At the Intel Developer Forum, Intel Corporation introduced the Intel Media Processor CE 3100, the first in a new family of purpose-built System on Chips (SoCs) for Consumer Electronics devices based on the company's popular Intel architecture (IA) blueprint.

The CE 3100 has been developed for Internet-connected consumer electronics (CE) products such as optical media players, connected CE devices, advanced cable set top boxes and digital TVs. The media processor (previously codenamed "Canmore") combines leading-edge CE features for high-definition video support, home-theater quality audio and advanced 3-D graphics, with the performance, flexibility and compatibility of IA-based hardware and software.

Intel expects to begin shipments of this product next month.

New SoC product from Intel, the Intel Media Processor CE 3100 is a highly integrated solution that pairs a powerful IA processor core with leading-edge multi-stream video decoding and processing hardware. The processor core is Pentium M processor (90nm) working at 800MHz and featuring 256KB L2 Cache. The graphics core is Graphics Media Accelerator 500 that accelerates VC1/WM9, H.264 and MPEG2 video and supports Shader Model 3. The CPU also adds a 3-channel 800 MHz DDR2 memory controller, dedicated multi-channel dual audio DSPs, a powerful 3-D graphics engine enabling advanced UIs and EPGs, and support for multiple peripherals, including USB 2.0 and PCI Express.

The Intel Media Processor CE 3100 also features Intel Media Play Technology that combines hardware-based decoding for broadcast TV and optical media playback with software-based decode for Internet content. When a consumer watches broadcast TV or content on optical media players, the video is encoded in standard formats, such as MPEG-2, H.264 or VC-1. Intel Media Play Technology software routes the video to the on-chip hardware decoders. When viewing Internet content, the software automatically routes the video, and audio as applicable, to a software codec running on the IA processor core. As the Internet becomes more omnipresent, the ability to decode multiple video and audio formats will provide the industry with greater flexibility to evolving standards and technologies, and consumers with more viewing experiences.

The Intel Media Processor CE 3100 is scheduled to ship to CE manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Toshiba.

Tags: Intel, Consumer Electronics