News

Family of Intel-Based Platforms Moving into Digital Home (16/3/2005)

Intel Corporation today outlined its efforts to develop a broad family of PC, consumer electronics (CE) and mobile platforms and technologies designed to work simply and easily together inside the digital home. The company also disclosed additional branding and customer details about its first dual-core desktop PC processors and related chipsets, which will be available during the second quarter of this year.

In a speech today at Intel Developer Forum (IDF), General Manager of Intel's Digital Home Group Don MacDonald said Intel's imminent dual-core processors and family of feature-rich silicon technology innovations will help consumers get the most enjoyment from their digital content -- including games, music, photos and video -- on multiple devices throughout the home.

"Intel will not define the digital home by its shape, size or location, nor will we limit the opportunities of the digital home to a single device," said MacDonald. "Whether it starts with an Entertainment PC for graphic-intense gaming, an MP3 player for digital music, or a personal media recorder for recording TV shows, it takes just one device and one new way to use technology to open the door to more devices, uses and a whole new digital home experience."

MacDonald provided additional details of Intel's first dual-core desktop PC platforms, including the brand name for Intel's first mainstream dual-core desktop processor, the Intel(R) Pentium(R) D processor, formerly codenamed "Smithfield."

"Intel's multi-core plans address consumer needs and present the industry with a significant opportunity for innovation in the digital home," MacDonald said, referring to the Multi-Core Zone in the IDF Concourse, where more than a dozen dual-core processor-based, OEM-branded systems and technologies across desktop, mobile and server market segments will be demonstrated. Dual- and multi-core products are designed by including two or more CPU cores within a single processor, enabling the simultaneous management of activities.

The Pentium D processor will bring increased computing capabilities to PCs, including support for several users to enjoy simultaneous computing experiences. For example, a child could play a game on a Pentium D processor-based PC in the bedroom, while a parent in the living room uses a remote control to record or access stored music or video from the same PC using a digital media adapter and then routing the content to a connected stereo or display. The dual-core Pentium D processor will be coupled with the Intel(R) 945G Express or the Intel(R) 945P Express chipsets (both formerly codenamed "Lakeport"), supporting Intel(R) High Definition Audio, which will allow multiple audio streams to be routed to different users simultaneously.

The company expects several different designs based on the Pentium D processor and the new chipsets to be initially available in the second quarter and growing throughout the year by many computer makers, including Acer(1), Alienware(1), Asus(1), Dell(1), Founder(1), Fujitsu(1), Fujitsu Siemens Company(1), Gateway(1), Gigabyte Technology Co.(1), Hitachi(1), HP(1), Lenovo(1), LG Electronics(1), Medion(1), NEC(1), Packard Bell(1), Samsung(1), Sony(1), TCL(1), Tongang(1) and Trigem(1).

For PC computing and entertainment enthusiasts who crave computing power for audio, video, digital design and gaming tasks, Intel expects systems based on the dual-core Intel Pentium Processor Extreme Edition and Intel(R) 955X Express chipset to ship from many computer makers, including Alienware(1), Dell(1), Falcon Northwest(1) and Velocity Micro(1), all of which are demonstrating systems at IDF for the first time. The dual-core Pentium Processor Extreme Edition includes Hyper-Threading Technology(2), providing the ability to process four software "threads" simultaneously.

Intel's digital home efforts also include the development of scalable platforms that address the CE industry's need for greater ease of use and seamless access to digital media. MacDonald described the Intel silicon building blocks, reference designs and software stacks in development for CE platform devices, such as digital set-top boxes, digital TVs and digital media recorders. To complement Intel's offerings of standards-based silicon and software for the CE market segment, Intel recently entered into an agreement to acquire Oplus Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of video processor products and technologies for digital television and digital displays. MacDonald also outlined mobile handset and laptop platforms that will enable innovative form factors for the home and give consumers the ability to take their digital content on the go.

In addition to technology and platform development, MacDonald said Intel is working closely with content and service providers to extend their services to PCs and other devices in the home. For example, Disney and Intel are discussing ways to bring Disney's MovieBeam(1) premium content delivery service to entertainment and media center PCs in the future. Only currently available on set-top boxes, MovieBeam provides consumers with 100 premium, digital-quality movies out of the box and regularly pushes out new content via broadcasting technology. The next generation of MovieBeam looks to add high-definition movies to the service offering.

MacDonald described additional efforts to enable protected premium digital content for the home, as well as the company's work to drive strong adoption of industry-based specifications that ensure devices can work together. Intel continues to work with The Digital Living Network Alliance, which has doubled its membership size since last year and now has 213 member companies.

(1) Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
(2) Hyper-Threading Technology requires a computer system with an Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology and an HT Technology enabled chipset, BIOS and operating system. Performance will vary depending on the specific hardware and software you use. See http://www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading/ for more information including details on which processors support HT Technology.

developer.intel.com