New AMD network chips go to extremes

AMD is taking things to extremes with three new networking chips.

The two new Ethernet parts and one home-networking chip add to AMD's range of industrial temperature devices, designed to keep working at temperatures from -40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius. AMD says such resilient products are increasingly used in residential gateways, Internet access devices and factory automation and industrial equipment.

"As design engineers implement industrial temperature components into an increasing number of applications, AMD is in a leading position to meet the needs of this growing market," said an AMD spokeswoman in a statement.

HomePHY is for telephone-line-based home networking, while the NetPHY and PCnet-Pro Controller chips are designed for Ethernet products.

See Chips Central for daily hardware news, including an interactive timeline of AMD and Intel's upcoming product launches.

What do you think? Tell the Mailroom. And read what others have said.