Based on a 120-MHz PowerPC 603 processor, the new Pippin will be far speedier than its predecessor; sources said Apple may use a 603e chip, depending on prices next year.
The design will reportedly feature an 80-MHz system bus, much faster than that available with any current Macintosh and most desktop computers. In addition, the hardware will be tweaked to provide a high-bandwidth stream to the video buffer.
According to sources, the Pippin 2.0 will offer a wider range of multimedia optimizations than its predecessor. It will come standard with hardware 2-D and 3-D graphics acceleration, and the reference design includes an MPEG-2 video decompressor. The system will also support AC3 encoded audio.
Developers reportedly will be able to add a Digital Video Disc (DVD) player in designs. The Pippin 2.0 will support most compact disc standards, including digital audio, Photo CD and the multimedia Enhanced CD format.
The Pippin 2.0 will support the 1394 serial standard, or FireWire, but sources said Apple has not decided if the technology will be integrated on the motherboard or as a daughtercard.
Users will also be able to connect and control a variety of 1394 devices, such as digital video cameras, digital VCRs and printers, which are expected to ship in 1997. In addition, the inclusion of FireWire will let the Pippin act as a control console for any attached programmable devices, such as a D-VCR.
"I see potential with FireWire," said analyst Van Baker with Dataquest Inc. of San Jose, Calif., after hearing about the reported new Pippin specifications. He said Apple's poor performance over the past year and the Pippin's game-machine background may present obstacles for its acceptance in enterprise sites. However, "a Network Computer that adds video and multimedia is a different value proposition," Baker said.
In addition to the home entertainment and NC markets, Apple also sees potential sales for the Pippin 2.0 in the education market, sources said.
Apple declined to comment.
