family of microcontrollers.

The development kit features the Windows version of ZiLOG Developer Studio (ZDSII), ANSI-C Compiler and C source-level debugger, full-featured evaluation board, 64KB Z8F6403 Flash device, RS-232 to ZDB cable, 9VDC universal power supply, and target module interface board. The On-Chip Debugger eliminates the need for an expensive in-circuit emulator, uses a one-wire interface and features unlimited breakpoints.

Z8 Encore!™ Development Kits also features the ZiLOG XToolsÔ intuitive, production-quality suite of tools designed to reduce total system development time. For a limited time, the company is offering its Z8 Encore!™ Development Kit for only $49.95 (ZiLOG Book Price: $199.00).

Price and Availability
The Z8F6401AN020SC, with 64K of Flash will sell for US$4.73 in 5K unit-quantities. The Z8F1601AN020SC, with 16K of Flash will sell for US$3.08 in 5K unit quantities. These and other configurations will be available in production quantities starting in January 2003.

To Order
· To order, contact ZiLOG at zservice@ZiLOG.com or 1-866-4Z8-ENCORE (1-866-498-3626).
· http://www.zilog.com/z8encore


About ZiLOG, Inc.
ZiLOG, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets semiconductors for worldwide-embedded control markets, including consumer, electronic and industrial control solutions. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., ZiLOG employs approximately 838 people worldwide. ZiLOG maintains design centers in San Jose, Calif.; Ft. Worth, Texas; Nampa, Idaho; Seattle, Wash.; and Bangalore, India; manufacturing in Nampa; and test operations in Manila, Philippines.