With the PC BIOS entering a new generation of UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) technology, Phoenix Technologies, the leading manufacturer of core system software, has launched the new SecureCore Tiano 2.1 (SCT2.1), offering a total solution to help clients join the UEFI line.
During the SCT2.1 product launch presentation in Taiwan, executives provided a technology overview, explained the product features, introduced development tools, outlined educational training, and performed a demonstration using an actual machine. The response was overwhelming, with over 200 designers participating in the event.
Phoenix Technologies' president and CEO Tom Lacey stated that Phoenix Technologies' results for focusing on the BIOS industry have already been shown; currently they have already received over 120 projects, and project teams are giving clients their full support to help them complete product development and testing. In the future they will continue to expand their operation scale and R&D investment in Taiwan to provide more comprehensive product service. Lacey also stressed that Phoenix Technologies has a close partnership with Intel, which helps Phoenix Technologies to develop industry-leading UEFI technologies.
The Phoenix SCT2.1 offers a comprehensive BIOS solution using SDK as the core and four major complete solutions - development tools, educational training, professional service and plug-ins. The presentation allowed various department heads to explain the progress of the company's latest technologies and services to the participants.
Five outstanding features of SCT2.1
Phoenix Technologies' director Kevin Huang noted that there are five outstanding features of SCT2.1:
- Easy power-on: The SCT2.1 module design and menu-driven settings not only simplify the R&D process; they also effectively reduce the power-on preliminary work time for every project. The continuing addition of industry-supported software and hardware specifications and excellent project teams means that on average they can achieve the client project's power-on requirements in less than 48 hours.
- Best customization: Through a standardized SMBIOS interface, shared EC interface and POST hook or S3 hook, customization time which originally required three months is reduced significantly to just 3-4 weeks.
- Quick Boot: SCT 2.1 can also provide optimized boot-up steps to breakthrough the speed barrier of next generation notebook platforms. According to standard testing results, SCT 2.1's Quick Boot time is approximately 3.5 seconds, while standard boot time is just a little longer, approximately five seconds.
- High reliability: In order to provide clients with maximum reliability, over four times more reliability tests were performed on the SCT 2.1 compared to others in the industry. There is continuing investment in testing for support on peripherals such as storage devices, LAN, webcams and USB devices and others, which included testing for over 50 PCI and PCIe cards.
- Innovative platform: SCT 2.1 is not only a core platform, but also an innovative one. Through BIOS plug-ins and in addition to core BIOS functions, SCT 2.1 can also bring value-added differentiation services to clients. Through the provision of these value-added services, clients can create new revenue sources and build new markets.
Currently SCT 2.1 provides two plug-ins solutions - In-ROM Diagnostics and SecureGuard
- In-ROM Diagnostics: A diagnostic tool which exists in the ROM; it can perform tests on main components such as hard drives, CPU, memory and boot path without the need for other storage devices. This is a tool developed together by Phoenix and its partners.
- SecureGuard: A patented UEFI plug-in; it allows OEM manufacturers to provide restoration tools for important software components in the ROM environment.
SCT2.1 strengthens core functions and expands software and hardware support territory
In order to provide complete support for OEM/ODM, especially in times of fluctuating market conditions, Phoenix Technologies and silicon vendors maintain close partnerships, and continue to develop corresponding SecureCore Tiano products according to the latest processor structure development.
Phoenix Technologies' senior engineering director Terry Chen gave a detailed explanation of SCT2.1's software and hardware support functions and core technology. Chen stated that SCT is a new generation BIOS firmware based on UEFI specifications. It provides high performance multi-layer structures from base, core, and execution to the system (see figure below). Because the BIOS file structure was rearranged, every directory clearly corresponds to SCT 2.1's structure; therefore it is easier for designers to begin the process of developing new projects. Chen stressed that continued engineering processes improvements were made to SCT 2.1; from building client requirements, specifications, and design to program coding, the entire RSDC process was taken into consideration. Also, mechanisms such as the header, version update notification and automated build test for the original files were strengthened in order to increase overall service quality.
SecureCore Tiano is a next generation BIOS firmware based on UEFI specifications and provides a high performance multi-layer structure from base, core, and execution to the system.
SCT 2.1 also added more BIOS setting flexibility, including variable extension and extended support for hard drives over 2.2 terabytes to perform 64bit OS startup through GUIDed Partition Table (GPT). It also allows OEM/ODM manufacturers to place special pre-boot applications in specific segments in order to achieve the application of system recovery image.
As for the most popular tablet products, SCT 2.1 also added support for adding HID (Human Interface Device) in POST and Setup, including through touch panels and the usual mouse operations; this is great news for BIOS settings and changes of embedded systems and popular tablet PCs. At the same time, for the maturing USB 3.0 (which will soon become the industry standard) SCT 2.1 already supports a wide range of related manufacturers, including Fresco Logic, Renesas Electronics, VIA Labs Inc, Texas Instruments (TI) and ASMedia Technology, to satisfy different project needs.
With the announcement of SCT2.1, various support tools are available to satisfy the production line and stage requirements for designing
During the presentation, Phoenix Technologies senior R&D manager Jack Wang introduced the numerous development tools provided by SCT 2.1, including Flash Tool, BIOS Editor, Unlock Tool and Debugger Tool.
The Flash Tool supports multiple languages and can be executed under DOS and Windows simultaneously. A new capsule update method was also added, which is able to perform Flash updates under the DXE stage and not in the OS - this can prevent improper operation, system crashes, or unexpected occurrences that could interrupt Flash updates; emergency restore for the BIOS can also be performed with this function. The new version of the BIOS Editor tool strengthens edit flexibility; clients who were unable to receive the original code can now perform module replacement and editing, as well as adjustment to the startup sequence of software and hardware and changing of the logo.
The Unlock Tool and Debugger Tool are two important newly added tools for SCT 2.1. The first uses AES-128 security technology, and can be used as a backdoor PBA password generator. OEM manufacturers can set key passwords flexibly through methods such as command lines, user interface or embedding. After being unlocked, the PBA password will be cleared. This tool can solve unnecessary RMA problems and lower service costs.
The Debugger Tool is a next generation debugging module. The company is currently in the process of applying for a related patent; prototype development has already been completed. In terms of hardware specification, it is equipped with multiple interfaces; on the platform side there are USB, I2C, GPIO and serial ports and on the host side there are USB and serial ports. When used as a single machine, it can be used for Port 80 redirection as an LCD message display screen (see figure below). Wang stressed that different debug stages PEI/DXE/SMM could be selected for RDM Reveal and automatic firmware update could be paused at any time through the USB interface to understand the system's executing status; these can vastly increase debugging efficiency.
The SCT Debugger Tool currently undergoing patent application is equipped with multiple interfaces.
Professional project services with the help of educational training to help clients quickly import projects
In response to the launching of the all-new SCT 2.1 to the market, Phoenix Technologies also prepared a complete training course. Senior product marketing director Rebecca Yang stated that Phoenix Technologies initiated educational training for clients since the end of last year; in order to make training more comprehensive, and next year they will resume Phoenix University Training (PUT), a course with a long history. It is estimated that course content such as X86 architecture, UEFI 101 to basic SCT and advanced SCT will be provided every season for beginners and BIOS engineers according to the needs of designers.
To find out more, please visit Phoenix Technologies' official website at http://www.phoenix.com/.
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