The VIA CX700 chipset
launched back in April and was VIA's first embedded chipset for C7 and Eden
processors to combine north bridge, south bridge, and integrated graphics
functionality in one package. VIA has now
returned with a new CX700M chipset that's more or less the same as the
CX700, but with built-in HDTV encoding. The HDTV encoder allows output to
high-definition TVs via an LVDS/DVI transmitter, although VIA hasn't included
HDMI output or HDCP encryption support for new high-definition media.
Nevertheless, the CX700M chipset could turn out to be an interesting choice for
users looking to build a cheap, embedded home theater PC. Aside from HDTV-out,
the CX700M also
includes AGP 8X support, UniChrome Pro graphics, and support for up to 4GB
of DDR2-533 memory, two 300MB/s Serial ATA ports, and one IDE channel. VIA says
the CX700M will become available in volume quantities some time between October
and December.