Megadrive1988
Veteran
this is something that's been on my mind for a long while, and although I've touched opon it several times, I feel its time for it to have its own thread.
what I am talking about is, Microsoft has quite a few graphics patents/IP of its own that they acquired over the years. Most notably is the 1998 acquisition of CagEnt, better known as 3DO Systems, who built the M2 platform as well as a souped up version called MX. Nintendo almost got these guys but Microsoft ended up getting them instead. they were assimilated into MS's WebTV division in 1998.
Interestingly, before Microsoft announced Xbox in March 2000, the graphics processor was going to be from GigaPixel instead of Nvidia.
At first, the Xbox was going to be based on Nvidia NV10 / GeForce256 in 1999. then GigaPixel GP4 in early 2000, then back to Nvidia at the last minute.
The GigaPixel engineers had been moved into I think the WebTV division at MS. to stretch things a little bit, I think its safe to assume the GigaPixel guys could or were mingling with the CagEnt / 3DO Systems people. why not right? If Nvidia had not been selected, Xbox would've been GigaPixel GP4 based, with perhaps some assistance from the 3DO engineers. In the end of course, Nvidia made the Xbox GPU by themselves AFAIK. Microsoft's only contribution was funding and the specs they wanted. I doubt MS people actually helped Nvidia since NV2A was basicly a custom NV20/NV25.
now fast forward to 2002-2003, where ATI is working on the graphics for the next Xbox. the main design location for Xbox 2 graphics is said to be ATI's east cost Marlborough design center. yet it was also revealed by ATI's Dave Orton that R600 is basicly a joint effort by all of ATI's design centers, with west coast and orlando included. see the recent interview with Dave Orton....
yet there have been persistant reports that Microsoft was wanting to design its own CPU and GPU for Xbox 2. could it be that this time, Microsoft is working closely with the GPU designer on the architecture? why waste the resources Microsoft has in IP/patents and engineers. could it be possible that Microsoft sent their best graphics people to Marlborough to help work on Xbox 2 graphics? or some other senario in which these MS graphics engineers help out. If ATI can coordinate development of a graphics processor across all of its design centers, why not with Microsoft as well. over their networks or the internet or whatever.
what I am talking about is, Microsoft has quite a few graphics patents/IP of its own that they acquired over the years. Most notably is the 1998 acquisition of CagEnt, better known as 3DO Systems, who built the M2 platform as well as a souped up version called MX. Nintendo almost got these guys but Microsoft ended up getting them instead. they were assimilated into MS's WebTV division in 1998.
Interestingly, before Microsoft announced Xbox in March 2000, the graphics processor was going to be from GigaPixel instead of Nvidia.
At first, the Xbox was going to be based on Nvidia NV10 / GeForce256 in 1999. then GigaPixel GP4 in early 2000, then back to Nvidia at the last minute.
The GigaPixel engineers had been moved into I think the WebTV division at MS. to stretch things a little bit, I think its safe to assume the GigaPixel guys could or were mingling with the CagEnt / 3DO Systems people. why not right? If Nvidia had not been selected, Xbox would've been GigaPixel GP4 based, with perhaps some assistance from the 3DO engineers. In the end of course, Nvidia made the Xbox GPU by themselves AFAIK. Microsoft's only contribution was funding and the specs they wanted. I doubt MS people actually helped Nvidia since NV2A was basicly a custom NV20/NV25.
now fast forward to 2002-2003, where ATI is working on the graphics for the next Xbox. the main design location for Xbox 2 graphics is said to be ATI's east cost Marlborough design center. yet it was also revealed by ATI's Dave Orton that R600 is basicly a joint effort by all of ATI's design centers, with west coast and orlando included. see the recent interview with Dave Orton....
yet there have been persistant reports that Microsoft was wanting to design its own CPU and GPU for Xbox 2. could it be that this time, Microsoft is working closely with the GPU designer on the architecture? why waste the resources Microsoft has in IP/patents and engineers. could it be possible that Microsoft sent their best graphics people to Marlborough to help work on Xbox 2 graphics? or some other senario in which these MS graphics engineers help out. If ATI can coordinate development of a graphics processor across all of its design centers, why not with Microsoft as well. over their networks or the internet or whatever.
Perhaps, Ati will have better future hardware than nvidia due to more experience with the api....or am I talking nonsense 
