VIA Technologies today made a yet another indication of its intention to gain ground in the market of gaming machines by announcing a reference design for a x86-based handheld console.

The VIA Grace Platform is built around the advanced digital media technologies from VIA, comprising a 533MHz VIA Eden-N processor, the VIA CN400 digital media chipset integrating the S3 Graphics UniChrome Pro IGP, VIA Vinyl Six-Channel Audio, the VIA VT8237 South Bridge, and a host of VIA companion chips for additional functionality. The platform is intended for OEMs who want to launch a mobile gaming machine quickly and easily.

The first product based on the VIA Grace Platform is Eve Mobile Gaming Console – a portable gaming and entertainment device that enables users to play existing PC games as well as view films, videos, recorded TV shows, and photos in all most popular digital media formats, including DivX, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, wmv, avi, wma, and mp3.

Running Microsoft Windows XP Embedded, the Eve Mobile Gaming Console integrates a 533MHz VIA Eden-N processor supporting SSE and MMX, 128MB of PC2100 SDRAM, a 20GB HDD, and a 4” built-in LCD monitor supporting resolutions of up to 640x480. For advanced 2D/3D graphics performance, the Eve Mobile Gaming Console integrates the S3 Graphics UniChrome Pro IGP featuring a 200MHz clock-speed that can drive a pixel rate of up to 200 million pixels per second with two textures each. The graphics engine also features support for Z-bias, anti-aliasing, alpha blending, Microsoft DirectX 7/8/9, and OpenGL.

To ensure a rich entertainment experience, the Eve Mobile Gaming Console has built-in MPEG2 and MPEG4 acceleration that enables high frame rate video playback, VIA Vinyl Six-Channel Audio with optimized features for headphone playback, and full Immerzio 3D audio support including EAX 1.0/2.0, DirectSound3D, and A3D. Multiple connectivity options are provided by a CompactFlash slot, two USB 2.0 ports, and TV-out, including SDTV support. The device is powered by two Lithium Ion batteries that are hot swappable, as well as an additional jack power input.

Additionally, VIA Technologies today inked a deal with the GameDweller network – an online service that allows users to instantly download games for their Eve Mobile Gaming Console.

VIA Technologies has pretty broad product portfolio that may be used in loads of various devices, including, but not limited to personal computers. While VIA’s initiative on the gaming market seems to be pretty fresh, the prospects of letting PC games to be played on other devices are not clear in the market that is developing on a very rapid pace.

With PC gamers demanding additional realism that is achievable by only high-end class graphics cards that cost from $350 to $500, and console gamers passionate for exclusive titles available only on their devices, VIA is likely to find itself on a pretty rippled surface offering something that has not been available historically for pretty conservative market.