[mythtv-users] NVIDIA ION Future in Doubt

[Matthew Harrison]

Scott D. Davilla wrote:
>> See  http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=791&type=expert
>>
>> Key excerpts below
>>
>> -- Mache
>>
>> Chipsets, the other NVIDIA market
>>
>> While Fermi was definitely the focus of the GPU Technology 
>> Conference, we took the chance to pose some questions about ION and 
>> other chipsets to the NVIDIA personnel on site.  ION has seen 
>> moderate success in the world of low power and low cost computers 
>> though I would say that the number of implementations using 
>> <http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=663>the ION chipset have been 
>> fewer than expected.  NVIDIA still alludes to the pressures of Intel 
>> as the key factor of ION adoption which, even if true, won't change a 
>> thing for NVIDIA in terms of market share or profits.
>> The future of ION is in doubt as well; remember that Intel will be 
>> pushing for further technology integration with the 
>> <http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=715>upcoming Pine Trail release 
>> that moves a basic graphics core onto the CPU die.  When that occurs, 
>> system integrators like ASUS and HP might find it even more of a 
>> stretch to spend the extra money on the ION chipset. NVIDIA's plans 
>> for countering that trend will be to offer a discrete version of a 
>> GPU under the ION brand that will remove the MCP features lowering 
>> costs and probably power requirements.  Whether or not this change is 
>> what "ION 2" will materialize as is yet unknown.
>>
>> Finally, we have an update pending for the killer feature that would 
>> make ION-based netbooks and nettops truly irresistible: 
>> GPU-accelerated Flash.  We saw this feature 
>> <http://www.pcper.com/comments.php?nid=7254>first previewed at 
>> Computex last June and even though there are announcements coming 
>> VERY SOON on this new player revision, it will likely be sometime in 
>> Q2 2010 before Adobe Flash Player includes GPU acceleration out of 
>> the box.  I know many people that would love to put an EeeBox on 
>> their home theater that could run Hulu reliably - I am one of them 
>> and eagerly await the day we can do so!
>
> I see conflicting info on Intel's Pine Trail platform. My sources say 
> the GPU an the die cannot handle HD content and Intel is looking to 
> add a hardware video decode chip to handle 720p/1080p. I wonder who 
> would make such a chip ? see 
> http://www.netbookchoice.com/2009/05/21/big-blow-to-ion-intel-certifies-hd-broadcom-chip-for-pine-trail-platform/ 
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>

It doesn't really matter, Nvidia's ARM chips will make great set top 
boxes fairly soon.

http://www.brightsideofnews.com/news/2009/8/13/2nd-gen-nvidia-tegra-will-be-40025-faster-than-tegra-650!.aspx

We don't need Intel for a Myth system.