Intel unveiled a new 1GHz XScale processor designed for multimedia products at a swanky show in Beijing this week. The chip giant chose its spring Intel Developers Forum to launch the ARM-compatible processor, complete with hip-hop rap stars, pictured, to liven up the event.The CE 2110 is a system-on-a-chip device that packs various audio, video and graphics processing electronics around the 1GHz XScale core. Specifically, it includes MPEG2 and H.264 hardware decoders, support for DDR2 memory, and 2D and 3D hardware-accelerated graphics.
Chunghwa Telecom are said to be ready to use the new chip in various video-based systems, from high definition on-demand telly and karaoke to online banking. A set top box manufacturer says it also has the processor lined up for its products, and Intel are understood to be touting the device to IPTV and VoIP vendors.
Unlike previously announced XScales, the CE 2110 appears to be more up the desktop RISC OS platform's street by being deliberately targeted at consumer products, rather than specialist applications, such as RAID cards. The bubble is burst, however, by Intel top brass indicating they are still keen to get their x86 architecture into the embedded market - which could see the CE 2110 replaced with an x86-based system-on-a-chip device by mid-2008. This relies on Intel getting its transistor sizes down to 45 nanometres, which is the aim for the upcoming Penryn family.
Links
CE 2110 website