New Apple TV Has A5X Chip and Single WLAN + Bluetooth Antenna

[MacRumors]

AnandTech has found that new Apple TV will use the same WLAN+Bluetooth antenna/chip combo that the iPhone 5 uses as well as an A5X processor rather than the A5.

The unreleased Apple TV revision was first suggested by an iOS 6.1 firmware release for a previously unseen AppleTV3,2 model. Then, a new FCC application revealed that the new Apple TV would have slightly smaller dimensions than the currently shipping model.

AnandTech writes:

Instead of the A5R2 SoC (S5L8942) inside the Apple TV 3,1, this new device contains an A5X SoC (S5L8947) as shown in the screenshots I've taken of the Restore.plist file, though there are numerous others. It's entirely possible that Apple is again using different bins of the A5X, it's not possible to tell whether CPU or GPU cores are fused off at this point from my digging through the IPSW.

The A5X chip (with Quad-Core graphics) was originally introduced to power the new Retina Display screen of the iPad 3.

It was in the current Apple TV that Apple first used the 32-nm (die shrunk) A5 chip. It was believed at the time that Apple had used the Apple TV has a test platform to start ramping up that new 32-nm A5 processor before they started using it more broadly to power the still-for-sale iPad 2.

It seems likely that Apple will follow the same pattern with this new A5X -- first ramp up production in the Apple TV, and later extend its use to the new iPad mini. The next iPad mini is believed to include a Retina display. Apple will need to upgrade the iPad mini's CPU/GPU in order to be able to accommodate the extra pixels of such a display.

Article Link: New Apple TV Has A5X Chip and Single WLAN + Bluetooth Antenna

[naveah]

I think I am finally sold on the Apple TV. No more cable! Now, if only Netflix would start adding more choice.

[ghost187]

I don't see the iPad Mini going from A5 to A5X. I think it was stupid that they put the A5 instead of the A6 to begin with. It will be upgraded to A6 at the very least especially with the retina display, maybe even A7. While the Big iPad will remain superior with an A7X chip.

[kjs862]

i use a mac mini with my home theatre and i use an air server app to for airserver functionality.

this with plex is the best solution, i think.

[mrsir2009]

Looks like there's finally going to be some progress with the TV

[Chundles]

A5X?

Hopefully it's a die-shrink, cooler version otherwise that thing is going to melt through some TV cabinets.

[chiefsilverback]

Originally Posted by naveah

I think I am finally sold on the Apple TV. No more cable! Now, if only Netflix would start adding more choice.

Macworld had a piece today about trying to 'cut the cable' and when all was said and done they got a better deal on a bundle with TV than trying to go it alone with internet only from their provider.

I'm in the same boat with Verizon, I'd spend more subscribing to Hulu Plus and Netflix and buying content from iTunes than I would save by dropping the TV from TV/Internet FiOS bundle!

Until Apple can come up with a viable alternative for data delivery than the incumbent cable companies 'cutting the cable' is something of a pipe dream!

[basesloaded190]

Originally Posted by kjs862

i use a mac mini with my home theatre and i use an air server app to for airserver functionality.

this with plex is the best solution, i think.

But is at least 5 times the cost.

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by naveah

I think I am finally sold on the Apple TV. No more cable! Now, if only Netflix would start adding more choice.

If only NetFlix added more bandwidth....

Although I'm quite happy with the 200 GB/week bandwidth that I get from NetFlix. It seems to be adequate.

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Originally Posted by Chundles

Hopefully it's a die-shrink, cooler version otherwise that thing is going to melt through some TV cabinets.

Some of us have oft-posted for the resurrection of some features & benefits from the 1st gen TV. The ability to fry an egg, space heat an apartment and/or jiffy pop without a stove was not one I've seen. But maybe Apple wanted it anyway?

[SilentLoner]

instabuy for me

[HiRez]

Will the A5X chip keep my AppleTV from losing its network connection every 10-60 minutes, like it does now? No, I doubt it.

[reallynotnick]

Wasn't the A5 in the Apple TV also a single core? So basically this would have double the CPU and GPU power?

[bommai]

Originally Posted by HiRez

Will the A5X chip keep my AppleTV from losing its network connection every 10-60 minutes, like it does now? No, I doubt it.

I would say it is your poor wireless connection. I have a wired ethernet and it never loses connectivity. I have an AppleTV 2.

----------

Originally Posted by chiefsilverback

Macworld had a piece today about trying to 'cut the cable' and when all was said and done they got a better deal on a bundle with TV than trying to go it alone with internet only from their provider.

I'm in the same boat with Verizon, I'd spend more subscribing to Hulu Plus and Netflix and buying content from iTunes than I would save by dropping the TV from TV/Internet FiOS bundle!

Until Apple can come up with a viable alternative for data delivery than the incumbent cable companies 'cutting the cable' is something of a pipe dream!

I use antenna for over the air HDTV. I use AppleTV for YouTube, Netflix, and other free stuff. My internet bill is $25-30/month. I don't have any other expenses. I don't think anyone can get this with a TV cable subscription. I use Ooma for VOIP phone and it is about $3.47/month.

I use Brighthouse Cable and AT&T alternating between the two whenever one of them hikes the rates. I have been doing this for about 3 years. I have room for a cable modem and a DSL modem in my structured wiring panel. All I have to do is move my ethernet cable from one device to another when I switch providers. Pretty seemless.

[unobtainium]

The iPad 3 with A5X was beastly thick and heavy because of battery requirements? How could they possibly use the same processor in the iPad mini to power a retina display without adding weight and bulk? I would've thought they'd have to introduce a more efficient processor AND new display technology to make it work.

[ScruffyS]

I vaguely remember someone hacking the apple TV to run osx natively.. It ran terribly.. but it ran. I wonder..... LOL

Anyway, I do like the sounds of this new aTV,

[jamesryanbell]

The A5 in the current Apple TV is single core. i know I remember reading that somewhere.

[GeekLawyer]

Originally Posted by ScruffyS

I vaguely remember someone hacking the apple TV to run osx natively.. It ran terribly.. but it ran. I wonder..... LOL

Anyway, I do like the sounds of this new aTV,

That was the original AppleTV, with an Intel processor. These A4/A5/A5X models can't hack OSX (forgive the pun).

[newdeal]

Originally Posted by kjs862

i use a mac mini with my home theatre and i use an air server app to for airserver functionality.

this with plex is the best solution, i think.

Windows media center on a pc with an xbox 360 as an extender is by far the best solution nothing on mac comes close unfortunately

[Tilpots]

Originally Posted by chiefsilverback

Until Apple can come up with a viable alternative for data delivery than the incumbent cable companies 'cutting the cable' is something of a pipe dream!

3 years in with my Mac Mini HTPC. I'd beg to differ. I've saved thousands even factoring in equipment purchases. And those purchases still hold value if I sold them, unlike a cable box rental.

[Bahroo]

Originally Posted by ghost187

I don't see the iPad Mini going from A5 to A5X. I think it was stupid that they put the A5 instead of the A6 to begin with. It will be upgraded to A6 at the very least especially with the retina display, maybe even A7. While the Big iPad will remain superior with an A7X chip.

I think they will use either the 32nm A6X or the 28nm A6X...theres no way they put the same exact CPU in the iPad.

[drummingcraig]

Originally Posted by chiefsilverback

Macworld had a piece today about trying to 'cut the cable' and when all was said and done they got a better deal on a bundle with TV than trying to go it alone with internet only from their provider.

I'm in the same boat with Verizon, I'd spend more subscribing to Hulu Plus and Netflix and buying content from iTunes than I would save by dropping the TV from TV/Internet FiOS bundle!

Until Apple can come up with a viable alternative for data delivery than the incumbent cable companies 'cutting the cable' is something of a pipe dream!

I haven't read the article you referenced, but the only way I can see it being cheaper with a bundle is if they're using the "promo" pricing which typically is only good for 6-12 months, after which the monthly costs rise dramatically.

We've tried it both ways and we are definitely spending less right now with AT&T Uverse stand alone internet, Netflix and pulling networks channels in OTA.

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Originally Posted by bommai

I use antenna for over the air HDTV. I use AppleTV for YouTube, Netflix, and other free stuff. My internet bill is $25-30/month. I don't have any other expenses. I don't think anyone can get this with a TV cable subscription. I use Ooma for VOIP phone and it is about $3.47/month.

I use Brighthouse Cable and AT&T alternating between the two whenever one of them hikes the rates. I have been doing this for about 3 years. I have room for a cable modem and a DSL modem in my structured wiring panel. All I have to do is move my ethernet cable from one device to another when I switch providers. Pretty seemless.

Good for you. You are really maximizing the "cut the cable" effort. However, if we all did that, the broadband providers through which so much of what you are doing depends and who also happen to like their cable TV business revenue "as is" will make up the mass exodus losses by raising the broadband rates. They'll just wrap it up in the tiers movement for "heavier users" and we'll find ourselves saving huge money over what cable used to cost but paying the difference plus 10% or 20% in much higher broadband rates.

It only works now because not that many people have made the move. When there's enough pain in the cable company (broadband tollmaster) revenue slip, they'll flex their local monopolies on broadband service and make up the losses. And then everything that has cost-savings benefit because of an Internet connection will have the savings mitigated by a much more expensive toll for that Internet.

[Bahroo]

Originally Posted by unobtainium

The iPad 3 with A5X was beastly thick and heavy because of battery requirements? How could they possibly use the same processor in the iPad mini to power a retina display without adding weight and bulk? I would've thought they'd have to introduce a more efficient processor AND new display technology to make it work.

There going to use the A6X or better. The A5X will take up too much room in the new upcominh retina iPad mini

[AidenShaw]

Originally Posted by bommai

I would say it is your poor wireless connection. I have a wired ethernet and it never loses connectivity.

I can read this as implying that there are "good wireless" connections.

I think, in fact, "good wireless" connections are rarer than male calico unicorns.

I wired my house with Cat6 cables and jacks all over the place, so the (450 Mbps) wireless N is seldom used.

802.11* is such a poor technology today - unless you live in a 12 acre estate so that you don't have to worry about your neighbor's access points degrading your signal. (And even then, it's a shared bus, rather than a full duplex switched fabric....)