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INTEREST: Wii U Cannot Play Standard DVD, Blu-ray Discs

CPU: IBM Power®-based multi-core microprocessor.

The POWER5+ is an improved iteration of the POWER5 introduced in 4 October 2005. Improvements initially were lower power consumption, due to the newer process it was fabricated in. The POWER5+ chip uses a 90 nm fabrication process. This resulted in the die size decrease from 389mm2 to 243mm2.

Clock frequency was not increased at launch and remained between at 1.5 to 1.9 GHz. On 14 February 2006, new versions raised the clock frequency to 2.2 GHz and then to 2.3 GHz in 25 July 2006.

The POWER5+ was packaged in the same packages as previous POWER5 microprocessors, but was also available in a quad chip module (QCM) containing two POWER5+ dies and two L3 cache dies, one for each POWER5+ die. These QCM chips ran at a clock frequency of between 1.5 to 1.8 GHz.

POWER6 was described at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in February 2006, and additional details were added at the Microprocessor Forum in October 2006[1] and at the next ISSCC in February 2007. It was formally announced on May 21, 2007.[2] It was released on June 8, 2007 at speeds of 3.5, 4.2 and 4.7 GHz[2], but the company has noted prototypes have reached 6 GHz.[3] POWER6 reached first silicon in the middle of 2005[4], and was bumped to 5.0 GHz in May 2008 with the introduction P595.[5]

I question how much increased cost there would be in enabling DVD playback, given that complete standalone DVD players can be purchased for less than $35 at retail. In fact, I checked just now and found Wal-Mart actually shows one available in stores for only $24.

That said, the point about people already having players (at least for DVD) is valid.

Quote:

CPU: IBM Power®-based multi-core microprocessor.

So something like this maybe?:

Quote:

The POWER5+ is an improved iteration of the POWER5 introduced in 4 October 2005. Improvements initially were lower power consumption, due to the newer process it was fabricated in. The POWER5+ chip uses a 90 nm fabrication process. This resulted in the die size decrease from 389mm2 to 243mm2. Clock frequency was not increased at launch and remained between at 1.5 to 1.9 GHz. On 14 February 2006, new versions raised the clock frequency to 2.2 GHz and then to 2.3 GHz in 25 July 2006. The POWER5+ was packaged in the same packages as previous POWER5 microprocessors, but was also available in a quad chip module (QCM) containing two POWER5+ dies and two L3 cache dies, one for each POWER5+ die. These QCM chips ran at a clock frequency of between 1.5 to 1.8 GHz.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER5

Or maybe something similar to the Power 6?:

Quote:

POWER6 was described at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in February 2006, and additional details were added at the Microprocessor Forum in October 2006[1] and at the next ISSCC in February 2007. It was formally announced on May 21, 2007.[2] It was released on June 8, 2007 at speeds of 3.5, 4.2 and 4.7 GHz[2], but the company has noted prototypes have reached 6 GHz.[3] POWER6 reached first silicon in the middle of 2005[4], and was bumped to 5.0 GHz in May 2008 with the introduction P595.[5]

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER6

List of/About IBM Power:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_POWER

Maybe? Just possibly a hint of what they're using since they are so hush-hush about the specifications?

Consoles are always a few years behind PCs though. This is nothing new.

Disc based media is dead in the long run anyway, the Wii U will allow you to download all the movies you might want. Downloadable media is the future.

He added that he thinks people who would need to play DVDs and Blu-ray Discs would already have players.

This is no excuse.

This is no excuse.

As stated earlier: This isn't cool. Especially for a student moving out who would love an all-in-one console...

Disc based media is dead in the long run anyway, the Wii U will allow you to download all the movies you might want. Downloadable media is the future.