Intel announces EP80579 system on a chip for MIDs and consumer electronics

Intel is looking to simplify things by adding more processors. Yeah, doesn't sound all that sensible to us, ether, but stay put. Okay. Ready for some acronyms? Their just-announced EP80579 Integrated Processor features a system on a chip design that integrate the Pentium M core with a Memory Controller Hub (MCH), I/O hub (ICH) and data path acceleration engines (among other things dependent upon model). They believe these new Integrated Architecture (IA) chips will simplify consumer electronics like set-top boxes and MIDs due to their consolidated design that will reduce incompatibility issues. Intel also says portable devices will benefit from the new processors' energy efficiency. Speeds run from 600MHz on up to 1.2GHz and all sport a 256KB L2 cache. As for when this new tech will end up in your cable box or MID, no news on that just yet. In other words, don't call your provider just yet.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Jul 24th 2008 10:35AM]

The processor industry seems to be undergoing some interesting changes. Who would've thought that Intel would be using 3-4 year old processor tech to create new products?

[anonymousaversa @ Jul 24th 2008 11:20AM]

I was thinking the same thing...

and I really hope they don't bring back the Celeron.

[M. Hyde @ Jul 24th 2008 10:54AM]

So this is me loving you, you young rapscallion, you.

All of those capital letters pushed together are abbreviations, not acronyms, save perhaps for MID; but I don't know anyone that pronounces it "mid."

An acronym creates a new word, like SCUBA, or NASA. "ICH" is not a word, unless you want to start saying "ick."

Surely you knew this from your journalistic background, but I'm just saying.

[Eric @ Jul 24th 2008 11:23AM]

Embedded, yes, MID's... I don't think so.

No embedded video, no ram, no wifi, no cell data, but 3 GigE controllers and a T1 controller.

I doubt this will be used in any MID's.

[garci @ Jul 24th 2008 7:01PM]

Eric.. indeed... the 12xT1 / E1 controller struck me as QUITE odd... i bet this is more for a small router... Actually, it would fit perfectly for a BTS / Node B router (to carry 2G and 3G cellular traffic back to the operator's central office). All the encryption accelerators only help with that...

Pretty weird choice of ports IMHO.. but interesting. Yet, as you mention, nothing close of a MID or consumer electronics... Man.. there's even a CAN bus!

Cheers,

[LarsG @ Jul 24th 2008 10:34PM]

@eric/garci

Agreed, we'll probably have to wait for Moorestown until Intel SoCs are usable in mids.

The 80579 is the kind of thing you'd put in a multifunction router/firewall/ssl accelerator/ipsec gateway/voip box and possibly other network appliances that would need 3*GigE and a decent cpu.

[Timothy Sottek @ Jul 24th 2008 11:24AM]

Dear Intel:

I love you.

I really do.

But if you steal XFX and eVGA from nVIDIA, and screw up support on my new GTX 280 SLI system...

Lets just say things will get real hot in Santa Clara.

I'M TALKING NO THERMAL PASTE HOT.

[Timothy Sottek @ Jul 24th 2008 11:25AM]

Ugh. Somewhere in this article I double-posted.

For the first time ever.

Note to self: Don't quickly go through gmail to find a link to an article you posted on Engadget.

[kal326 @ Jul 24th 2008 11:30AM]

The better question is how many of these can you fit on a single die and/or system board. If you could fit 4 or 8 of these on a single die with 4 or 8 dies on a system board, you could make the worlds smallest super computer. That or shove 4 to 8 physical systems in a HTPC case either one would be kinda nice.

[M. Hyde @ Jul 24th 2008 11:33AM]

Umm ... Didn't you just describe the Cell processor?

[Joe @ Jul 24th 2008 12:28PM]

Dear Intel,
Thank you for building a embedded systems processor. Especially one with a TDM interface. Freescale needs some competition.
Your Friend,
Jason

[edward @ Jul 24th 2008 2:21PM]

Dear Intel,
Slap the atom name on this baby... no one will know the difference and it will sell many times better.
Your Customer,
Edward

[Frank Lex MA @ Jul 24th 2008 6:10PM]

This looks like an embedded processor - not for MIDs or consumer electronics. With the 3 GbE ports and TDM it looks like a very nice level of integration.

[Big Rob @ Jul 24th 2008 11:06PM]

Notice the CAN x2.. looks like we may have an auto version with Q100 qualification. Verrrrry niiiiiice.