#HP & Commodore Deal
13 messages in this thread
I was just able to get a copy of this article, from EE Times August
6th issue. It's an article about set-top-boxes … those gizmos that
go on top of your TV to connect to cable (and who knows what else in
the future). Anyway, I thought people here would find this
interesting:
"Commodore International, which earilier this year launched the
32-bit, graphics-intensive Amiga CD32 game machine, has signed a
major deal to supply HP with its high-performance graphics chip set,
EE Times has learned. HP will adopt the Amiga CD32 architecture and
employ the Amiga graphics chip set in its first-generation set-top
model.
"Jeffery Porter, director of product development of Commodore's technology
group, acknowleged that one of the terminal prototypes demonstrated at
HP's booth used Commodore's Amiga [chip] set. HP officials declined to
comment on the prototype's architecture."
"Total Solution
"Commodore's strength lies in its ability to provide, today, a total
solution for set-top vendors, including a development platform for set-top
applications, a system architecture and a graphics chip set that can
generate 35-ns pixel resolution, Porter explained. What's more important,
he said, is price. "Our CD32 game machine costs only $400, including
CD-ROM drive. Without CD-ROM, our system can fit pretty nicely into a
set-top price range.
"Commodore's custom Amiga chip set, originally designed for the company's
32-bit real-time multitasking OS computer, is composed of a pair of
graphics engines and an audio subsystem, assisted by hardware
accelerators. Using Motorola's 14-MHz 68EC020, the machine produces what
the company claims are arcade-quality videogames".
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The show they talk about in the article was the Western Cable Show.
So….comments anyone?
This really makes sense, which, considering past history, is a VERY scary
thing indeed!
Interesting.
– BobR
Just like the announcements at WOCT. Everyone who's read the summary
gets the same strange expression and says the same thing.
"Something's wrong. This all makes sense." <G>
Yeah, seeing that kinda weirded me out too.
Steve
PS. …."Boopsi". 🙂
Fascinating! Thanks for the info!
One question, please. What is a "first-generation set-top model"?
I'm a little confused as to what a 'Set-Top' is.
Otherwise it does sound like good news. I knew those rumors about
HP and a C= buyout (a few years back) would lead to something.
A "set-top box" is what everyone with cable is going to have in the
next couple of years, replacing the current cable converters.
Basically, it's the computer you'll use to help you access the new
services — displaying information about what's playing on your 500
channels, ordering from home-shopping channels, playing along with
game shows, ordering movies-on-demand, etc.
Sounds interesting Dale, C= and HP in the cable business – Hmmm.
It's a replacement for cable converters. They hope to use "set-top"s to
allow more interactive use for TVs, among other things.
Steve
You missed one point. On page one it says that TCI has ordered 100,000 set-top
units from HP over the next four years. Isn't TCI the largest cable company in
the US?
-Chas
Actually, I didn't see that. Thanks for pointing that out.
Steve
Cool! Yes, I believe TCI is the biggest right now…
Bob Comer — Flying high and fast with my A1200HD'030 on Autopilot!
From Cheyenne, Wyoming U.S.A.
Huh, I missed that, too. Thanks for pointing it out! Hmmm…
Robb