Apple: 1080p Apple TV uses a Single-Core A5 SoC
by Anand Lal Shimpi on March 7, 2012 2:51 PM EST- Posted in
- Mac
- Apple
- Apple TV
- Trade Shows
Details are scarce, but the new 1080p Apple TV does use a single-core Apple A5 SoC. I'm assuming the video decode engine is identical to what we have in the iPhone 4S today. The chassis design and remote remain identical to the previous 720p model.
Update: Brian beat me to it here with a much more detailed post on the single-core A5 and some discussion about the new iPad.
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yname - Thursday, March 8, 2012 - link
Doesn't make sense. A4 is just a processor. It appears to be more of a SW thing rather than HW.tipoo - Thursday, March 8, 2012 - link
Why does that not make sense? A pentium 3 is just a processor, but it can't run 1080p through no fault of software, its just not fast enough.yname - Thursday, March 8, 2012 - link
So, is there that kind of gap between A4 and A5 processors in terms of processing speeds? Anyways, I am not happy about this. To me, processing a 1080p signal versus 720p signal is more of a SW feature than A4-A5.tipoo - Thursday, March 8, 2012 - link
Yes, the A4 had an older Cortex A8 core that was significantly slower.The A4 SoC that Apple used in the iPhone 4 and the second generation AppleTV as well as the A5 in the iPad 2 can handle Main Profile level 3.1, which is good enough for 1280x720 video at 30 frames per second. The original AppleTV can only handle 720p at 24 frames.
"To me, processing a 1080p signal versus 720p signal is more of a SW feature than A4-A5."
This continues not to make sense. A Pentium 3 can't process 1080P, a Core 2 Duo can, running the same software. So is that a hardware or software thing? Why would they switch to the A5 if the A4 could push 1080p too at a lower cost?
nice_enough - Monday, April 23, 2012 - link
Jail-broken Gen2 Applet TV's can output 1080p.So the chip can handle it though Apple may not have seen it as being ideal.
The chip in the old iPhone 3GS has also been proven to handle most 1080 video as well.
Solidstate89 - Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - link
So it's now capable of outputting the same content my Boxee Box could last year?AmdInside - Thursday, March 8, 2012 - link
Is the new interface going to be trickled down to the A4 Apple TV?tipoo - Thursday, March 8, 2012 - link
Already has beenzxzxzxccc - Saturday, March 10, 2012 - link
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