Intel devising chip line for consumer electronics

pr0digal jenius · Nov 3, 2004, 09:13 PM

The classic Pentium architecture is going new places.

Intel is readying a line of chips based on the IA-32 architecture, the design underlying the vast majority of Intel's desktop notebook and server processors, for consumer electronics devices, said Louis Burns, vice president and co-general manger of the Desktop Platforms Group at Intel.

Potentially, consumer electronics manufacturers will incorporate the chips into set-top boxes or digital video recorders (DVRs). These are two product types for which the company hopes to sell more silicon, he added.

"We are developing special derivatives of our IA architecture" for consumer electronics, Burns said at a recent conference.

To help generate interest for Intel chips among consumer electronics manufacturers, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company is developing reference designs, or blueprints, for various products, he added. It has also created a group--called the Consumer Electronics Group and headed by Glenda Dorchak--inside the desktop organization to evangelize the company's technology with CE makers.

These chips will likely run at lower speeds, contain a slower bus or sport a smaller cache--a pool of memory inside the processor--than their desktop or notebook relatives as a way to reduce power consumption and costs, but they will otherwise be somewhat similar. Intel has used this method in the past to break into new markets.

"Even the desktop and server makers are struggling with power and performance issues," said Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at Insight 64. "A lot of what they will be doing is custom configuring these generic blocks for specific markets."
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Source/Read More: C|Net

Nov 3, 2004, 09:13 PM	#1
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	Intel devising chip line for consumer electronics The classic Pentium architecture is going new places. Intel is readying a line of chips based on the IA-32 architecture, the design underlying the vast majority of Intel's desktop notebook and server processors, for consumer electronics devices, said Louis Burns, vice president and co-general manger of the Desktop Platforms Group at Intel. Potentially, consumer electronics manufacturers will incorporate the chips into set-top boxes or digital video recorders (DVRs). These are two product types for which the company hopes to sell more silicon, he added. "We are developing special derivatives of our IA architecture" for consumer electronics, Burns said at a recent conference. To help generate interest for Intel chips among consumer electronics manufacturers, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company is developing reference designs, or blueprints, for various products, he added. It has also created a group--called the Consumer Electronics Group and headed by Glenda Dorchak--inside the desktop organization to evangelize the company's technology with CE makers. These chips will likely run at lower speeds, contain a slower bus or sport a smaller cache--a pool of memory inside the processor--than their desktop or notebook relatives as a way to reduce power consumption and costs, but they will otherwise be somewhat similar. Intel has used this method in the past to break into new markets. "Even the desktop and server makers are struggling with power and performance issues," said Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at Insight 64. "A lot of what they will be doing is custom configuring these generic blocks for specific markets." _________________ Source/Read More: C\|Net