AMD's Alchemy CPU Aimed at Mobile Video Players

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119108,tk,dn010305X,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119108,tk,dn010305X,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Advanced Micro Devices has developed a low-power chip that it thinks will make portable video players more compelling by reducing the time needed to transfer content to the devices. The company is expected to announce the chip at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week. Portable video players with the new Alchemy Au1200 processor will play MPEG files recorded by digital video recorders, eliminating the need for users to change those files to a different format, says Rob Oliver, product marketing manager with AMD's Personal Connectivity Solutions Group (PCSG). AMD has designed a reference platform for manufacturers that includes the chip and media player software, and the company expects devices to emerge in the second quarter of this year, he says."</i><br /><br />I was initially interested in this, but after digging further I realized this is a MIPS-based chip, which makes it essentially irrelevant from a Portable Media Center point of view (which are all ARM-based). Still, we might see some interesting devices to compete with the PMCs. This statement made me roll my eyes a bit though:<br /><br /><i>"The MPEG and DivX file formats produce higher quality images than the WMV file format, and videos recorded onto PMCs in those formats will play on large screens with no degradation in quality, he says."</i><br /><br />While DivX produces excellent quality files, on par with WMV, but MPEG? I've yet to see an MPEG2 or MPEG4 video file that matches the quality <i>and</i> size of a WMV or DivX file. MPEG acceleration would help with playing native MPEG content (like a TV show recorded to a PVR) without needing to convert it.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Oh dear, I don't like the sound of that already.. if the product manager makes such a boo-boo..

[Felix Torres]

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." 8)

Not sure why AMD is getting into this business this late in the game, cause that boat has pretty much sailed. The market has no shortage of generic non-wmv mpeg decoder chips or premium quality chips *with* wmv support. Here we have product that seeks to convince folks that mpeg alone is better than mpeg+wmv.
Only person I know that could pull that bit of alchemical hype is the guy with the reality-distortion zone... :wink:

Still, the fact that they're going out of their way to bad-mouth wmv rather than merely hype their product suggests they have an ABM customer lined up and they're tilling the soil with a bit of FUD in advance of the announcement.

Methinks there is a size three slipper waiting to fall somewhere...

Of course, with the possibility of PMC 2.0 being announced tomorrow, there's a pair of size 18 combat boots waiting to fall...

[klinux]

"I've yet to see an MPEG2 or MPEG4 video file that matches the quality and size of a WMV or DivX file."
*******
Correct me if I am wrong but both WMV and DivX are proprietary implementations of MPEG4 codec (history: the very first and original DivX codec DivX 3.11 ; ) was based on Microsoft's MPEG4 codec). Therefore, it may not quite make sense to say WMV/DivX is so different from MPEG4.

Since MPEG2 is the codec of choice for DVDs, by default, the quality would be better and the size would be bigger than that of a compressed format. However, other may argue that MPEG2 is compressed too compared to the original. An analogy maybe that WMV and DivX is like WMA and AAC compared to the original WAV file, all of which is worse than the original master.

Lastly, I recently watched Step Into Liquid as a High Definition WMV file. The WMV is roughly 5GB in size which is comparable to the size of the MPEG2 VOB found on the regular DVD. The HD WMV quality is of course spectacular!

[Jason Dunn]

Correct me if I am wrong but both WMV and DivX are proprietary implementations of MPEG4 codec (history: the very first and original DivX codec DivX 3.11 ; ) was based on Microsoft's MPEG4 codec). Therefore, it may not quite make sense to say WMV/DivX is so different from MPEG4.

I used to think that as well, but in talking with some of the people from the Windows Media team, they told me that WMV is *not* based on MPEG4. I just did some Googling, and couldn't find any good information, so I guess all I can say is that I was told it wasn't...;-) The first DivX coded was indeed built off a hacked WMV codec. Just mention DivX to a Windows Media team member and they go purple. :lol:

Since MPEG2 is the codec of choice for DVDs, by default, the quality would be better and the size would be bigger than that of a compressed format. However, other may argue that MPEG2 is compressed too compared to the original. An analogy maybe that WMV and DivX is like WMA and AAC compared to the original WAV file, all of which is worse than the original master.

I think you're a wee bit confused. ;-) MPEG2 *is* a compressed format. WMV/DIVX is just a better form of compression than MPEG2 - it's that simple. MPEG2 is, what, almost ten years old now? Compression evolves, and better ways of compressing video without losing quality comes along.

Lastly, I recently watched Step Into Liquid as a High Definition WMV file. The WMV is roughly 5GB in size which is comparable to the size of the MPEG2 VOB found on the regular DVD. The HD WMV quality is of course spectacular!

You just proved my point for me. :-) The WMV file at the same size as the MPGE2 file was WAY better quality, right? Hence, WMV is a better quality compression codec than MPEG2. That's all I was saying. :-)

[klinux]

I definitely agree with that WMV/DivX are better then MPEG-2.

And you are correct that MPEG-2 is compressed although many may think they are not i.e. there's a whole industry that supports the re-encoding of MPEG-2 (DVD, satellite, etc) into other formats such as MPEG-1, WMV, and DivX. Usually people wouldn't think of recompressing form one format to another i.e MP3 to WMA!

I compared MPEG-2 to WAV because WAV files are technically not compressed. However, 99% of the time WAV is ripped from a compressed format i.e. a CD as opposed from a less compressed format such as SACD, DVD-Audio, or the master.

So is WAV a compressed format? No, it is not but it is usually limited by compressed source. Is MPEG-2 a compressed format? Yes, but many people treat it as if it is the uncompressed original source.

Lastly, I am fairly certain that DivX/3ivx/xviD are all based on some kind of implementation of MPEG-4. As for WMV, while MS may say it is not, many sites seemed to agree that it is somewhat MPEG-4 related.

From Afterdawn
http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/wmv.cfm

From the Motion Pictures Experts Group (dated 2002 though)
http://www.chiariglione.org/mpeg/

"Microsoft’s Windows Media software contains an MPEG-4 encoder and decoder. This is an implementation of MPEG-4 Simple Profile, the simplest and lowest cost Visual Profile in MPEG-4. While Microsoft indicates that this implementation is fully compliant, it is ‘packaged’ in a Microsoft’s proprietary way.

Real Networks supports MPEG-4 through a certified plug-in from Envivio. Real has announced native MPEG-4 support for an unspecified date.

Apple’s Quicktime version 6, which includes MPEG-4 support, has been demonstrated at e.g. NAB 2002. Apple has stated to not release QT6 until the licensing situation is resolved to Apple’s satisfaction."

Microsoft also posts under the the "MPEG-4 and Co." forum in doom9.

[Jason Dunn]

OK, I see what you're saying now, makes sense. :-)

I'll ask someone at MS about the WMV = MPEG4 thing...maybe I misunderstood them.

[klinux]

Thanks but I don't want you to stir up a hornet's nest either. :) I would love to hear their answer though.

For anyone who has not seen HDTV on their computer (WMV - Step Into Liquid or Terminator 3 (720p or 1080p), DivX - HD movie trailers on DivX.com, or the Matrix trailer (1000x540) as Quicktime - it looks fantastic.