Intel Releases a CPU Dedicated to HD and Media Content for Our TVs, 29/09/2009 - Your reactions

[linathael]

Today, our TV are often connected to ISP boxes, providing media/video content in addition to internet. Many ISP have signed contract with Movie Majors to develop a VOD offer. In a near future, other players might also want to enter the battle field and claim part of the potentially juicy cake of pay-per-view content: TV manufacturers. Indeed, several HD TV models are now able to to browse media content in USB key, external HD, NAS or even internet thanks to the "DLNA" function. 
A new CPU announced by Intel, might further develop our future TV on transform it into a small computer. The CE4100 media SoC is an integrated system based on an ATOM 1.2 GHz and designed to be installed in our (future) TV. It can turn the TV into a mini computer by supporting internet connection, external SATA HD and managing HD video decoding in various format (including H.264 in 1080p). So, TV manufacturers could develop their own media content offer (directly or via a partner) and obtain profit not only from the sale of the TV itself, but all along its lifetime cycle. 
It resembles a bit the ecosystem developed by Apple for the iPod, and more recently for the Apple TV. For the latest, it should have already evolved to a more integrated hardware from which users could browse from its armchair on the iTunes Store to purchase the movie he wants to watch this evening. In other words, the Apple TV should be more looking like TV or at least like a much more advanced media box.

By linathael, original by linathael