Different processor chips being shipped in TB's? New chip in "future" build?

[meandmydroid]

Sorry if this has already been discussed and I just couldn't find it here....but I saw this in another forum and thought would post here since I primarily follow this forum...anyone else heard anything about 2 different processors being shipped out in the TB's?...and that a "later" build of the TB will have yet ANOTHER processor chip? Now after all this long waiting for the TB to be released....I'm tempted to wait a while until "newer" units come out later with the "improved" chip...thoughts?

http://community.htc.com/na/members/robrecht/default.aspx

• Posted by robrecht on 16 Feb 2011 8:01 AM
  
  
  Hi, HTC.
  There has been a lot of excitement over a announcment by Qualcom that their next generation Snapdragon processors having built in DRM security keys built in at the hardware level so that Netflix streaming software will be able to work on Android phones with these chips. This software has been demoed on an LG Revolution Android phone using a snapdragon processor.
  Can you clarify please if the Snapdragon processor in your Verizon Thunderbolt has these same DRM security keys?
  Thanks, Robrecht
  
  Netflix "DRM Security Keys"
  
  
  • Reply
  
  
  
• Posted by robrecht on 16 Feb 2011 9:21 AM
  
  
  So, I just spoke with HTC customer support (866-449-8358, 8am to 8pm ET 7 days a week) and they said that the current Thunderbolts being shipped have either the MSM8260 or MSM8660 chip and that neither of these chips have the necessary DRM security keys built in. Sorry guys. He did say that a later build of the Thunderbolt will have a newer ship that will natively support Netflix.
  Thanks, Robrecht
  
  
  
  • Reply
  
  
  
• Posted by robrecht on 16 Feb 2011 10:05 AM
  
  
  I didn't think if he was right bout the chips so I called back and spoke with another person there and she looked into which processor the Thunderbolt has and was fun to talk to (sounds cute). Anyway, after being on hold a few times she said the current processors being used are either Qualcomm MSM8655 or MDM9600. Regarding the DRM security keys on these chips, her boss told her to say that they have not received enough training yet but to check back sometime between the 24th and the end of the month.
  Thanks, Robrecht
  
  
  
  • Reply
  
  
  
• Posted by robrecht on 16 Feb 2011 10:39 AM
  
  
  Qualcomm MSM8655, 1 Ghz, MDM9600: Looking into this a little more, I think maybe this is not two different processors but a combination processor and modem, right?
  I think the person on the phone may have been kind of guessing again, like the first guy, that HTC was building two different versions of the Thunderbolt to try out two different processors to see which one worked better.
  
  
  
  • Reply
  
  
  
• Posted by robrecht on 8 Mar 2011 8:15 AM
  
  
  Called again today; support staff still not trained on the Thunderbolt becuase it has not been released, but they did agree to escalate my question to Corporate and to call me back with an answer.
  
  DRM Security Keys installed on Thunderbolt to run Netflix software in development?
  
  
  

 

[Cavemansol]

...I dont understand

 

[EarlyMon]

OK - you're getting confused.

DRM is a software method.

Can it be optimized by committing it to silicon? Yes, maybe.

Would that represent insanity of the highest form? Yes, definitely.

Would committing service-specific keys to hardware be the point of no return from insanity? Without a doubt.

The SoC processor and the radios are separate packages - see http://androidforums.com/htc-thunderbolt/293452-evdo-lte-problem-thunderbolt.html#post2407252

Believe nothing of what you read in blogs on this subject - they never get this stuff remotely close to correct. To this day, people still believe that the Droid X has a dedicated GPU and the original Snapdragon had none.

That info is there to sell you click-through advertising.

As a member of R&D in good standing in the semiconductor industry, I beg you - don't care what the chips are in a phone, thinking you can then know what the device can do unless you're properly trained in the art.

Just care about how it works.

You'll be a better consumer for it, and you'll spread less misinformation - don't drink the chip Kool-Aide that the blogs are serving - seriously.

 

[theacoustician]

MSM8655 is the SoC ... aka the processor and 3G modem.

MDM9600 is the LTE modem.

The Thunderbolt only has these two chips. There are no subs.

The MSM8655 features SecureMSM, a form of hardware implemented DRM (Qualcomm Products and Services - SecureMSM?)

 

[EarlyMon]

MSM8655 is the SoC ... aka the processor and 3G modem.

Ok, fine - we'll do it the hard way.

Please see - Mobile Processors | Snapdragon | Qualcomm

Note that last year's and this year's Snapdragons both say:

Integrated 3G mobile broadband connectivity

That doesn't mean the 3G modem is built-in. It means the control circuitry for a 3G radio is built-in.

MDM9600 is the LTE modem.

Except for the part that it's also the 3G radio.

Qualcomm News and Events - Press Releases - Qualcomm Now Demonstrating Products Based on LTE TDD Technology

The Thunderbolt only has these two chips. There are no subs.

There is no way whatsoever that the Bolt has only these two chips - none. Zero.

The MSM8655 features SecureMSM, a form of hardware implemented DRM (Qualcomm Products and Services - SecureMSM?)

Yes - that insanity is included. Keys are not - a specific point in the OP.

~~~~

I do chips for a living - I've been to where these are built. I know some of the designers and ALL of the production managers.

~~~~

Believe nothing of what you read in blogs on this subject - they never get this stuff remotely close to correct. To this day, people still believe that the Droid X has a dedicated GPU and the original Snapdragon had none.

That info is there to sell you click-through advertising.

As a member of R&D in good standing in the semiconductor industry, I beg you - don't care what the chips are in a phone, thinking you can then know what the device can do unless you're properly trained in the art.

Just care about how it works.

You'll be a better consumer for it, and you'll spread less misinformation - don't drink the chip Kool-Aide that the blogs are serving - seriously.

 

[theacoustician]

Ok, fine - we'll do it the hard way.

a long post

Ok, I do think one thing I said was taken wrong. I didn't mean to make it sound like the MSM8655 and the MDM9600 are the absolute only things in the phone. Obviously there are other things like RAM and what not in there. However ...

HTC ThunderBolt? at Verizon

That's also what HTC says the TB is packing. As for what chip is doing the 3G ... you're right, it could be either and it doesn't really matter to me which one it's using.

The only point I was trying to make is that it's not going to magically ship with MSM8260 or MSM8660 ... those would be dual cores and the TB doesn't have one as much as people would love it to.

 

[EarlyMon]

OK, sorry I did take you far too literally - my bad.

And yes, agree absolutely - way hard to imagine the alternate reality where the Bolt is a 2-core.

 

[TxGoat]

Ok, fine - we'll do it the hard way.

Please see - Mobile Processors | Snapdragon | Qualcomm

Note that last year's and this year's Snapdragons both say:

That doesn't mean the 3G modem is built-in. It means the control circuitry for a 3G radio is built-in.

Except for the part that it's also the 3G radio.

Qualcomm News and Events - Press Releases - Qualcomm Now Demonstrating Products Based on LTE TDD Technology


There is no way whatsoever that the Bolt has only these two chips - none. Zero.


Yes - that insanity is included. Keys are not - a specific point in the OP.

~~~~

I do chips for a living - I've been to where these are built. I know some of the designers and ALL of the production managers.

~~~~

Believe nothing of what you read in blogs on this subject - they never get this stuff remotely close to correct. To this day, people still believe that the Droid X has a dedicated GPU and the original Snapdragon had none.

That info is there to sell you click-through advertising.

As a member of R&D in good standing in the semiconductor industry, I beg you - don't care what the chips are in a phone, thinking you can then know what the device can do unless you're properly trained in the art.

Just care about how it works.

You'll be a better consumer for it, and you'll spread less misinformation - don't drink the chip Kool-Aide that the blogs are serving - seriously.

How many anstroms of nitride at the M3 level and how many anstroms of oxide do we have at the M4 level?

 

[EarlyMon]

European angstroms or African angstroms?

 

[TxGoat]

What's the exchange rate?!?! Maybe we should go with Atlantis angstroms since this phone seems about as imaginary as that city.....

 

[EarlyMon]

Clearly, you're not a Python fan, I take it?

 

[TxGoat]

The TV show or the language? Wait, my answer is the same for both...Negative....

 

[EarlyMon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8przKtIU-0s

I believe you were asking about metal layers.

 

[Left Coast DJ]

Qualcomm told me they'll put Monica Bellucci into my SnapDragon. That way I can play with my Thunderbolt a lot.

 

[EvilMonkey]

Qualcomm told me they'll put Monica Bellucci into my SnapDragon. That way I can play with my Thunderbolt a lot.

Does she come standard or is that a special edition?