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Via takes the jitters out of HD media decoding
LITTLE CHIPMAKER Via has released a media system processor that it claims creates the smoothest HD video streaming you can get on a single chip.
The VX900 Media System Processor will be tied to the Nano-3000 Series processors.
Richard Brown, vice president of marketing at Via Technologies said that the whole lot will improve online HD video.
It uses the Chromotion HD 2.0 video engine, which provides hardware acceleration for H.264 codec technology.
It is said to bring smooth 1080p HD video content to life without hogging key system resources or resorting to an additional third party decoder.
It can manage Blu-ray titles with VC1 and H.264 codec support and there is acceleration for MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and WMV formats.
The latest connectivity standards are supported and include dual channel support for Display Port, HDMI, DVP, VGA and LVDS/TMDS.
It supports DDR3 system memory at speeds of up to 1066MHz and is compatible with the Via Nano, Via 7 and Via Eden processor families.
In addition it offers standard Northbridge and Southbridge integration, packed into a 31mm x 31mm single chip package. µ
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@interested party: Via sells quite a few motherboards that people bung into home DVRs, quiet media centers, file servers, robotics, etc, etc. Quite a few people who build those DIY systems have dabbled with Linux and would at least like to have the option.
@arrr: agreed, sadly doesn't have the resources that Intel/AMD does, but I really do think some better driver support would help them out a bit.
Can it be reprogrammed for different codecs? For instance, there is already discussion about H.265.
And as a nice side-effect, it could be made to handle Ogg Theora and Dirac...
What a load of uninformed generalised nonsense! Typical of those who never bother to understand the problem.
The fact is: VIA does NOT want to actively contribute/cooperate with open source on the same level as Intel or AMD has. That's why their products get crap support. VIA's gestures are empty and worthless.
Intel has paid employees/developers actively contributing their code to support their hardware. As well as releasing specifications to their IGPs.
...Right now, the IGP support for their next generation "Sandy Bridge" processor is being implemented. (A good year before product release.)
They are actively taking part in the development of video hardware accelerated infrastructure. Look up VA-API or VAAPI.
AMD is actively providing specifications for both their GPUs and IGP chipsets. As a result, both the open driver for Radeon GPUs and CoreBoot are improving in support for AMD products. (You still need to write the drivers and debug them, but at least now you aren't wondering in the dark!)
Heck, look at Nvidia. Despite being closed-source on their drivers; they have actively made an effort in providing good support in their drivers and their CUDA development tools for Linux. (They do so well that it puts AMD/ATI closed drivers to shame.)
Lastly, marketshare isn't fixed. Its dynamic. Look at the slow erosion of Internet Explorer's marketshare in the last couple of years.
Then again, marketshare is meaningless to someone who doesn't care for it. Its not their objective; when they are not a business to begin with.
Do you honestly believe a good majority of the open source developers give a damn about your mainstream marketshare?
They only give a damn about making solutions that address a specific need for them. IF you happen to have the same need; then they are cool with it.
Of course, you wouldn't know all this as you're the exact type of person who doesn't even bother finding things out. With a mind only in the perspective of the traditional software world, its not all that surprising you chant the meaningless measure of marketshare.
Maybe just once, you should take the time to actually understand something or someone BEFORE sprouting.
What do you think this chip will be used for?
What % of sales will be for Linux users to use in their own created devices?
Were can it be used and what for? It's for video playback and can connect to multiple outputs. AND it's only for use with the Nano 3000 processors.
Media players, all-in-1 boxes, car entertainment, laptops, smart satellite boxes, smart TVs etc.
I wonder if even 0.01% will be sold to Linux users who will mess with it's capability.
If Linux could pull itself together, literally, and make a cohesive and easy to use full product then there would be a market worth considering. Unfortunately there is no one in Linux who is doing this, so Google are stepping in and doing it instead.
Linux is unlikely to ever be more than a product for the rare techie who has nothing else to do apart from mess with programming in their spare time.
The buggest thing to happen to linux and get it into the mass market with Asus with their Eee. Linux should jump on that bandwagon, make an easy to use dirt cheap OS. Then you get 1-2billion potential customers.
@mike: I hope Via does well also. Based on their past behaviour they will make a half-assed attempt at making drivers for this and it will fail. imho, for them to do well they'll have to make the techies happy with their products first. I don't see them doing that as they've done a fairly good job at snubbing the linux community already.
I always hope Via will do well. I understand that name recognition is a big part of product buying decisions, but it's a shame that Via doesn't get a few more wins.