VIA launches VX855: single-bridge chipset+IGP for netbooks.

[ToTTenTranz]

Source.

VIA VX855 Media System Processor: Bringing 1080p HD Video to Power Efficient SFF and Mobile Devices
This product is available fully ROHS-compliant.

The VIA VX855 Media System Processor (MSP) is a power efficient, highly integrated all-in-one chipset that addresses the key requirements of today’s small form factor and mobile PC systems.

For the first time, the VIA VX855 MSP offers full hardware acceleration of the widest variety of leading video standards including H.264, MPEG-2/4, DivX and WMV9, allowing smooth playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video. The advanced video decoding capabilities, when coupled with the media system processor's small physical size and a thermal design power (TDP) of a mere 2.3 watts, open up exciting opportunities for power efficient small form factor and mobile devices; especially the mini-notebook PC segment that will now be able to offer true 1080p HD video playback.

Additionally, support for all leading operating systems including the forthcoming Microsoft® Windows 7 OS offers flexibility and greater applicability to a wide spectrum of established, growing and new x86 market segments.

The VIA VX855 MSP integrates all the cutting-edge features of a modern chipset's North and South bridges into a 27mm x 27mm single chip package that saves over 46% of silicon real estate compared with competing twin-chip core logic implementations. This miniaturization, combined with extensive power management technologies and the VIA VX855’s ability to run fanlessly, enables system builders to design ever smaller, lighter, and more portable systems.


Key Features of the VIA VX855 MSP

* High Performance 2D/3D Graphics: The VIA Chrome9™ HCM 3D integrated graphics core boasts full DirectX 9.0 support and a 128-bit 2D engine with hardware rotation capability

* Powerful Video Decoding Technology: The VIA Chromotion™ video engine delivers a Hi-Def™ visual experience, including advanced video acceleration for H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV9, and DivX video formats, plus a VMR-capable HD video processor

* Advanced HD Audio: The built-in VIA Vinyl HD Audio controller supports up to eight high definition channels with a 192kHz sampling rate, delivering a richer all-round digital media experience

* Intuitive Memory Technology: VIA's renowned memory controller technology supports up to two low-power, high-bandwidth DDR2 memory modules

* Display Flexibility:An integrated multi-configuration, single-channel LVDS transmitter enables display connection to embedded panels, as well as CRT and CMOS LCD monitors

* Consumer Electronics Interfaces: Supports the low power device interfaces of SDIO, UART and SPI, as well as up to six USB 2.0 ports.

Single bridge, low power (less than half of its predecessor), compatible with Nano and with a hardware H.264 decoder.


I'm kind of sad they didn't use a Chrome 400 DX10 IGP, though. They've been making low-power GPUs for ages and now that they could use one to sink the competition, they won't. Adding a discrete GPU is also not an option because the bridge has no PCI-E interface, unlike the older VX800.
So gaming is more limited with this bridge that it is with the Atom platform.



This is probably why nVidia got "angry" with VIA. With this chipset in VIA's hands, nVidia only has gaming as an advantage for Ion.

[FischOderAal]

Good job VIA

[mAJORD]

excellent . Looking fwd to seeing decent reviews of this. including audio (yeah right.. a decent review including audio )

[shiznit93]

excellent . Looking fwd to seeing decent reviews of this. including audio (yeah right.. a decent review including audio )

seriously. is it that hard to check if asio works correctly?

[Smartidiot89]

I'd buy a VIA Mini-ITX board hands down if they weren't so god damn expensive! For the price of a VIA mini-itx I could afford a AMD dualcore, 780G chipset mobo and 4GB RAM + some extras.

Or am I alone thinking VIA is overpricing?

[FischOderAal]

Or am I alone thinking VIA is overpricing?

Nope. I'd say their price is so goddamn high because their products are used the most in embedded environments, aren't they? Perhaps they undergo a more thoroughly testing

[zanzabar]

Nope. I'd say their price is so goddamn high because their products are used the most in embedded environments, aren't they? Perhaps they undergo a more thoroughly testing

via has ultra low power consumption and most parts that do 120c+ (much higher than the normal use) so they can do passive cooling in integrated devices. look at something like an atm machine they start at like $7000 and cant have active cooling and need to work outside in the sun. and via has an itx box with no fan running 100% load and no HS and they had to use a hair dryer to make it stop

but i want via to sell an 11" netbook in the US or that i can import

[Cybercat]

http://www.notebookcheck.net/VIA-Chrome9-HC.3712.0.html

Ouch. I was skeptical when you said it would be less capable than the GMA 950 but it's true. This thing will not give you your mobile Quake Live fix.

I'd say the first netbook that can run Quake Live and World of Warcraft will have hit the jackpot.

[ToTTenTranz]

http://www.notebookcheck.net/VIA-Chrome9-HC.3712.0.html

Ouch. I was skeptical when you said it would be less capable than the GMA 950 but it's true. This thing will not give you your mobile Quake Live fix.

I'd say the first netbook that can run Quake Live and World of Warcraft will have hit the jackpot.

Yes, the Chrome9 is kind of a joke. However if you compare it to the GMA 950 @ 133Mhz from the Atom platform, it could be a little faster (given it's not underclocked). The fact that it can do hardware T&L should also give it some advantage in older (DX8.1-class) games.
And it's a shame, really. VIA has the low-power and efficient Chrome 400/500 GPUs from S3, which could fit in a IGP if they wanted to.

[Cybercat]

And it's a shame, really. VIA has the low-power and efficient Chrome 400/500 GPUs from S3, which could fit in a IGP if they wanted to.

Well, hang on a minute there, we don't really know that. Clearly they were shooting for an extremely low power envelope, and the new Chrome tech might have been a smidge too much.

That being said, I'd easily sacrifice a 6-hour netbook with a 5-hour one if it meant having a decent graphics chip that could at least play games from four years ago. That's why I still eagerly await Ion 2...

[ToTTenTranz]

Well, hang on a minute there, we don't really know that. Clearly they were shooting for an extremely low power envelope, and the new Chrome tech might have been a smidge too much.

I said it could fit an IGP, not this one in particular :P. In fact, I does cross my mind that this IGP could be paired with a VIA C7 and aimed at MIDs instead of netbooks.

That being said, I'd easily sacrifice a 6-hour netbook with a 5-hour one if it meant having a decent graphics chip that could at least play games from four years ago. That's why I still eagerly await Ion 2...

Same here. Can't wait to have a 9" netbook where I can play GTA:SA, UT2004, CS:S and other games.
The Asus N10J is actually an option, but it's very expensive and an inelegant system to say the least.

[Hans de Vries]

Apple: http://www.tct.hk/3G.htm