Addressing Challenges In Developing CE Solutions With PC Technology

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Addressing Challenges In Developing CE Solutions
With PC Technology

• Rod FleckAMD FellowDigital Multi-Media
  Solutions Group

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Agenda

• Summarize some current CE solutions
• Convergence of set-top boxes
• Improving CE device capabilities with PCs in home
  network
• Leveraging PC capabilities in CE solutions
• Concepts for better CE solutions

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Traditional Digital Home Theater In A Box
Solutions

• Easy to use reliable
• Good sound/video
• Works right of the box
• Easy to connect to other CE devices
• Looks great fits in home
• Small quiet
• Fairly low cost (199-999)

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Home Theater In A BoxSuccesses

• Very strong growth in most markets
• 4.7 million units in 2004 in US alone
• Easy to sell as add-on to HD-TV
• 40 are repeat sales
• Meet many peoples needs for amplifier, DVD,
  AM/FM radio
• Good for living room and ideal for bedrooms
• Good way for dealers to up-sell DVD capability

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Home Theater In A BoxWeaknesses

• Still need a number of other boxes
• Set-top box, DVR, game machine, VCR
• Issues for single remote, ease of set-up
• Most devices can not connect to other ethernet
  based devices
• Most do not support hi-definition video
• Quality (audio/video) varies wildly across many
  vendors/models
• Many formats of video are not supported
• No way to add capability

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Set-top Box Convergence

• Set-top boxes are incorporating DVD and DVD
  authoring capability
• Set-tops are incorporating photo slide-shows and
  music playback solutions
• TiVo provides access to TV content from PCs and
  remote control of recording
• Many have access to most premium content

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Fantastic Growth In Markets
2. Strong growth of DVR HHs
1. Rapid growth of HDTVs WW
CAGR () 72
30
50
300
WW Total
25
45
250
25
40
19
200
35
20
Units in Millions
30
150
13
15
of households
Households (millions)
25
100
20
10
7
15
50
27.7
3.2
20.9
10
5
DVR Households
3
0
13.7
5
2004 FCST
2003
2002
2001
2000
2005 FCST
2006 FCST
2007 FCST
2008 FCST
2009 FCST
7.0
DVR Percent of Household
0
0
Source Orange Book
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
3. High theater-in-a-box interest
4. Advanced set-top-box growth
Source IMS Research
CAGR () 32
World-wide
US Only
Source CEA
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Potential Convergences
HD-TVCompanion?
Set-top Boxes
MCE PC
Theater-in-a-Box
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Supporting Two Approaches To Improving CE
Solutions

• Leverage MCE extender (or Extender-like)
  technologies to expand the capabilities of
  traditional CE media portals
• Enable CE features/capabilities ontoPC
  infrastructure (CE outside/PC inside)

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Distributing Content Throughout The Home And On
The Go
Bring media and access mome media on the go
Share media and web access
Share TV programs with your PCs
Manage pictures,music, videos
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Leverage OpenStandards And Software

• AMD LIVE! takes advantage of technologieslike
  UPNP, DLNA, WMC, Microsoft Extender technologies,
  etc.
• Software stacks on target devices are smalland
  leverage low-cost nature of set-top and
  theater-in-a-box solutions
• Primary required support includes
• Some form of IP connectivity (802.3, 802.11,
  Powerline, etc.)
• Embedded 100 MIPS core and 2D graphics

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Bringing PC Technology Into CE Media Solutions
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Trends Creating Opportunity
PC Costs / Commoditization
CE Complexity HW/SW
HD-Def Content / TV
Average per US Household 1500
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Example 2005 AMD Designs
First Generation (2005)

• AMD Reference Design
• Dealt with heat/noise
• CE-style/user interface
• Integrated AV connectivity
• Easy modification of case, I/O, drives, CPUs,
  etc.

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Windows MCE Successes

• Wide access to most media types/formats
• Easy to connect cameras, camcorders, and
  portable media players
• Easy to share and backup media
• 10 experience is intuitive
• HD picture quality is good
• Spotlights offer new media to 10 users
• HD-Audio is far improved to AC-97
• Great for TV and PC with one display
• Easy access to casual gaming

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Windows MCE Challenges

• Other devices are required in most cases
• Digital interfaces preserve quality
• Standard connector plugs missing in many cases
• Home connectivity is still poor for video
• Many devices are too big, too hot, and lack CE
  interfaces and style
• Full premium content fair use not yet available
• Protected content outputs are rare
• Devices are too expensive in many cases

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Some Good News On Horizon

• Windows Vista Premium offers richer entertainment
  experience
• More 10 interface based web content
• OCUR or OCUR-like devices should allow digital
  access to premium content
• Larger amount of internet based content from
  music to movies to long-tail content
• Optical platform will support both HD-DVD and
  Blu-Ray

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Can We Do Better YES?

• Lower cost higher chip level integration and
  higher volume
• Smaller designs mITX or similar motherboards,
  leverage laptop drives, smaller power supplies
• Lower noise lower speed fans, lower power
  processor, more efficient video processing
• Better front-end costs higher integrated
  multi-standard and embedded CA solutions
• CE industrial design better front-panel user
  interface and better style
• Full HD-support move beyond todays HD MPEG2 to
  upcoming H.264 in TV standards and multiple
  codecs for HD-DVD or Blu-ray

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Introducing EnergyEfficient AMD Processors

• Energy efficient AMD desktop processors
• Can help OEMs design small form factor (SFF) PCs
  thattake up less space and are more aesthetic,
  giving them the opportunity to provide
  differentiated and competitive solutions to their
  customers
• Can reduce the noise and heat emitted from
  systems to extend the longevity of their PCs
  while offering consumer and business users a
  quieter, more pleasant experience in their
  offices or living rooms
• When combined with AMDs award-winning
  CoolnQuiet technology, can enhance system
  energy efficiency

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AMD Energy Efficient Processors Delivering
improved performance-per-watt

• Reducing energy costs
• Energy efficient AMD desktop processors provide
  greater performance-per-watt over AMDs standard
  power desktop processors to reduce commercial and
  consumers energy bills
• 65W AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors
  provide up to 37greater performance-per-watt
  than standard power (89W) processors
• 35W AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors
  provide up to 154greater performance-per-watt
  than standard power(89W) processors
• Enabling small form factors
• Energy efficient AMD processors enable OEMs and
  the channeloffer small, sleek, aesthetically
  pleasing entertainment PCs and commercial
  slim-line and blade PCs
• Consumer and enterprise demand quiet and cool PCs
  
• By using less electricity, energy efficient AMD
  desktop processors can lead to lower energy
  consumption, contributing to an improved global
  environment

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Can we Improve on Audio/ Video Quality? Yes

• Newer generation graphics processors are
  including higher quality TV, color accuracy, MPEG
  decoding, etc.
• Full digital outputs are becoming common
• Full 1080P support is available

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Big Challenges Ahead

• PC based solutions will always havecost
  disadvantages compared to single purpose CE
  solutions
• Single function devices will always take less
  effort to be more reliable
• Complete multi-function CE devices must have
  solutions that include many CE devices in rack,
  but still be easy to use

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Need To Offer Two SW Options

• Windows Vista Premium for thosewho want to
  load their own applications, games, etc.
• Embedded XP/Windows Vista for those who want a
  more stable/externally supported solution
• Device updated by CE manufacturer or service
  operator (cable, sat, or telco) only
• Still leverage PC applications base, commodity
  HW, and infrastructure

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Better Device Control

• Leverage alternative remote controls
• Cell/cordless/VoIP phones, game panels
• Interface to laptops or PDAs for
  search/control/set-up
• Better front panel control
• Easily find audio music, radio, IP-radio without
  TV
• Allows users to easily select next media while
  enjoying present content on TV
• Allow one room to control other rooms
• Control music, lighting, security, etc., from any
  room
• Integrate speech as an option

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Embrace CE Community

• Leverage what many do best
• Highest quality audio/video
• Video aisle sales channel
• Multi-room support
• Subsidized device via service opportunities
• Learn from CE success
• Interface to as many devices as possible
• Leverage higher quality home networks
• QOS driven (like MoCA or Powerline)

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Calls To Action

• Microsoft
• Investigate Embedded OS with 10 MCE/Diamond
  features
• Chipset and processor companies
• Decrease cost/power consumption while improving
  user interface/audio/video quality
• CE vendors
• Embrace whole home connectivity with truly open
  standards
• Service providers
• Leverage PC environment for more personalized
  content/ads
• Front-end providers
• Integrate OCUR (or equivalent) with demod into
  single chips
• Motherboard vendors
• Support full range of A/V plugs and HDCP content
  protection
• Home network providers
• Provide true QOS for multiple A/V streams within
  home

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Summary

• CE based home entertainment solutions can easily
  be extended with middleware allowing access to PC
  for media and heavy-lifting
• PC technology can be effectively integratedinto
  next generation CE box solutions, but
• Software is critical to bringing new functions
  and services
• Audio/video quality should be as good or better
• Ease of use and cost are critical to success

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From Creation
To Consumption
Create at the speed at inspiration
Smarter Digital Entertainment
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