By Calvin Hsieh, Research Director
Back to the influence of Apple TV, Google Phone and Intel Canmore. Let’s now take a look at Canmore CE3100, which was released this September as Intel’s first SoC (System on Chip) for CE products. The amazing thing here is not the performance. Instead, we are starting to think about the possibilities for multimedia convergence. No matter whether this chip is on the STB or TV-set end, it can extend the content source for your TV. The traditional definition of a TV is a device that can receive broadcasting signals plus some connected content like DVDs. But now, the internet will become a content source. Canmore is built for CE and the internet with H/W, S/W decoding and x86 architecture. H/W decoding is just like what we have seen from existing TV ICs, but S/W decoding for those new formats (like MPEG-4 and VC-1) is a concept from PCs. The TV scenario is that we still watch broadcasting programs via broadcast, cable or satellite as usual. In addition, we can also access YouTube, Web 2.0 content and BT via the internet. IP (Internet Protocol) is a new carrier for the millions of content selections on the internet already. But be careful, this IP is different from IPTV from a telco or from a web browser installed on a TV set. The purpose is to let the TV access content from the internet and link with a PC at home. Eventually, the unlimited freedom of the internet can stimulate more creative content providers and new business models without any blocking.
No TV name brands will give up on opportunities for the so-called “digital home.” The digital home is still in the very early stages, and TV is the first step. Nowadays, TVs are flat panels with high resolution, but it’s impossible for name brands to stop here. The fierce market war and sacrifice are just for positioning for the future. To prepare for the future, it is the right time to propose new ideas and possibilities with new applications that have been or will be enabled by the environment and technologies. In the future, we can easily imagine that all content will be digital and available on demand.
People want to see media convergence involving broadcasting, DVD, and personal media sources from PCs and all CE products. Traditional broadcasting is just one of the available sources for your TV. Air, cable, satellite and IP are all carriers to convey more content to the home.
New content sources will bring TV a fresh face. This could be entertainment as usual, or it could be a kiosk for information, banking or social networking.
Apple TV shows us a similar business model like the iPod + iTunes site, which has been a kind of fusion of devices, channels and content providers. Google Phone opens the window for your mobile phone to an unlimited internet space, and thus some new creative content services can grow and this also can be applied to your TV. Finally, more powerful SoC devices behind the TV set or inside the box can easily bring TV multimedia and connections. And then, TVs can be wall-mounted and blended into the home’s style, while still being powerful as for the connection. Traditional TV has almost reached an end, since it’s flat and digital. Meanwhile, the next generation has been just begun.
All of the topics discussed in this series of blog posts will be covered in the coming 2008 Taiwan TV Supply Chain Conference, which will be held in Taipei on November 13, 2008. The details and agenda of the conference can be found at www.displaysearch.com.tw
