The CE 3100 media processor includes high-definition video support, home-theater quality audio and advanced 3-D graphics and is expected to begin shipping next month to CE manufacturers, including Samsung and Toshiba.

On Day Two of the Intel Developer Forum being held this week in San Francisco, Intel executives introduced the Media Processor CE 3100, touted as the first in a new family of Intel Architecture (IA)-based SoCs targeting Internet-connected consumer electronics (CE) products such as optical media players, connected CE devices, advanced cable set top boxes and digital TVs.

The CE 3100, previously codenamed “Canmore,” includes high-definition video support, home-theater quality audio and advanced 3-D graphics and is expected to begin shipping next month to CE manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics and Toshiba, Intel said, and also noted that it has been working with customers to develop products for emerging growth areas such as consumer electronics, MIDs, netbooks and embedded computers.

“As consumers look to stay connected and entertained regardless of where they are and what device they are using, the Web continues to affect our lives in new ways and is quickly moving to the TV thanks to a new generation of Internet-connected CE devices. As Intel delivers its first IA SoC with leading-edge performance and Internet compatibility for consumer electronics devices, we are providing a powerful and flexible technology foundation upon which the industry can quickly innovate upon. This technology foundation will help the high-tech industry bring devices to market faster, as well as encourage new designs and inspire new services, such as connecting the TV to the Internet,” said Eric Kim (pictured below), Intel senior VP and general manager of the company’s digital home group, in a statement.

Specifically, the CE 3100 is a highly integrated solution that pairs an IA processor core with multi-stream video decoding and processing hardware, and adds a 3-channel 800 MHz DDR2 memory controller, dedicated multi-channel dual audio DSPs, a 3-D graphics engine allowing advanced UIs and EPGs, and support for multiple peripherals, including USB 2.0 and PCI Express, the company said.

The processor also contains Intel’s Media Play Technology that combines hardware-based decoding for broadcast TV and optical media playback with software-based decode for Internet content so that when a consumer watches broadcast TV or content on optical media players, the video is encoded in standard formats, such as MPEG-2, H.264 or VC-1. Further, the technology’s software routes the video to the on-chip hardware decoders and when viewing Internet content, the software automatically routes the video, and audio as applicable, to a software codec running on the IA processor core. This addresses the need to decode multiple video and audio formats for greater flexibility to evolving standards.

Intel, Yahoo collaborate on TV, CE devices

Also during Wednesday’s IDF, Intel and Yahoo previewed the Widget Channel, an applications framework for IA-based TV and related CE devices that aims to blend the openness, personality and community aspects of the Web with the simplicity and entertainment strengths of the TV, the companies said.

The Widget Channel is meant to be a new and user-friendly way to enjoy Web content while watching TV programs powered by the Yahoo! Widget Engine and is optimized to use the performance and the capabilities of Intel’s CE 3100 processor.

Intel also announced The Intel Consumer Electronics Network, a member-based community of hardware, software and services providers meant to speed the delivery of Internet-connected CE devices based on IA SoCs. The network, which includes Alticast, Futarque A/S, Giga-Byte Technology, Tatung, Unihan Corp, Videon Central, and VividLogic, will receive early access to Intel CE platforms and will work to develop and market more feature-rich products to ultimately provide consumers with more choice.

Mobile Internet Devices are platforms for mobile innovation

Next, Intel senior VP and general manager for the ultra mobility group, Anand Chandrasekher, discussed how Intel Atom processor Z5xx series-based MIDs are becoming platforms for innovation in the mobile ecosystem and that the Internet revolution continues unabated with the rapid growth of social networking, user-generated content and location-based services with these trends even more important for mobile users demanding the right device to take this experience with them.

Chandrasekher reiterated the growing need for performance, Internet and software compatibility, and wireless broadband connectivity in order to bring Internet innovations to pocketable devices, which builds on Intel’s Atom launch April.

He showcased a number of MIDs coming to market across target market segments, and demonstrated the world’s first full 1080p high-definition video playback in a handheld device on the upcoming OQO MID.

Also, Chandrasekher reminded the audience of Intel’s MID roadmap with the next-generation platform codenamed “Moorestown,” which is on track for 2009/2010. Holding up the first wafer (shown left), he said that first silicon has been produced, discussed the versatility of the architecture, and the opportunity to target the communication MID with data and voice capabilities.

Intel fleshes out developer tool programme

With software developers playing an essential role in bringing emerging technologies and Internet opportunities to life, Renee James, VP and general manager of Intel’s software and solutions group, discussed how processor performance and the move to Intel’s multi-core processors with multi-threaded software are accelerating advancements in all aspects of visual computing for richer and more believable experiences.

James and DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg unveiled a new brand, InTru 3D, that will represent the next generation of movie storytelling and enhanced 3-D viewing experience, the logo of which is meant to represent stunning computer generated 3-D imagery made possible by the combination of Intel technology and DreamWorks creativity, the companies said. The logo will be use by Intel and DreamWorks in promotion of 3-D movies, and presented within all of DreamWorks’ 3-D movies beginning with “Monsters vs. Aliens.”

Also, James announced Visual Adrenaline, Intel’s visual computing developer program that offers resources to help developers, publishers, artists, animators and other gaming and digital content creation and consumption professionals take full advantage of Intel products and technologies as they create tomorrow’s most compelling visual experiences.

Finally, Intel detailed the next generation of parallel programming tools that are meant to give new options for multi-core software development for mainstream client applications. Intel’s Parallel Studio contains expanded capabilities for helping design, code, debug and tune applications to harness the power of multi-core processing through parallel programming and is aimed at easing the path for parallel application development to deliver performance and forward scaling to many-core processors for Microsoft Visual Studio developers.

Commenting on IDF Day Two, Lehman Brothers Semiconductor Equity Research analyst Tim Luke noted in a report, “We remain encouraged by overall tone with a focus on execution and technological innovation. We see encouraging trends to date for 3Q08 with new products seeing good traction (Montevina, Atom). We acknowledge limited visibility given macro uncertainty and backend loaded quarter with back-to-school sell thru a key focus of investor interest. However, as of now trends appear at least in line with our estimates of $10.3B/$0.36 and we maintain our 1-OW rating.”