Matrox character sketch

[Himself]

Matrox - It has only two problems - arrogance and secrecy. The only privately held company in the major 3D players this denies it an element of visibility and accountability. Products come when they come. Increasingly seen as a bit player in a much larger space.
http://riva3d.gxnetwork.com/

Hmm, I have some sympathy with that accessment.

[motub]

2 problems with that assessment:[list=1][*]"Arrogance"? Why? Where? Can't really say I've seen it... now, 3dfx, <u>they're</u> arrogant... especially since they lack so much that other vidcard mfgs have implemented...[*]"secrecy"... well, maybe on the consumer video end of things, a bit... and these forums, with the participation of Matrox personnel and the Beta-Boyz, argue against that... but I suppose you mean in terms of the major tech news sources. I don't know that Matrox is "more" secretive than anybody else... nVidia et.al. commonly lie about release dates, specs and anything, in order to secure (future) market share... Matrox doesn't seem to talk about things until they're confirmed in the pipeline... is that wrong?[/list=a]

The issue, as I see it, is that nVidia, 3dfx et. al. have most of their market share in the consumer video (gamer/hobbyist) market.. and Matrox does not!!!! We seem to forget that their major buyers are professional, high-end video editors etc... can we say that the customer base for the RT2000 experienced the same sense of "secrecy" that Riva3D refers to? I suspect not.

I'll grant you that if Matrox wants to <u>break into</u> the consumer graphics market as a major player, they will need to adjust their strategy... but it is by no means clear that this is their intent.

Until it does clearly become their intent, it seems pointless to compare "apples and oranges" company strategies, rather than pure products.

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Holly

[SCompRacer]

I have always considered Matrox to be an uncompromising company. They build a quality product and you either take it or leave it on it's merits. They do not just crank out product to satisfy the cravings of the general masses.

As far as secrecy goes, it's kind of like rumors. You can either attempt to explain away perceptions and continue making explanations when whatever you say will be continually scrutinized. Or choose silence, ignoring conflicts and allow people to form whatever opinions they wish.

Perhaps mistakes they make are corrected internally with the intention of preventing them in the future. Like advice Hemingway made to an actress once, "never confuse movement with action."

[Kruzin]

Holly-BAM...ya nailed it

How can anyone call Matrox arrogant, with companies like Nvida and 3DFX constantly bragging about their stuff as loudly as they can? 3DFX is the epitome of arrogance in the video card world.

And secrecy...that's a double-edged blade. Companies like 3DFX step up and make grand claims about their next product, based on what they have on paper. Matrox waits until they have something at least in beta silicon before making claims to what it can do.

So 3DFX makes their claims, then changes the specs a dozen times in the year before the product is a reality...and they get criticized for it. Matrox holds off until much closer to a product's release before saying what it can do, insuring fewer changes by release time...and they get criticized for it.

Doesn't matter what a company's policies are. Someone will always criticize it.

[Ant]

"Products come when they come"? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Show me a manufacturer where the products come before they come!

I do agree with the arrognace and secracy line though after dealing with them for the last 4 years. They do seem to take one step forward in this respect then give you one hell of a slap in the face and take 6 steps backwards at times. We've only got to look at the OpenGL issue and their absolute refusal to even discuss the matter.

[Speedy]

All these issues couldve been cause they have big fat ass president/hatever who only wants to get money
or
they have/had some problems with the programers

[Heed]

Antman: LOL!

"Products come when they come"? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Show me a manufacturer where the products come before they come!"

Didn't ya know? There's a temporal anomalie that allows some of us to get the next generation products even before they're spec'd on paper. Enjoying my G-10,000 right now!

Cheers,
Heed.

[ALBPM]

Most of us know how Matrox has been in the past but we have seen a lot of improvement lately. They are also still a privately owned company so they don't have to bomb us with hype and excess PR as 3dfx and nVidia do.

But what the Heck!!! I'm a Matrox Character!!! Been one for quite a few of their cards

BWAHAHAHAHAHA...Sketch this Character. How'bout a nice profile in Ink or Charcoal

Paul

[Rags]

I guess you could call me a character, too....


YABBA DABBA DOO!!!


Rags

[This message has been edited by Rags (edited 26 October 1999).]

[Filmgeek]

I had to laugh at that assessment not because it's off, but because it's so true.

Another of Matrox's problems is: I don't have a clue what Matrox's Graphics division target market is anymore...

Professional: I guess, if you buy a $10,000 Digisuite or a $1200 RT2000. Except, those aren't made by the Graphics division. The Gx00's cards? Uh, sure professional as long as you only work in 2D. Crappy NT drivers for 3D, even crappier Win2K alpha drivers = crappy beta drivers when Win2K is released. Not very professional.

Hard Core Gamers: I guess Matrox can hope to get the scraps of this market after NVidia and 3dfx are done with it. Besides the OpenGL driver speed issues, there's the fact that most retailers don't even sell Matrox cards anymore, which means a ton of gamers simply won't get a card.

The Consumer Video Editing Market: Here they do have a chance. Is this it?

Filmgeek

(ready to be flamed, I guess)

[Himself]

Heheheh, amusing assortment of replies
here.

I read arrogance as being a take it or leave it attitude, ignoring the market because of ego, not being boastful. There is really a strong hint of snob appeal in the works with Matrox. The very existance of a beta testing program for select users fosters the wrong impression of a snobbish attitude, why are some users better than others in other words.
Bad marketing, IMO, even if I agree with the idea of only knowledgable people reporting bugs.

Secrecy? The paranoid impression doesn't sell well, makes people think Matrox is hiding things and lying. Does the G400 have a triangle setup engine? It shouldn't still be an issue if the PR dept were on the ball. Ironically, companies like NVIDIA that bend the truth like spagetti get away with it by being accessible to their users.

[DirtFarmer]

I think it's great that there is one graphics company that doesn't have to dance the shareholders shuffle. Arrogance? Sure. Secrecy? You bet. Visibility/Accountability? Only to the people who buy their product, just not to the shareholders. The secrecy and lack of new product information leaks just drives the other companies nuts. No other graphics company could function the way Matrox does.

I sure have enjoyed their products over the years. They had plenty of stumbles along the way. The g400 is the best damn effort they have made so far. They have a great user support base here with the murc. I just wish they would stop pissing Ant off

Matrox must be doing something right. nvidia used part of the G400's name in the Ge4ce, and even ATI is going to release a MAXX of their own.

Who knows where they're headed but I'll be along for the ride

--
Al out

[muffynnt]

I'd say the thing that bothers me the most goes along with the secrecy line. Specifically when you email them an honest, respectful question (several times) and get absolutely no response. The least they could say is "we don't know" or "we can't tell you." Not giving a reply is so disrespectful that my face is turning red right now.

[Mark F]

A Matrox temporal anomalie...Hmmmm!?!
Is that why I have a G800 but no drivers?

Well it's as good an explanation as any as to why my G200 shipped without drivers that could put an image on the screen (4.10).
But those were 'bad' times for the Company. Must say they have done much better with the G400's.

Dispite these clames of secracy and arrogance, well they must be doing something right, as evidenced by the deals with IBM, HP, DELL, SIEMENS, and most users on this forum (the shills from BRAND-X execpted).

I do have to say that a reply that doesn't help from Matrox, would at least be more considerate (could be viewed as less arogant) than the oft silence from Matrox. These Fourums probably help more poeple and more timely than Matrox directly, and they don't even acknowledge the MURC anymore. Anyone remenber before the release of the G200 whene Matrox used to link to the MURC for more info?

mark F.



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OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a CD