few Pictures... (no one interested though...)

[ConeK]

I wish i could talk more about BB's new hardware, but i cant. There would be to much speculation. Nobody outside BB knows all the details about their hardware and i rather stay with hard evidence.

But don´t get me wrong. I still think that this was BB´s most interesting seminar. Their previous seminars have mostly been related to software simulations, but in this, they showed real hardware. I have never think that BB is just an other hype company that just hypes their "will never be on the market"-technigues.

Believe me or not, but some people actually thought the same about companies like Intel, Nokia, NVIDIA, Sony etc. Maby BB wont ever make it, but if they will. Then i will be here to say: I TOLD YOU SO

Im sorry about all the typos.. But it´s late and i need to get some sleep!

 

[diarrhea_splatter]

I thought someone mentioned we'd get a card from Bitboys. You know, it'd be a "surprise" or something like that.

 

[Kristof]

I thought someone mentioned we'd get a card from Bitboys. You know, it'd be a "surprise" or something like that.

A christmas card ? OK, ok, lame I know but somehow I could not resist

For the consumer its always better to have more companies join the party... wouldn't mind finally seeing how good/bad embedded memory is for the PC Platform.

Btw as a moderator I am amazed by your choice of user name... talk about making sure that its not yet taken

K~

 

[Lessard]

What is the purpose of the Altera chip please ?

 

[RussSchultz]

The altera chip is an FPGA, generally used in few cases:

-one off systems(small quantities), where you cannot bear the expense of making an ASIC
-development uses
-need for programmable logic

A lot of times they're used for glue logic (i.e. tieing a HD to your embedded processor, or abstracting an SDRAM interface to an SRAM interface), but this one appears to hold the entire GPU.

An FPGA of this size is really expensive ($1000+)

 

[Kristof]

What is the purpose of the Altera chip please ?

Prototyping, allows you to make lots of changes and try different things. Its like having a chip that you can change all the time without any costs.

There is a limit on size and complexity for this kind of prototyping so don't expect to do this for something with the complexity of NV30

K-

 

[diarrhea_splatter]

Thanks Kristof, btw when will we be able to buy this thing?

 

[Reznor007]

The altera chip is an FPGA, generally used in few cases:

-one off systems(small quantities), where you cannot bear the expense of making an ASIC
-development uses
-need for programmable logic

A lot of times they're used for glue logic (i.e. tieing a HD to your embedded processor, or abstracting an SDRAM interface to an SRAM interface), but this one appears to hold the entire GPU.

An FPGA of this size is really expensive ($1000+)

They are also used on cable modem termination systems. Ever see a single board with about 8(IIRC) Altera Apex BGA's along with some Altera Flex chips?

 

[Nappe1]

So when will we see a card to buy? I'm anxious as can be.

there's a lot of questions that Dave didn't cover so I'll give a try.

---- FACTS ----
what comes to Bitboys PC 3D Chips, they are still developing chip code named Axe (supposed to be Avalanche as product name.), but as known already, you will never see this chip on the in the stores because Infineon has already stopped taking new eDRAM development projects and they are shutting down the whole eDRAM segment totally in the end of this year.

I am not sure how big the number of the upcoming cards is and I don't know either if we are ever see Axe as in benchmarks.

Right now, Official word is: Bitboys is consentrating on Mobile side at least for a while. So don't expect PC-stuff soon from Bitboys.


they couldn't talk about following things:
1. target process
2. amount of produced heat
3. amount of needed energy
4. the fab partner.
5. clock speeds.


---- THOUGHTS ----
well, next thing you'll be asking from me are those same things again , so I say right now that either I don't know the answer or I am not willing to talk about it.

So, do I expect to see Bitboys PC 3D card before the year changes? well, I... Let's say that I doubt that. atm their primary focus is on Mobile platform and after I saw Mobile Demo Compo @ Assembly 2002, I surely understand why.

remember that writer of this is practically more than a regular fanatic, so remember check if chapter is under FACTS or THOUGHTS section. Don't post Thoughts as Facts if you are copy pasting text to somewhere else.

 

[jpaana]

Also IIRC they managed to license something to microsoft, didn't Glaze3d introduce EMBM ?

Actually it was first in Pyramid 3D already, but the guys were the same.

 

[Kristof]

Thanks Kristof, btw when will we be able to buy this thing?

Good question... err... for marketing people since I have no idea

 

[musti]

So, do I expect to see Bitboys PC 3D card before the year changes? well, I... Let's say that I doubt that. atm their primary focus is on Mobile platform and after I saw Mobile Demo Compo @ Assembly 2002, I surely understand why.

Well. if that thought is anywhere close the truth, we can just forget the PC card. I mean, a company of this size can't keep up with big boys unless they were 100 percent committed to have the card ready asap? Unless they are like two years ahead of everybody else (not very likely).

 

[Simon F]

Re: interesting facts

The pictures from solidnull, namely the second picture, shows two RAM chips to the left of the GPU. I looked up the part number on them, and they are SRAM chips!!!! This is a huge find...as SRAM is infinitely faster than DRAM.
Chris

Uhhh, its also infinitely more expensive, and comes in infinitely smaller sizes.

Conversely, therefore, if I can afford to buy even a 1 bit SRAM (and I have done better than that) I can therefore buy more than all of the DRAM in the universe.... I can retire now

 

[Guest]

Nah Nappe1 there won't be a card out this year (PC) that is a fact.

Nice pics and info

32534 views seems that kinda proofs we where always right and they now acknowledging our BB info.

Hercules rulez great company........ if u dunno why u blind

 

[Magnum PI]

this thread was mentionned in some slashdot article about bitboys, it should explain the 30000+ views.

(i didn't not find mention of this fact in the thread, sorry if it was well-known and i'm just telling the evidence..)

 

[RussSchultz]

Re: interesting facts

The pictures from solidnull, namely the second picture, shows two RAM chips to the left of the GPU. I looked up the part number on them, and they are SRAM chips!!!! This is a huge find...as SRAM is infinitely faster than DRAM.
Chris

Uhhh, its also infinitely more expensive, and comes in infinitely smaller sizes.

Conversely, therefore, if I can afford to buy even a 1 bit SRAM (and I have done better than that) I can therefore buy more than all of the DRAM in the universe.... I can retire now

How would having all the DRAM in the universe allow you to retire? Should I be storing away old DIMMs to speed that day along(my retirement, not yours)?

 

[Guest]

Re: interesting facts

How would having all the DRAM in the universe allow you to retire? Should I be storing away old DIMMs to speed that day along(my retirement, not yours)?

 

[jackansi]

That one with the LCD is just a PSoC. Programmable System on Chip available from http://www.altera.com. data sheet at http://www.altera.com/literature/ds/ds_apex20kc.pdf I didn't read this whole thread, hopefully someone else found this info as well......

Still cool though.

As for the other one it almost looks like a re-screened Altera PSoC as well. they may have just rubbed the Altera lettering off and got Bitboys put on, hell Altera will even do that for you at a price.

 

[Tahir2]

51'000 views and counting.

I guess that is what happens when you get /.'ed

 

[Simon F]

Re: interesting facts

How would having all the DRAM in the universe allow you to retire? Should I be storing away old DIMMs to speed that day along(my retirement, not yours)?

By monopolistic control of the market price. Of course I failed to allow for the fact that, apparently, "SRAM is infinitely faster than DRAM" yet I know SRAM is of finite speed, which surely means the DRAMs aren't going to be of much use