Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players

Intel's CE3100 media chip has been behind some of the cooler demos they've done here at IDF, and it's just gotten a big brother, the Atom CE4100. As you'd expect, the big change is the replacement of the CE3100's Pentium M core with an Atom core, but this thing is actually kind of a monster -- it can decode two 1080p video streams with various high-end audio codecs, it adds MPEG-4 support and 3D graphics capability, and it can even capture uncompressed 1080p video. Of course, it's up to manufacturers and cable companies to actually put all this power to use, but Intel's promised us some hardware demos from partners -- stay tuned.

[max2020 Posted Sep 24th 2009 8:21PM]

Now stick this in a netbook, add a HDMI port, and I'm sold!

[Nicnac Posted Sep 25th 2009 6:20PM]

cool! Comcast / Motorola will adopt this technology sometime in 2023.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 25th 2009 7:12PM]

I have to say that no matter how much innovation tech companies bring to the media ecosystem, it's always the service providers that kill the party. This Intel SoC isn't gonna make its way to a Tru2Way box anytime soon, and certainly not to your MSO's. I mean, TWC insists on using its in-house MDN/ODN guide and Comcast is still using backwards software [ahem, iGuide] on their boxes. This pretty interface will sadly never make it to your TV. Now, if only these people chose to use the Aptiv IPGs- Tru2Way Passport doesn't look half bad.

Would anyone be willing to go to the trouble of establishing a new cable company so we can get some kickass service? I'm sick of all of this half-assed crap from the MSOs. You know, a good guide? Multi-room viewing? DOCSIS 3.0? Clear QAM?
Anyone?

[thequinox Posted Oct 2nd 2009 1:14AM]

Umm... you might want to take that back engadget, I don't think an atom processor could handle "uncompressed" 1080p video. Do you have any idea how large that would be?