The SiS961 is a Southbridge chipset manufactured by SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems). As a Southbridge, it handles I/O functions and slower peripherals on a computer motherboard, working in conjunction with a Northbridge chipset. It provides connectivity for devices like USB, IDE, audio, and other legacy interfaces.

Applications

• Desktop Motherboards: Used on desktop motherboards to provide I/O connectivity.
• Embedded Systems: Suitable for embedded systems requiring a range of peripheral connections.
• Legacy Systems: Often found in older computer systems needing support for IDE drives and legacy devices.

Features

• USB Ports: Provides support for multiple USB ports for connecting peripherals.
• IDE Support: Includes an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) controller for connecting hard drives and optical drives.
• Audio Controller: Integrates an audio controller for sound output.
• PCI Bus Support: Supports the PCI bus for connecting expansion cards.
• LPC Interface: Uses the LPC (Low Pin Count) interface for connecting to the Super I/O chip.
• Interrupt Controller: Manages interrupt requests from various devices.
• DMA Controller: Provides DMA (Direct Memory Access) capabilities for efficient data transfer.

Benefits

• Comprehensive I/O Support: Offers a range of I/O connectivity options for various devices.
• Cost-Effective Solution: Provides a cost-efficient way to integrate I/O functionality into a motherboard.
• Compatibility: Designed to work with a variety of processors and operating systems.
• Legacy Device Support: Supports legacy devices such as IDE hard drives and serial/parallel ports.

Additional Details

The SiS961 communicates with the Northbridge chipset via a dedicated bus. It typically supports a range of USB versions, including USB 1.1 and potentially USB 2.0. The specific audio controller integrated into the SiS961 varies, but it generally supports standard audio output formats. The chipset consumes a relatively small amount of power. Driver support is essential for proper operation, and drivers are typically available for common operating systems. Motherboards using the SiS961 are often older models.