S3: Excalibur with 128-Bit MC taped-out

[AnarchX]

S3 told German CB, that they taped-out a 128-Bit GPU, with some additional tweaks. Launch should be in next three months:

Als kleine Überraschung rückte S3 Graphics mit der Information heraus, dass mittlerweile eine weitere GPU das Tape-Out erfolgreich hinter sich gebracht hat, die auf den Codenamen „Excalibur“ hören wird. Als Besonderheit werden die entsprechenden Grafikkarten nicht mehr auf ein 64-Bit-, sondern ein doppelt so breites 128-Bit-Speicherinterface setzen, womit die Speicherbandbreite bei demselben Speichertakt um einhundert Prozent steigen würde. Darüber hinaus soll es noch einige kleinere weitere Modifizierungen an der GPU geben, die man aber nicht weiter erläuterte. Der genaue Marktstart der Excalibur-GPU ist noch unbekannt. Innerhalb der nächsten drei Monaten sollte es aber soweit sein.

http://www.computerbase.de/news/hardware/grafikkarten/s3_via/2008/juni/bald_s3-chrome-gpus/




edit: It seems it could be the next-generation-architecture from S3:
http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=6d1eqn8m1897nf2.jpg

E3, E2, E1 - Excalibur, like D referred to Destination Films.

 

[Freak'n Big Panda]

Hmm hopefully it'll work properly and provide somewhat competitive performance but I'd be extremely surprised if it got anywhere close to the competition given S3's track record.

On that note I don't understand how S3 stays in business. Do they have OEM deals in China/Taiwan that are keeping it a float or something? Or is Via just keeping them around so they can market a full platform (w/ S3 graphics) to OEMs?

 

[itaru]

nice naming !

edit: It seems it could be the next-generation-architecture from S3:
http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?i...n8m1897nf2.jpg

E3, E2, E1 - Excalibur, like D referred to Destination Films.

Is this a multi core?

 

[AnarchX]

Is this a multi core?

This still unclear:
Is Excalibur just a tweaked D2 @ 128-Bit?
Is "core" here mentioned as a cluster on one die or something or refers it to a real multi-die architecture?

Last point would be very interesting and would made S3 able to go higher than just mainstream. :

 

[itaru]

http://www.digi-cool.com.tw/download/download.php

%S3G_Chrome500_G_001% = S3DDX, PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_9060&SUBSYS_90605333

S3G_CHROME500_G_001 = "S3 Graphics CHROME 500 Series"

 

[AnarchX]

Nice, so they have after Aopen another AIB and Multichrome is now supported, paired with performance tuning.

Lets see what Chrome 500 can do...

 

[lagunar]

It is not E ...
E is a DX11 chip, the chip taped in June is an enhanced D(DX10.1), not E.

 

[itaru]

No, E series is DX10.1 in the schedule at first.

 

[phixcoco]

No, E series is DX10.1 in the schedule at first.

This Roadmap is really out of date, can be ignored now!

It is not E ...
E is a DX11 chip, the chip taped in June is an enhanced D(DX10.1), not E.

So Chrome 500 should have employed enhanced D chips.

 

[_xxx_]

"will have some further modifications" says there, but not further disclosed of what kind.

 

[Xtealth]

Chrome 500 like photo Card?...

Chrome 500 like photo Card for SKU?...

http://news.danawa.com.cn/20080217/421884.html

128Bit full ATX card for Value segments just arround Card?

 

[itaru]

There is a possibility of Excalibur is generation's different low-end
when thinking RV710 to be 120SP and a low-end.

 

[fehu]

Did an s3 stand alone card ever make it's way to a store?

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Ever is quite a long time. Back in the early to mid 90's it could be argued that S3 dominated the consumer/business desktop space. I'm sure that's not what you meant however.

I do believe some of the S3 Chrome based cards have made it to stores as discrete cards. Granted not many AIBs have used them recently. And granted maybe not in your local brick and mortar store.

Regards,
SB

 

[phixcoco]

There is a possibility of Excalibur is generation's different low-end
when thinking RV710 to be 120SP and a low-end.

Agree!
If it was the first product of a new generation, it would most probabely be a low-end and low profile card. S3G in recently generations always launchs very low-end card first, which is quite different from NV and ATi who usually launch the enthusiastic-level product line first.

Xtealth posted a photo of card with 2 DVI and 1 S-video, it's no way the Chrome 500 card. First, it's should be a low-profile card, Second, they will put at least one HDMI or Displayport connector on it, I think.

 

[AnarchX]

Chrome 500 driver page is available, with some SKU names, but probably just copy from Chrome 400 and not final:
http://www.s3graphics.com/en/resources/drivers/chrome_500/

 

[Lukfi]

About that roadmap posted by itaru, did the 90nm Chrome 4x0 (XD2/D2) ever come out? If so, I definitely haven't noticed. And Chrome 430/440 has DX10.1 AFAIK

 

[AnarchX]

About that roadmap posted by itaru, did the 90nm Chrome 4x0 (XD2/D2) ever come out?

Chrome 460/D2 was taped-out but canceled:
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/1185/diesbk5.jpg
Possibly the 200mm² die was to expensive.

 

[itaru]

http://translate.google.co.jp/trans...action.php?ID=9645&hl=ja&ie=UTF-8&sl=ru&tl=en

Even before the New Year in the company's plan to begin mass production
of videoakseleratorov new series of Chrome 500 - with the support again, DirectX 10.1.
And the first half of 2009 will be the starting point for next-generation architecture, implementing the hardware DirectX 11.
Experimental models of chips currently being developed
under the code-named Chrome E1, should appear in the second quarter.
Industrial same production, according to representatives of S3, due to begin in the second half.

 

[CarstenS]

S3 goes GPGPU:
http://www.s3graphics.com/en/resources/download-center/index.jsp#apps

S3 FotoPro supposedly uses the GPUs Shader-ALUs to do some fancy stuff with images from your digicams.

They say, there even is a compatibility mode for abusing the CPU to achieve the same end - and for making you want desperately to buy an S3 card to free your CPU from this burden.

Here's the Release Notes.