On Wed, Jan 26, 2011 at 12:44 PM, Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> You can also add Intel CE4xxx SoC to this list.
>
>  _really_?  ahh thank you - i'll investigate that one, i'd not heard
> of it before.  much appreciated bringing it to my attention.

 oh - yes, after a quick google search i think i know the one you're
talking about - it's the consumer division CPU that is being massively
restricted in its market targeting.  that it doesn't have anything
other than HDMI should give you a clue that its creation is driven by
the members of the RIAA mafia etc. etc.  it's otherwise an incredibly
nice CPU - the use of 1080p60 MPEG decode in hardware means that the
atom CPU sits there twiddling its thumbs.  yes it has a linux port and
a full software linux set-top-box stack ready-to-go for any
manufacturer willing to buy the "solution", but... no laptop or
desktop manufacturer is allowed to use it in their products
(presumably for fear of it being utilised for "illegal video cracking"
as well as competing with the other intel product divisions).

 ok so maybe some "free software grokking" set-top-box company gets
set up some time and takes on tivo and boxee using this CPU, but the
conflict between the HDCP key requirement on one hand and respecting
the principles of free software on the other make this scenario pretty
unlikely...

... but yes it would be nice for people to be able to buy
MS-encumbered set-top-boxes utilising this CPU and to be able to
entirely replace its software stack with free software from the ground
up (including the 3D SGX libraries) - i... just... don't see that
happening very quickly, do you? :)

 agreed, though: the CE4xxx would equally benefit from
reverse-engineering PowerVR 3D.

 l.
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