forecast & imagine: Chips for set-top-box in future

The main chipset for Set-Top Box (player):
The main chipset for Set-Top Box is basically the same as low-grade tabletpc chipset scheme.But increase some functions

Some display functions different as low-grade tabletpc chipset:
All support HDMI output (Support HDCP)(All of support HDMI 1.4)
Support one DVI output
All have a video DAC in the main chip, can support YCbCr and CVBS-video output

DSP unit (the different as low-grade tabletpc chip):
Have all the functions as the low-grade tabletpc chip scheme. And increase these functions:
All support H.264,MPEG4(support to DivX 6 & Xvid),VC-1,WMV9,MPEG2,MPEG1 decode by hardware,all of these formats can support to 1920*1080 30fps max.
Some more high-grade chips support these formats up to 2160P or higher (But MPEG2 still support 1080I or 720P max)(support 3D video) decoding by hardware.
All support M2TS(blue-ray),MP4,MKV,DivX,WebM,OGM,MTS,F4V,FLV,WMV,ASF,AVI,MOV,3GP,TS(TP),VOB,MPEG(mpg,dat) etc. video container
All support AAC(HE-AAC), WMA, MPEG2 layer 1 & 2 audio, AC3 (two channel only) audio decoding by hardware
Some of support RM/RMVB decoding by hardware
Some more high-grade chips support DTS,DVD-audio,MLP,Ture-HD,DTS-HD,WMA-HD,ALAC etc. decoding by hardware, some of support decoding multichannel these audio format by hardware.
Some more high-grade chips support DSD audio (also support SACD (Super Audio Disc))
Some of support H.264 encoding by hardware

Other different as the low-grade tabletpc chipset scheme:
Support 3* TS Stream input port (Can support DVB-SH,DVB-T,DMB-TH,ISDB-T,DVB-C,DVB-S,DVB-S2 etc. digital TV demodulation chipset)
If the DSP unit support DSD audio and SACD, so the audio DAC support DSD playback

More high-grade main chips (for set-top-box), not only the CPU and GPU's performance more higher (have double or multi-core CPU),and the DSP unit support more kinds video and audio decoding by hardware

Many equipments will use Lithium ion battery for power supply in future

In future, most of remotes (include: TVset, set-top-box, Air conditioner, etc.), wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, LED flashlight, alarm clock, Electric toys, etc., will use an universal model Lithium polymer battery (The battery's size will be small, maybe the capacity will be less than or equal to 300mAh.) for power supply. Will not use "AAA" or "AA" size battery.

Fixed telephone and xDSL will decline more and more

Fixed telephone and xDSL will decline more and more:
1 In some developed countries, such as: Many European countries, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan (Republic of China), Singapore, Japan etc., fixed telephone and xDSL will decline more and more. Because the operating costs of fixed telephone and xDSL will be higher than phone and FTTx, since now or future.
2 Phone will replace most of fixed telephone.
3 FTTH and FTTB+LAN will replace xDSL.
4 If a user want to use fixed telephone, can install FTTH, and use phone line to connect telephone and GPON (or EPON) modem.
5 Fixed telephone will be still used for internal telephone, or be used for a VOIP terminal equipment.
6 But in USA, Australia, New Zealand, many user will still use traditional fixed telephone.

Middle and high-grade x86 PC in future

forecast , imagine and recommend:
Middle and high-grade x86 PC (all in one PC & laptop)in future

laptop and all-in-one PC in future

Middle and high-grade x86 PC,include laptop and all-in-one PC,not include desktop PC.
The price of the cheapest laptop in future, will be nearly about US$605. The cheapest all-in-one PC (not include self assembly very low-grade all-in-one PC), will be nearly about US$485.
In future, maybe only these manufacturers will produce all-in-one PC and laptop, such as: TOSHIBA, Fujitsu, Samsung, LG, ACER, ASUS, MSI, DELL, Lenovo, HP, Gateway etc.
Most of new laptops ,have three USB2.0 (or USB2.0 & 3.0 2in1) port.
All of all-in-one PC, at least have 4 or more USB port.
Many of laptops and all-in-one PC, have one USB3.0 and USB2.0 2in1 port. Some of have a eSATA and USB2.0 2 in 1 port.
All of laptop and all-in-one PC,have a HDMI output port. Many of laptop and all-in-one PC will not have VGA output port.
All of laptop and all-in-one PC,have a SD/MMC card reader,and all have a 1000Mbps Ethernet port(RJ45 port)
All of laptop and all-in-one PC,have a camera,the camera above the LCD screen.

New feature:
All of laptop and all-in-one PC,will not use traditional "BIOS" as the bootloader.Will all use Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) as the bootloader.
The new kind of bootloader,can't allow to boot from any other disk,such as: any usb disk, other SATA hard disk, SATA or USB cdrom, SD/MMC card etc. Can only boot from the SSD disk on the motherboard only!
And the new kind of bootloader, will prohibit user to install anyother operating system. And the bootloader not have the API  to guide any other operating system. For example, if a laptop or all-in-one PC have been installed Win8.1 or Win9 in advance, so user can't install anyother operating system into the x86 PC (such as:any Linux release edition, MS-DOS, Winxp, Win7, or other Win8.1 or Win9 etc.)
All of laptop and the all-in-one PC, will use SSD disk to have been installed the operating system on the PC.And also have free space on the SSD disk (as another partition),for user to use. The SSD disk will be all PCI-E interface. And the SSD disk will be all welded on the motherboard.
The operating system on the SSD disk,can't be deleted,so the system partition on the SSD disk can't be formated. And user can't copy or creat new file, or can't delete any files on the system partition of the SSD disk.
Except when the system will allow user to update.
Have a function, to recover the system to original status.

Nearly all of new laptops,the body type will be more slim.
Many ot new laptops,will use metal shell.
Nearly all of new laptops,the shape of the keyboard,will nearly like Apple Macbook.
Nearly all of new laptops,the battery will be in the internal of the laptop.
Some of laptop and the all-in-one PC,will have capacitive touch screen,support multi touch.

All of laptop and the all-in-one PC, will have WIFI function, but many of the Wireless Network Adapter will be not common, and the chip of Wireless Network Adapter will be all welded on the motherboard.
All of laptop and the all-in-one PC, the RAM chips will be welded on the motherboard. But have a slot for RAM,allow user to expand RAM. On any laptop,the DIMM or SIMM slot for expand RAM, on the bottom shell,and the expanding RAM compartment have a cover.

All of the all-in-one PC,and some of new laptops,have a 2.5 inch hard disk compartment,allow user to install a hard disk (SATA interface).
Some of laptop and the all-in-one PC, will not have DVD-ROM or Blu-ray drive.
Some of laptop and the all-in-one PC, will have a DVD-ROM or Blu-ray drive, but the DVD-ROM or Blu-ray drive will be not common.

laptop in future

all-in-one PC

About low-grade x86 PC in future

About very low-grade x86 CPU:
Intel will not make ARM or MIPS cpu in future, only make x86 cpu.
Intel will still make "ATOM" series CPU, or other series very low-grade x86 CPU. (Maybe not be called as "ATOM".)
Very low-grade x86 CPU will be for low-grade "x86" PC.
Very low-grade x86 CPU can be used for mini motherboard and mini chassis computer (x86 mini PC).(mini chassis computer use mini motherboard). Maybe Very low-grade x86 CPU will also be used for some x86 tabletpc.
The models of Intel low-grade x86 CPU will be very less.
Some kinds of "ATOM" series CPU can be used for servers.
Maybe AMD will also produce a few of very low-grade x86 CPU.

Very low-grade x86 CPU and mini chassis computer:
Mini motherboard (x86) will be all use very low-grade x86 CPU (Such as: Intel "ATOM" series CPU.)
All of the CPU will have been welded on the motherboard, so user can't replace it.
On the x86 mini motherboard, all of have these ports, such as: DC power in, 2* USB 2.0 port (Some of have a USB2.0 & eSATA 2 in 1 port), one 3.5mm audio output port, one 3.5mm microphone port, one Ethernet port, one VGA output port, one HDMI output port.
On the x86 mini motherboard, all of have welded some pins on motherboard, for expand some ports or function, such as: 8 pins to expand 2* USB 2.0 port, some pins for SD/MMC card reader (some of SD/MMC card reader welded on the motherboard), some pins for LVDS LCD screen, 2 pins for Power button, 2 pins for power led, 2 pins for hard disk drive led, and etc.
On the x86 mini motherboard, all of have welded 2 or more SATA sockets.
All have a jumper on the mainboard, for clearing the BIOS setting.
Some of the mainboards, will have been welded memory chips (RAM chip) on the mainboard. (At least have 2GB RAM)
X86 mini motherboard can be used for finished product x86 mini chassis computer (x86 mini PC), or can be used for finished product finance and cashie computer.
The manufacturers will also sell x86 mini motherboard, and sell the case for x86 mini motherboard. So user can buy the motherboard and the case to assemble a mini PC or an all in one PC (need a LCD screen and a LVDS signal cable) by theirself.

Desktop PC will stop to produce:
Desktop PC and their component,will stop to produce soon, include: CPU, main chipset, GPU, RAM chipset.
But the big capacity of 3.5 Inch hard disk (2TB at least now) will still be produced.
In future, laptop and "x86 mini PC" and "all in one PC" will replace Desktop PC.

AMD obtain the ARM cpu authorization,start to make ARM cpu for middle-grade and high-grade tabletpc and mobile phone.

forecast: New version Uboot

forecast , imagine and recommend:

1 Support boot from SD/MMC card, boot from USB disk (include USB flash disk, USB SD/MMC card reader, USB hard dirver), boot from SATA disk, boot from SATA CDROM, boot from USB CDROM
When turn on the equipment, if a SD/MMC card has been inserted, and in the SD/MMC the first partition is a Linux kernel system's mirror, or the SD/MMC card's active partition is EXT2/3/4 or Yaffs2 flie system and have a Linux kernel system, will boot system from the SD/MMC card
2 If boot from usb disk, SATA disk, sata cdrom and usb cdrom, will be identical than boot from SD/MMC card.
3 Support multiple system to boot on the internal NAND flash (or eMMC), and when turn on the equipment, allow user to choose which operating system will be started.
4 The information (The configuration file) of multi system boot, maybe will use the "MISC" partition on the internal NAND flash (or eMMC).
5 Support multiple operating system choice menu when turn on the equipment (If the equipment have multiple operating system on the internal NAND flash (or eMMC))
6 Support black and white 2 colors display.(for multiple operating system choice menu)
7 Support MCU, RGB, TTL, LVDS interface of LCD screen.
8 Support Display port, HDMI (or DVI), VGA video output port for display.
When user turn on the equipment, if the equipment will use Display port, HDMI (or DVI) or VGA to connect a monitor, "Uboot" will use DDC(Direct Digital Control) or AUX channel on Displayport to test and distinguish the monitor, and use the monitor to display at priority.
9 Support USB keyboard, USB mouse and infrared remoter.
(When use the multiple operating system choice menu, the mouse wheel can move the selection cursor up or down.The left button on mouse is confirm key, identical to "Enter" key on keyboard.)
10 About the multiple operating system choice menu: Press Volume+ or Volume- button (on the equipment) to move the selection cursor up or down, press the Power button (on the equipment) to enter (confirm).
11 In future, nearly all of low-grade tabletpc, set-top-box, ARM or MIPS computer (for office use or cash register), etc.,will use the newest version Uboot as the bootloader.


Multi-system choosing menu when the equipment turn on: