Intel is looking to take its Atom processors beyond smartphones and tablets. This week the world’s largest chipmaker unveiled a hardward/software toolkit for set top boxes at the TV Connect show in London. Based on the Intel Atom processor CE5300, the solution targets OEMs and system integrators who want to quickly develop set-top boxes and media servers.
The CE5300 is a dual core Atom-based chipset that supports both 2D and 3D graphics. Intel says it sees a growing demand for entertainment solutions that incorporate gaming and content sharing across devices. Its media server reference design (MSRD) incorporates a media engine, broadcast stacks, virtualization, and motion control technology in an effort to cut validation testing time.
Set-top boxes are one of the key growth areas for semiconductors, according to IDC. The firm forecasts that smartphones, tablets, set-top boxes, and automotive electronics will be the key drivers of semiconductor sales in the years ahead.
Intel is a player in all of those markets. Although it was somewhat late to the smartphone party, the company has made significant progress, recently inking a deal with China’s ZTE Corp., which is now one of the world’s top five smartphone manufacturers.
Intel is also moving quickly into tablets, supplying makers of both Android and Windows tablets. This week the manager of the company’s PC client group said he sees the market moving toward 7 to 8-inch tablets, with traditional 10-inch tablets morphing into mini-notebooks.
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