Archive for the category Guest Bloggers
Getting Ready to Flick on the Switch
Posted by Shane Parfitt in 2:41 PM
(8 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)
Loading ...TV watchers in the U.S. are facing the “big switch“-the day when full-power television stations stop analog broadcasts and move to 100% digital broadcasts. After June 12, 2009, a television receiver with only an analog broadcast tuner will no longer receive over-the-air broadcasts originating from the US with an antenna because of the US transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. Nielsen research reported in late 2008 that 6.5 million US households were still unprepared for the switch, but this number has now dropped by more than half, to about 3.1 million households.
One solution being offered by the US Federal Communications Commission is a digital-to-analog converter box that receives over-the-air digital signals with your antenna converts them to analog and sends the signal to your television. This will allow you to watch Digital free-to-air television on an analog TV. In any case, these digital-to-analog converter boxes are primarily intended for standalone TV sets, and may not be well suited for PC use.
It’s not often that we see a huge technological shift that affects each and every American-from those who have never turned on a computer to the most diehard tech enthusiast. For AMD, and in particular, for those with a history in our graphics team, talking about TV encourages us to look back at our own company’s history in changing the way people watch television. It was 13 years ago, in 1996, that ATI Technologies (now a part of AMD) released the ATI All-In-WonderTM, world’s first combination graphics and TV tuner card, giving consumers the ability to play early PC games and watch television on their computer. This paved the way for a series of innovative TV on PC products from AMD that let consumers program and record their favorite TV shows (long before the word TiVo became a household name) and receive free over-the-air TV signals for budget-friendly, high-quality home entertainment.
The newest addition to AMD’s TV-on-PC roster is the just released ATI TheaterTM HD 750 which brings HDTV and digital video recording (DVR) capabilities to desktop and notebook PCs using free-to-air broadcast signals without the need of a converter box. With DTV signals reaching 98% of the US population, anyone can gain access to their favorite hit shows, live sporting events, and a variety of local programming from the major US broadcast networks. And because we know that watching visually intense shows like Heroes and Lost demands only the best in picture quality, AMD has made further tweaks to the video processing and signal reception technology to help you see clearer, crisper and more vibrant images than any of our previous generation of PCTV products.
AMD has also worked with our technology partners to offer this chip in a variety of form factors that make it easy to add on to existing systems-including: a plug and play USB “stick” that could connect to a laptop computer; a mini PCI Express Card that will fit into a sleek home theater PC in the living room; and the more traditional PCI Express board that fits well in the home computer. For those looking to upgrade to a new laptop or desktop computer with TV tuner capabilities built into the box, stay tuned for anticipated product launches from major manufacturers later this year.
What also makes this product unique, is that it is our first TV tuner that is compatible with both digital and analog TV signals from around the globe-so you could potentially take your laptop on a trip to Hong Kong, power it up and be able to pick up the local free-to-air broadcast. AMD is prepared not just for the US digital transition but also for the global digital transition. Planned broadcast transitions include: October 2009 in Denmark, April 2010 in Spain, July 2010 in Estonia, August 2011 in Canada, January 2012 in Hungary and Romania, December 2012 in Bulgaria and Italy, with many more just around the corner.
Ultimately, the ATI Theater HD 750 is all about bringing affordable and high quality TV watching to PC owners everywhere. Whether you are a college student who needs a less expensive alternative to cable or a condo owner looking for a space friendly way to add a second TV to the house, the ATI Theater HD 750 really does have something for everyone-especially those who don’t want to be left in the dark when their old school rabbit ears won’t cut it anymore.
Shane Parfitt is Product Marketing Manager, PCTV Group at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
What Does AMD Offer the HTPC Customer?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 5:28 PM
It’s all about the hardware!
Perhaps by now, the idea of an HTPC has caught your eye – but what is AMD doing to help things along? This is a fun topic for me, one of my key roles here at AMD is to help define and enable cool new platforms. I get to work with both AMD customers to understand their needs and key AMD partners/industry leaders to enable those new platforms. One of the more recent projects I have worked on is our AMD LIVE! Home Cinema platform, affectionately known as “Maui”.
With this Maui platform, I had the pleasure of working with Intersil’s D2Audio team and MSI to define a unique platform that targets the HTPC space. The goal here was to develop a specification for a platform that focused on the needs of the HTPC space. We wanted to define a platform that would not only deliver an outstanding HD experience, but make it easy to set up and use.
Maui, in reality is the specification MSI used to develop their MSI Media Live Diva platform. What is unique about this platform is that it was purpose built for a specific application.
At the heart of the MSI Media Live Diva platform is our own AMD RS780M chipset. This chipset is a great solution for playing back HD Video content. I am not saying that just because I work here, but because the 780 family chipset supports full HD resolutions including 1080p, 1080i and 720p. It is capable of playing back Blu Ray discs, stutter free. You can even play DirectX 10-level games. To further enhance the video capabilities of this platform, MSI added 128MB of dedicated sideport memory. If you want, here is more information on the 780 series of AMD chipsets.
Now, I know some people are probably thinking, “So, it has great video capabilities, there are other platforms that do that as well.” While this is true, there is more to this platform that just great video…it also has great audio. This is not your typical PC level audio, I am talking about true, AVR class audio. Furthermore, the audio is scalable to meet your needs. MSI offers both a 5-channel amplifier version and/or a 7-channel pre-amplifier version.
5.1 Channel x 100W Amplified Card (MS-4140)
7.1 Channel Pre-Amplifier Card (MS4141)
Yep, that’s right, true AVR class audio in either an amplified or pre amplified format!
So let’s talk about that for a moment. Key factors in overall audio quality are Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). The higher the SNR and the lower the THD, the better the audio will sound at both low and high volumes (not that any of us listen to our music loud or anything). The audio capabilities of this system are much better than typical PC audio solutions and on par with mainstream AVRs from leading consumer electronics vendors, and I’m not just talking about the low-end AVRs, but their more expensive brothers.
The 5 channel amp card (yes, that is really an amplifier) has a SNR > 105dB and a THD+N factor of < 0.1%. This allows you to connect up to your home stereo speakers directly without needing an expensive amplifier just to get good audio.
Now, that is great if you don’t have a nice amp, but what about the person that has already invested $$ in a nice amplifier? Well, the 7 channel pre amp card has an SNR > 112dB and THD+N factor of < 0.01%. It is capable of driving a very high quality audio signal directly to your amplifier via the multichannel inputs on your AVR.
What about ease of use?
Previously, most HTPC products were based upon traditional, off the shelf PC motherboards. While this is generally not an issue, many of these PC motherboards have legacy PC connections that are just not useful in an HTPC environment. For example, most boards still have PS-2 Keyboard and Mouse connections, some have serial ports and/or parallel printer ports. Many still use 3.5mm audio jacks for their audio connections. These connectors add little value in the Audio/Video (AV) centric environment, which is where the HTPC sits. Now, legacy PC motherboards have gotten a little better over time, they are still not always easy to integrate into your home entertainment stack.
The MSI Media Live Diva on the other hand, has a much more AV centric design. Looking at the back panel for example, you will notice that those legacy PC connections have been replaced by more AV centric connections.
For video connectivity, you have Component Video, VGA and HDMI allowing for connectivity to just about any HDTV screen. For audio, as mentioned, you can drive directly to your speakers or connect to an AVR using standard, RCA cables. No need to find special adapters or expensive cables to try and connect to your other equipment.
Here are just a few thoughts from both reviewers and customers on this platform:
“Overall, I can definitely recommend this platform as Windows Vista media PC platform. It will blow away almost anything else except for perhaps custom gaming machines, and it will be easier to use than most alternatives…Sound quality with this amplifier and motherboard are top notch.” – William Wong, Electronic Design
“For under $1000, System Builders should be able to put together a system that accomplishes everything the AMD Maui PC can do and then some. The platform proves to be an excellent path to a dual purpose system, which could wind up in living rooms and conference rooms alike.” – Frank Ohlhorst, Channel Insider
“Just wanted to pop my head in and say I’ve heard this setup at D2Audio’s offices with some high-end speakers…Absolutely beautiful sound, even at high volumes. And if you want to know my reference, it’s a pair of DT BP 2002s hooked to an Integra 5.9.” – Chris Morley, Morley Digital
“I just built a system with the 5.1 amp card, it will be replacing my Panasonic XR57. I’m still playing around with it, but so far it’s at least equal to the performance of that unit…What really surprised me is how dead quiet this thing is with no signal playing, no hiss, pops, crackles, nothing. Would have never thought this was possible within the confines of a PC.” – Nick Billeci
“I am very excited about this build, it is currently slated to replace the following components
Integra DTR 7.4 $1200
Toshiba HDA30 HDDVD player $250
Sony BDP300 Bluray $400
Pretty impressive that a sub 200 dollar mobo and amp card can deliver performance rivaling that of the components listed… I am thrilled so far with the results.” – Mark G.
“My initial impression on the quality is “absolutely phenomenal”, both audio and video. This was definitely worth the wait. In fact, I am ordering another one next week.” – William H.
These are just a few of the reviews and comments we have received about this platform, I have personally received similar comments from other reviewer and customers from around the globe. Therefore, as you can see, the MSI Media Live Diva platform really was designed to bring you a powerful HD audio and video experience. If you are interested in getting your hands on one of these platforms, check with your preferred online or local retailer or your preferred system integrator. In fact, next time we will talk more on this topic and discuss the pros/cons of building vs. buying an HTPC.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Show Business Became My Day Job At AMD
Posted by Charlie Boswell in 9:54 AM
Hello…My name is Boswell and I’m a musician, movie maker, and software engineer. I’ve been employed by AMD for over twelve years now. Eight years ago, I turned in my IEEE membership card for life in show business but I didn’t actually leave my cubical. Show business became my day job at AMD. My self-righteous engineering brethren might snide “that could be said of anyone who becomes a marketing guy”. No argument there but I’m talking about the media creation side of the entertainment market and not PowerPoint animation.
It’s been an awesome journey for a guy who dropped out of music school and then became an engineer. My title is now Director of Digital Media and Entertainment and I’m blogging to report on my field research and adventures of the past eight years watching the entertainment industry embrace technology. This first blog is intended to give only an introduction to some of my views but subsequent blogs will be dialogs with the world’s top creative minds. Check this out…..www.amd64live.com
In the course of these past eight years my team and I have been allowed to work directly with some very unique people who use technology in creative pursuits like the directors George Lucas and Robert Rodriguez not to mention a host of technology based musicians like Mark Knopfler, BT, and Dweezil Zappa. As well as some amazing recording engineers like Phil Ramone, Elliot Scheiner, and Frank Filipetti.
These last eight years have been almost a Galapagos experience of a life time. I’ve been given the chance to observe how technology has impacted the creative community and their end creations in a subtle but profound way that has implications for anyone who uses a PC for creative endeavors or to experience those creations.
The PC industry and culture has completed an important first phase. It has successfully turned a typewriter into word processor…pop the cork. I’m referring to productivity applications or electronic manual labor. That phase is like classical physics and it’s understood. The current phase finds us venturing into a quantum perspective because computers are impacting our minds and the way we create and the quality of experiencing what we create. This phase is just beginning in the mainstream but has been going on the creative space since computers were embraced there.
As a species and culture, we’ve slowly but surely come to accept limitations of technology and some of us believe we’re stupid because we don’t resonant with some of these products. We’re used to struggling, waiting, and being tentative. I’ve witnessed even some top creative minds adjust their visionary aspirations to conform to what the technology will allow as far as render time for effects etc. I believe this mindset is bad for humankind. The implications affect the top creative minds to the average consumer.
I believe the most important computer you’ll ever own is the one that sits on your shoulders. I also believe you should judge harshly any technology or technology culture that dares to come into that rarefied atmosphere of your mind where the creative process begins. My friend the director Robert Rodriguez likes to say, “The movie set is the mind”. He begins his creative process with a pure and unlimited picture in his head then uses technology to realize it. He never compromises that vision. If the computers don’t measure up, he finds new computers. He remains a guerrilla movie maker but at a highly technical level. I think that mindset is good for the planet. George Lucas envisioned Star Wars before there was a computer-based special effects industry. Instead he invented the special effects industry to realize his vision. I respect that approach. The computer industry should approach the human mind and user experience with reverence. Enough preaching.
I want to engage in a conversation to help shine a light on this trend which I have named Global Nerding. Are we conforming our minds to the machines and their boundaries? How do we measure the optimal computer experience? If we’re all so smart why can’t the masses use this stuff? How do you use computers to create? Please let me hear from you.
Charlie Boswell is Director of Digital Media and Entertainment at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.