NVIDIA CC

[MasterBaiter]

This may sound a bit out there, but couldn't Nvidia make just the southbridge chipset for Intel, which could then be used with other Northbridges?

 

[Rys]

When EM64T comes around, its very likely to require a new bus license;

But there's no new bus being used, EM64T is just an ISA. Can't see why that would require a new bus license, unless a 'bus' license for Intel really means "CPU socket and CPU's ISA on a particular bus" license

NVIDIA also has plenty of experience with AMD's 64-bit platform and Intel may look to leverage some of that with their 64-bit desktop platform. Given NVIDIA always likes to aim for the high end, its unlikely that they would want to create an Intel chipset without SoundStorm given that Intel already have some encode capabilities (having it at lower CPU utilisation, because theirs is fully hardware based, than Intel would also be a selling point for NVIDIA).

I'll play devil's advocate with this With all that it would entail to create core logic for the current Pentium 4 platform, mainly the memory controller which isn't trivial to implement and while they have decent experience with memory controllers with nForce2, well....I don't see it.

Now, the other issue they have presently is that they are only working on the AMD market at the moment. This has led them down the path of having a single chip chipset controller, which offers benefits for that single platform, but also means you areless likely to want to waste silicon on areas that may only be utilised on a small percentage of the platforms available; a single chip also means more time if you want to offer different options. You'll note that no other chipset vendor has followed NVIDIA's route yet, and thats down to one simple reason - all the other are presently dealing with both Intel and AMD markets and they get to leverage their "Media Communications Processors" (Southbridges) across two different platforms - this spreads the risk and also enables them to have more options by mixing and matching the Northbridges to various southbridge options on both platforms.

Logic dictates

Should NVIDIA enter the Intel market then its likely that they will go back to making a two chip chipset, and it wouldn't surprise me if they did that for the AMD platform again. If this were the case the work put in can the be spread across both platforms and making a number of Southbridge options (some with SoundStorm, some without) dependant on the costs and targets for the vendor wants to aim the platform at.

I'd argue that a two chip core logic set is basically mandatory with the current P4 platform's feature set, rather than just being a likely possibility.

Memory controller, USB controllers, disk controllers, audio engine, networking controller, possible PCI Express and AGP bus interfaces, interface silicon for the rest, all on one chip? It'd be a mite big, need 1000+ pins and I guess would always need active cooling.

Too hard and too expensive, IMHO.

To surmise, I seriously doubt NVIDIA will bother with the P4 platform in its current state, and they definitely wouldn't be using single chip core logic if they did.

However, a Smithfield/something based off of Pentium M Intel desktop platform.... 8)

Rys

 

[Dave Baumann]

But there's no new bus being used, EM64T is just an ISA. Can't see why that would require a new bus license, unless a 'bus' license for Intel really means "CPU socket and CPU's ISA on a particular bus" license

Intel will probably stick any stipulation in there to request a new license - there we no changes between the 533MHz to 800MHz FSB, and yet even this required a regnotiation of licenses.

I'd argue that a two chip core logic set is basically mandatory with the current P4 platform's feature set, rather than just being a likely possibility.

Yes, what I'm saying is that once you do it for one then not doing it for the other makes less sense - i.e. if it did occur then I wouldn't be at all surprised if future AMD chipsets also went dual chip to leverage as much acorss both platforms as possible.

 

[Tim]

When EM64T comes around, its very likely to require a new bus license;

But there's no new bus being used, EM64T is just an ISA. Can't see why that would require a new bus license, unless a 'bus' license for Intel really means "CPU socket and CPU's ISA on a particular bus" license

Intel required a new bus-license for HyperThreading.

 

[Sxotty]

I hope that the next soundstorm encodes 6.1, and 7.1 streams, my receiver only has 5.1 discrete inputs, but outputs 6.1 so I am always loosing out if I use a regular soundcard.

 

[Fox5]

Maybe nvidia will add soundstorm into their graphics cards, it would certainly be an edge that could cause many people to buy nvidia graphics cards over ati.(doesn't nvidia already have quite a few features in their drivers that don't have to do with 3d acceleration? and wasn't there some sound mixer that used the 6800 gpu?)

 

[Reznor007]

I hope that the next soundstorm encodes 6.1, and 7.1 streams, my receiver only has 5.1 discrete inputs, but outputs 6.1 so I am always loosing out if I use a regular soundcard.

I would prefer either DTS-ES or DTS 96/24. GTA:Vice City on PS2 has real time DTS encoding...why not PC

 

[JoshMST]

Fox, are you serious or was your post somewhat in jest?

I ask because I remember the "Diamond Edge 3D" that featured the NV-1, which oddly enough had sound integrated into it. It didn't sell well at all, plus it was the quadratics renderer.

http://www.st.com/stonline/press/news/year1996/496xp.htm

Amazing to think that this was only 8 years ago...

 

[Sxotty]

Well when you think about it light and sound have properties that make them behave the same in certain circumstances, maybe in the end it will work out best to simulate them similarly.

I realze sound waves are compressive, and EM waves are not, but they still have certain properties the same.

Heck if the thing about diamond transistors (87 GHz) works out maybe we will have lighting sound calculations based on wave mechanics eventually

 

[Fox5]

Fox, are you serious or was your post somewhat in jest?

I ask because I remember the "Diamond Edge 3D" that featured the NV-1, which oddly enough had sound integrated into it. It didn't sell well at all, plus it was the quadratics renderer.

http://www.st.com/stonline/press/news/year1996/496xp.htm

Amazing to think that this was only 8 years ago...

Somewhat in jest, but since nvidia has been expanding the capabilities of their products recently it could be possible.

 

[Xmas]

There might be some space left on that second slot plate...

 

[Dave Baumann]

That was used for the Sega Saturn controller connectors!

 

[Khronus]

Heh I was one of those few who bought an NV1, but I couldn't afford the VRAM version and had to buy the EDO model. It couldn't even play the included Virtua Fighter 1 at playable speeds on my old DX2-66 It got returned and I went back to my S3 card

 

[Insider_dude]

I know for a fact that the intel chipset from nvidia is gonna come out soon.

My speculation is around early to mid december since they have had the silicon ready for a while and are in the beta stage of driver testing. They are now fine tuning the memory controller (ddr2 controller, yeah baby!) on the board level and are trying to sort out some incompablities and other issues on really high(ddr2 700~766) overclocking speed.

okay, the information above is purely rumor and pls take it as such.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Sminpy, pinky, you ain't seen me, al'roight

 

[Mintmaster]

Isn't that such a typical stock market response? When the markets opened, NVDA jumped about 1.50 on the news, but finished the day only 0.10 up.

ATI went down a dollar, though. Strange, because I'd think Intel would lose much more than ATI.

 

[MasterBaiter]

Caught this link from [H]ardOCP: http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_17070.html