Treating India as a strategic market, Intel has been in talks with local and MNC vendors for rolling out digital home computers based on Intel technology and is looking at investing in local companies for developing products for the segment.

"We are talking to all the vendors…Wipro, Zenith...to roll out digital home PCs where users can have digital experience in the areas of entertainment, communication and learning," William Sui, VP & GM, desktop platform group, Intel Corp, told newspersons in New Delhi.

So far, only HCL Infosystem has introduced a digital home PC -- MediaCentre PC -- on which users could watch a movie at their home, communicate with others irrespective of the distance and use it for learning.

He said digital home technology was an opportunity for Indian companies as they can participate in the "ecosystem" through application development, content.

Intel has recently floated a $200 million fund, Digital Home Fund, which supports innovation and new technology to create products for digital home segment.

Globally Intel has assisted companies like iCube, Zensys, BridgeCo, and is currently looking for opportunities to work with Indian companies where it would provide funds and technology assistance to develop digital home products specific for the local market.

Intel's Bangalore development centre, the largest non-manufacturing facility outside United States, is currently developing a chipset to supplement audio capabilities of digital home products and it will be out in the second half of the year, Jayant Murhty, director, marketing, south Asia, Intel, said.

Sui said the Bangalore centre was working on chipset software drivers which would supplement audio and video capacities of the digital home PCs and therefore "is directly contributing to Intel's digital home products."

The Indian centre, which has currently 1,800 people from five in 1999, is working on the CPU design, chipset software driver, communication silicon devleopment electronic business solution development, he said.

He said the company would be keen on working with Indian companies under the $200 million Digital Home Fund to bring products developed elsewhere like 'Digital Media Adaptor' and adapt them to Indian market by adding local features or developing products for digital home market.