New AMD desktop chipset takes aim at the living room
New AMD chipset comes with integrated HDMI ports.
If you're thinking of building or buying a home theater PC, you might consider looking for a motherboard that has AMD's new 690G chipset, announced today. The reason is because the new chipset will come with both a DVI video output, as well as an independent HDMI output for connecting your computer directly to an HD television. It also comes with HDCP support built directly into the new, onboard ATI Radeon X1250 graphics chip, which should ensure digital encryption compatibility for playing HD-DVD or Blu-ray movies.
The other model in the new series, the budget-oriented 690V, is more suited to standard desktops, as it lacks the separate HDMI output. Both support AMD's full range of processors that come in the AM2 format, which includes lower-end Sempron chips, as well as the full Athlon 64 X2 dual core CPUs. If you'd actually like to purchase a 690-series motherboard, you'll find them packaged in stores from vendors such as Albatron, Asus, Biostar, ECS, and others. A few third-tier system vendors have also signed up to use the new chipset, including Polywell and Systemax. No word on any major players just yet. You can read more about the technical specs of the 690 series on AMD's own Web page.