Toshiba's SpursEngine chip dominates in transcoding demonstration

Toshiba has let us know just how incredible its SpursEngine SE1000 chip really is, but all that talk has never amounted to much -- until now. Packed away in a dusty corner of Computex 2008 was Corel's demonstration booth, which just so happened to have a few rigs set up with a Cell-optimized version of its DVD MovieFactory application. One station utilized the SE1000, while the other relied solely on a 3GHz Intel Core 2 Quad CPU to transcode 1080p H.264 video to 480p. According to onlookers, the SpursEngine-based machine completed the task nearly twice as fast as the hamstrung opponent, proving that maybe Toshiba does have something worth waiting for on that PCI-Express card. Too bad there's still no mention of a price.

[Raymond @ Jun 9th 2008 9:38AM]

Is this like what Turbo .264 does?

[Nick Soapes @ Jun 9th 2008 9:59AM]

Wouldn't it be a better comparison if both units were running the same setup with the exception of the spursengine?

Comparing a cell chip (which is used in supercomputers) to a core2 quad chips isn't really a fair comparison...

[Jeremy @ Jun 9th 2008 10:05AM]

@Nick Soapes

The Cell BE processor is on the chip itself

[fourthletter @ Jun 9th 2008 10:16AM]

Fair ? They are going to put these in laptops and desktops thats what matters.
C2Qs are used in supercomputers they are called Xeon.

[coolblue @ Jun 9th 2008 11:30AM]

Also used in the TVs it was designed for.

[Jim @ Jun 9th 2008 10:08AM]

I'd be willing to wager that CUDA with a 8800GT would blow that away.

[Ayle @ Jun 9th 2008 1:39PM]

It does but remember that it is more power hungry than the cell and Toshiba helped develop the chip so it's only normal they try to integrate it in their products.

[ds @ Jun 9th 2008 11:59AM]

No this is not like what Turbo .264 does.

Turbo .264 is a USB device to speed up video conversions to one codec
in a few predefined low resolutions for youtube, non-HDTVs, portables,
etc...

This device is for processing video files in general. It would be
installed in devices to assist the CPU/GPU in manipulating video
files.

[Septimus @ Jun 9th 2008 12:13PM]

Now if only I could make my PS3 do some of the encoding work...

[Ayle @ Jun 9th 2008 1:25PM]

install linux then.

[chaz @ Jun 9th 2008 12:17PM]

We will see how this matches up to the lakersengine that comes out next week.

[Jimmy @ Jun 9th 2008 12:50PM]

Chaz,

"lakersengine"?

Is this some sort of basketball encoder that I do not know about. Seriously, what is this thing you speak of? Link?

[Harmin C. @ Jun 9th 2008 5:25PM]

Jimmy... you obviously FAILED at learning to understand jokes or sarcasm.

[chaz @ Jun 11th 2008 10:43AM]

thank you harmin was begining to think i was going over my own head there for a sec.