Move me over if you want, but Anand posted G550 Review.

[Helevitia]

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1492

'nuff said.

Dave

[The PIT]

He doesn't sound to impressed and the memory bottleneck is making look like the g450 mk2.

[Archeon]

So I guess the rumours were true : this is not going to be a gamers card. In fact, it's not going to be much better than the G450 at anything, except for this Headcasting technology.
Which I don't see anybody use anyway : I don't believe there are THAT many people interested in video conferencing, AND it's too big of a hassle to use anyway. (you have to take two photo's of yourself, then sent them to a company which makes 3d models of them, then they send this back to you and then you can start using the technology, providing your connection partner has gone through the same trouble and also has a G550 card. Mmmh...too much wildcards me thinks...)

I've can't say I'm not dissapointed in Matrox. I've been a Matrox adept since the very first Millennium series, then a Millennium II, then a G200, then a G400Max. It stopped there, because no later on released card had any considerable advantages over the previous ones.

I've been waiting VERY patiently for more than two years now (you can't say I've not been patient), but it has to stop somewhere. I believe I'll give that KyroII card a try. Sure, it's not the hottest chip around, but it gives you a lot bang for your buck.

I sure hope Matrox will wake up soon and realise they cannot ignore the 3D market anymore.

/end rant

[Heed]

Headcasting??????

While it seems to be an innovative use of technologies it doesn't seem enough, to me, to differentiate the card from the g450. As Anand said, any co. that makes use of video conferencing is already going to have the bandwidth required for it to work relatively cleanly without the need for headcasting.

I don't know. I don't video conference, but does anyone see the g550 appealing to a consumer where the g450 doesn't?

Looks like my good old g400 will be chugging happily along until big M's next offering comes along.

Heed.

[Illusion[Spirit]]

Could the last one out please close the door?

[Maggi]

I wonder if you could use HeadCasting for ICQ ...

[HollyBerri]

Yeah, well...whoop-de-doo.

But I do see how it could be a fairly successful business solution, where Anand does not.

Plenty of times when you start work at a company, you have to take pictures for your ID card. Let's say you have a G550-using company of any size. Now you have to take 2 pix-- one for your ID card, one for the 550 Head Skinning .

So the company has a database of the heads, which perhaps is part of the network installation of your PC. Naturally this is not so much used for teleconferencing with clients (how are you going to get them to skin their heads?), but it seems to me that you could easily replace the paper inter-office memo with video messages.

It could also be used for tele-commuters (if the G550 can be installed in a laptop-- a number of companies here, at least, give you a laptop as part of your job if you travel a lot for work). When you're at home, or in a hotel, you may not have access to a high-bandwith connection.

I can see a selling point being that it:

• saves a smaller company money by reducing their paper costs, while giving you additional advantages (such as DualHead);
• promotes community within the company by replacing the anonymous memo with a real face and voice.

And of course that Linux compatibility is a plus as well, depending on how the network is set up. Wonder if a Mac-compatible knockoff is in the works; that would help a lot for mixed-mode companies.

It's nothing for us, but if companies are willing to be a bit visionary, it could work. It's like Bill Gates' dream of e-mail ruling the World Of Tomorrow....

They'd better come out with a consumer-level, DX8-compatible, reasonably fast card in the very near future, though, or this site will have to get a new focus....

-----------------------------
Holly

[rylan]

Yeah, whoop-de-fuc%$ng-do.. headcasting.

Man, what a almost totally useless feature. Sorry, but any companies that are doing video conferencing are already on a higher bandiwdth connection. And both ends need the card to make it work. And both ends have to have done all that crap with sending in pictures of the people. Bull$hit. I hate to say it, but I really hope M gets burned on this one.. what a lame idea.. the person's lips move.. ooohhhhh.. big deal.

And only 32MB (max) 64-bit ddr.. what a joke. Looks like Matrox just took the G450 and added this headcasting crap.. and that took all this time to do? LOL

Guess an overclocked G400MAX is still going to be the fastest (laugh) Matrox card for 3D.

[prr]

Pretty much a dissapointment. I'd rather call it 450.5 Based on the reviews, I'd prefer buying a new G400(Max) instead. Unfortunately G400 is available only as second-hand these days
Will wait for real tests and monitor Matrox TS forum.


[This message has been edited by prr (edited 19 June 2001).]

[Casey Jones]

I have a feeling this is what the G450 was supposed to be....I bet a good chunk of change this isn't the only card we are going to see from them around the corner.

Casey

[windigo]

ya the next version will have 64mb of memory

------------------
MSI K7TPro2 Duron 750@900
512Ram G400DH32mb
Pioneer SCSI 16xDVD
msn messenger id: mkanashta

[omegaRED]

Dont worry. This isnt the only new Matrox card. The 'Gaming solution' is coming too

------------------
Seth, are you ok ?
I`m peachy, Kate. The world is my oyster.

[J1NG]

I really should just say this in the Crystal Ball Forum, but I'll leave word here first.

Re-enabling that T&L unit anyone?

Gosh, look at the size of the G550... it looks like you could fit(fuse) another one in there...

OK, enough rumor spreading now... I'll run off to the Crystal Ball Forum now...

J1NG

[Guru]

Just saw the demos on maros website! Now could anyone tell me what hapens if there are people talking in the background like in the office (would I have to start screaming all your voise are belong to us now shut the **** up?) or if I'm watching tv or listening to the radio at the same time as I would be using headcasting?

[Guru]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by windigo:
ya the next version will have 64mb of memory

</font>

yeh but to cut down on production costs it's only going to be 32bit! Sorry !